Sunderland Reserves 3

Oct 11 2007 by Paul Cunningham, The Journal

Bolton Wanderers Reserves 0

SUNDERLAND always looked fairly comfortable as they eased their way to an emphatic victory over a toothless Bolton side at Hetton last night, writes NEVILLE PILKINGTON.

Sunderland included first-team squad members Darren Ward, Greg Halford and Ian Harte with David Connolly and Roy O’Donovan up front.

The hosts broke the deadlock in the 58th minute. A through ball from Halford found O’Donovan who guided a low, left-foot shot across the keeper for his second consecutive goal in the reserves having scored the winner against Liverpool last week.

Ten minutes later Bolton’s James Sinclair brought down David Dowson inside the box and Harte stepped up to hammer home the penalty low to Ian Walker’s left.

The move of the match came a few minutes later when a chip by Jack Colback over the top found O’Donovan who crossed first-time for Martin Waghorn to hit the post with a right-footed strike.

But a minute from time the second string did get their third when Colback latched onto a low through ball from Halford to turn and cross with his left foot for Michael Liddle to score with a downward header.

SUNDERLAND RESERVES 4-4-2: Ward, Halford, Harte, Hartley, Kay, Weir, Dowson, Richardson (Colback, 63), O’Donovan, Connolly (Waghorn, 63), Dennehy (Liddle, 46).

Referee: Paul Curry.

Attendance: 984.