Globe Arena, Tuesday 13 November 2018, Checkatrade Trophy 7.45pm

Attendance 2377 with 1569 away fans.

Shrimps – Halstead Cranston Lavelle Yarney Conlan Kenyon c Cuvelier Ellison Thompson Oswell Mendes-Gomes, subs used Tutte for Cuvelier 57, Piggott for Mendes-Gomes 68, Hedley for Thompson 75.

Black Cats – Ruiter Oviedo Loovens Ozturk Bainbridge Power c  O’Nien Hackett Diamond Hunter Maja,  subs used Taylor for Hunter 60, Connelly for Diamond 65, Neil for Hackett 90.

Ref – Paul Marsden, seemed to allow late challenges from behind if you were from Sunderland but not if you were a shrimp. Loovens three times on Oswell, Ozturk twice on Thommo, no cards, Kenyon does it once, yellow!!

Pitch – Green and flat, weather very calm but cool.

Yellow cards – Kenyon 35, Cuvelier 45, Thompson 53

This report is just a rehash of most other home defeats this season, insert different player names as we made seven changes, all of whom did well, but the pattern was too familiar. Oswell, whose link up play and general nuisance was noticeable on the night, rose like a salmon and had a powerful header cleared off the line in the 10th minute as the opening exchanges were lively. The Black cats replied when Hackett wriggled free and found space well, his cross shot parried away by the alert Halstead. Within a minute, a prolonged spell of pressure ended with a long range effort from Kenyon being finger tipped onto the left post by Ruiter. Half time arrived goalless despite the best efforts of both sides, Oviedo at left wing back looking a class apart for Sunderland.

Diamond created his own opportunity and again tested the reflexes of Halstead, who has proved an able deputy to Baz, and again he reacted well to clutch the ball at the second attempt. The Shrimps response was immediate and string of corners with some decent defending from the visitors kept us at bay. Both sides made changes and went for the win, Ellison with a long range effort which made Ruiter scuttle across his goal.

As the last minute approached, another corner was half cleared, a free kick was awarded for late tackle, (again no card) and after a melee, Lavelle volleyed goalwards and Ruiter arched his back to paw away for another corner.

So it looks like pens, but after Cranston, who had another fine game in his third different starting position, lost out in midfield, Oviedo was released in acres, made ground on the left and crossed for Maja to take a great first touch and finish into the bottom right corner, a minute into injury time.

There were lots of positives on the night, Mendes-Gomes showed promise in the second half after realising he could use skill but not outmuscle anyone, it was great to see Thommo back and looking in good nick, Cuvelier was booked for coming back on after injury before the ref signalled, Thommo booked for a similar challenge as they were doing all night!! For me the MOM was rightly given to Cranston, although Oswell ran him close.

Too many times we have played good football, deserved something but not scored, which has cost us, and so it was again.

However, the squad is looking better for bodies, with no new injuries , Flemo is January, Sinclair a little linger but Old, Thommo and Tutte should be back full time.

Freez