Town earn a point on the road with a 1-1 draw with S
Sunderland: Jon McLaughlin, Bryan Oviedo (Reece James, 45), Lee Cattermole, Chris Maguire, Lynden Gooch (Duncan Watmore, 67), Tom Flanagan, Luke O’Nien, Jack Baldwin, Aiden McGeady (Charlie Wyke, 55), Josh Maja, Max Power.
Subs: Robbin Ruiter, Alim Ozturk, Dylan McGeouch, Charlie Wyke, Duncan Watmore, Reece James, Jerome Sinclair.
Town: Steve Arnold, Ryan Haynes (Omar Beckles, 88), Mat Sadler, Greg Docherty, James Bolton, Lenell John-Lewis, Alex Gilliead (Fejiri Okenabirhie, 67), Luke Waterfall, Josh Laurent (Lee Angol, 76), Ollie Norburn, Anthony Grant.
Subs: Joel Coleman, Josh Emmanuel, Omar Beckles, Lee Angol, Fejiri Okenabirhie, Abo Eisa, Ryan Sears.
Referee: O. Langford
Assistants: S. Wade and G. Liddle
Fourth official: M. Coy
Attendance: 33, 288 (697)
The game came to an end with Town taking a point away from the Stadium Of Light.
Luke Waterfall popped up with a headed goal to give Town a deserved point on the road.
Team News: Sam Ricketts made two changes in the team to face the Black Cats this afternoon. Lenell John-Lewis and Alex Gilliead were brought into the squad. Fejiri Okenabirhie started on the bench and Aaron Amadi-Holloway was withdrawn from the squad due to illness.
First Half:
The first 10 minutes of the half got underway in a highly competitive nature. The home side were looking to attack at any given chance but so were Town.
The main bulk of Town’s chances were coming from the wings where the Shrews were having success through Alex Gilliead and Lenell John-Lewis. Both were firing crosses into the box but were unable to convert the half chances.
Sunderland had undeniable quality going forward and were also troubling Town. Chris Maguire looked sharp on the wing continually looked to spark quality attacks on the right side.
Luke Waterfall broke the deadlock for Town in the 30th minute. A great free kick delivery from Greg Docherty put the ball in a great position for Waterfall. The defender leaped to make a great connection on the ball and saw it loop into the back of the net – giving Town the lead.
Ollie Norburn was given a yellow card during the latter stages of the half for taking a free kick in the wrong place.
Just seconds later Anthony Grant was also put in the referee’s book - this time for a foul on Sunderland’s Josh Maja.
Sunderland went close with just four minutes left on the clock. Tom Flanagan found himself in the Shrews box, but he was unable to find the target from a tight angle.
Greg Docherty was booked just a minute later for a foul on Aiden McGeady.
The home side managed to find an equaliser just before the break in an eventful half. Bryan Oviedo flashed in a dangerous cross in the Town box and Josh Maja was on the other end to head home the ball in the 43th minute.
The half came to an end all level and fairly summed up a even half of football between the two sides.
Second Half:
The opening period of the second-half saw the home side pushing to get into the Town half. Town were being tested but Mat Sadler had his defence well organised and sealed out any Black Cats advances.
As the game was approaching the 70th minute mark it was the home side that were in the ascendancy. The Black Casts were pushing at Town hard and were getting chances but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Town were being limited to very few chances as the half progressed. Town did have space when breaking forward but the home sides compact defence ensured the Town frontmen could only strike long-range efforts.
Jack Baldwin was booked in the 82nd minute for fouling lee Angol has he dribbled past his man.
Ryan Haynes was another player booked in a busy game for the referee. The left-back looked to have got the ball but the ref judged his tackle as a foul.
The Town fans would have thought their team won the game during injury time. Docherty fizzed a cross in and the ball bounced off a Sunderland player towards goal. Fortunately for the home side Jon McLaughlin was at hand to claim the ball.
The game came to an end all level on the score sheet. Town did well to match the home side to leave the Stadium Of Light with a point.