Graeme Murty's side succumbed to another late goal to deny Sunderland U21s a return to winning ways in a performance where they dominated until the latter stages of the second-half. Harry Gardiner's strike gave the Black Cats the lead in the second-half but Sonny Blu Lo-Everton scored at the death to give Derby their first point of their Premier League 2 Division 2 campaign.
Isaac Lihadji was given his first start in a red and white shirt after arriving from Lille in the January transfer window. The French winger has managed just 15 minutes of game time from the bench against Reading, but was given 67 minutes this evening.
The French winger was at the centre of the Wearsiders' bright start. His mazy run down the right hand side won a corner for his team, he was then inches away from giving Sunderland the lead as Derby goalkeeper Harry Evans dropped the resulting corner with Lihadji lurking, only to gather at the second attempt.
READ MORE: Sunderland U21s vs Derby County U21s highlights and reaction
The Rams were limited to just two opportunities in the first-half but they both came from Kido Taylor-Hart's industry. He got the better of Ellis Taylor down the Derby right after 20 minutes, eventually picks out Osazee Aghatise but he blazed his shot over the bar from six-yards out.
Sunderland enjoyed the majority of possession and showed some real moments of quality. Thomas Scott showed great vision to pick out Tommy Watson with a big switch to the left-hand side, he beat his man and tried a first time shot with his right foot but it went just wide of the Derby left-hand post.
The best chance of the half for the visitors came from a Rams' break, working it out well to the right to Taylor-Hart who danced in from the right and fired a rasping left-footed shot from the edge of the area, which Richardson tipped onto off the crossbar and Sunderland scrambled clear.
The Rams attack came against the run of play, but Sunderland were unable to make the most of a brilliant passage of play just before the break. Some more good interplay involving Lihadji down the right, saw Caden Kelly roll the ball into Ben Middlemas on the edge of the area, his neat through ball found Harry Gardiner with his back to goal, he took a touch out of his feet and fired a low drive across the goalkeeper, but a fully outstretched Evans kept the scores level.
It was another positive start to the second-half and the Black cats would eventually open their account for the evening. Some good work from Watson down the left-hand side saw the Black Cats winger chop back onto his right and float a cross towards Gardiner in the middle.
The Sunderland striker took a touch and fired the ball into the roof of the net to give the hosts the lead. Ellis Taylor went close to adding a second from a free-kick 25-yards out, before Lihadji almost got himself on the scoresheet after some smart interplay with substitute Harrison Sohna.
The French winger hit a first time effort curling towards the top corner from the edge of the 18-yard box with Evans palming the effort wide. It was an impressive display for the new arrival who was replaced by Marshall Burke on the 68th minute.
Sunderland continued to push for another goal, with Watson going close from the left after a long ball upfield saw him get the better of the Rams right-back Kwaku Odurom, but his curling effort went wide of Evans' post. The Wearsiders had the ball in the net with just two minutes of normal time remaining as Kelly blasted the ball into the bottom left-hand corner but he was offside.
Derby then equalised a minute later to stop the Wearsiders getting back to winning ways. The ball was rolled out wide to Sonny Blu Lo-Everton who beat Callum Wilson on the edge of the area, cut inside and his shot flew past Ben Crompton and into the bottom left-hand corner of Richardson's goal to ensure a share of the spoils.
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