Sunderland prospect Ben Metcalf bounces back from ‘character building’ Ashington debut | OneFootball

Sunderland academy goalkeeper Ben Metcalf has turned his first senior loan around, recovering from a bruising Ashington debut to settle and string together three clean sheets.

According to Sunderland Echo, the 19-year-old signed his first professional deal last summer after standout Under-18 displays, then stepped up to the Under-21s with a Premier League Cup start in October against Norwich City, followed weeks later by a first Premier League 2 start in a 2-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Metcalf joined Northern Premier League East Division side Ashington last month for his maiden loan. His first outing brought an 8-0 home loss to newly crowned champions Redcar Athletic, then he was named on the bench for a 2-1 defeat to Emley days later.

He responded with three successive clean sheets and steady performances. Joint-interim boss Mark Ellison called that opening setback character building, said he had looked to shield the youngster initially, and revealed Metcalf was devastated to miss Dunston after international duty.

The goalkeeper earned a first Northern Ireland Under-21s call-up, though he was not in the squad for Friday’s 3-0 defeat to Germany, and his absence coincided with Ashington’s 1-0 loss to Dunston UTS. Ellison added that he thinks they will need two goalkeepers across the run-in, especially over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Metcalf hopes to win a first Under-21 cap when Northern Ireland face Latvia on Tuesday, then return for Ashington’s trip to Hallam on Saturday.

Source: Sunderland Echo