A youthful Sunderland side conceded two late goals to see three points slip through their fingers against Norwich City on the opening day of the Premier League 2 Division 2 campaign. The Black Cats raced to a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Caden Kelly and Joe Ryder inside the opening 22 minutes.
However, a more experienced Norwich side found their way back into the game before half-time through Tom Dickson-Peters, grabbing his second of the game with just eight minutes of the tie remaining. Abu Kamara then completed the comeback just four minutes from time with a low drive beyond Harrison Bond in the Sunderland goal.
The Black Cats youngsters were missing a number of regular U21s, having spent the last fortnight on tour in Canada, but Alex Ackerley's side turned in an impressive first-half display. The stand-in coach gave highly rated 15-year-old Chris Rigg his competitive debut in PL, while Harrison Sohna was handed the armband, while Michael Spellman and Kelly also featuring having been on the fringes of the first team in pre-season.
READ MORE: Norwich City U21's vs Sunderland U21s action and reaction
The Canaries started the brighter of the two sides with Sean Stewart's cross finding Kamara at the back post but his effort hit the side netting. Sunderland responded well as Kelly forced the first save from Archie Mair after 11 minutes, cutting in from the left flank with the Scotland youth international tipping his effort over the crossbar.
The Black Cats went close again minutes later, Spellman's heavy touch on the edge of the area meant the youngster blazed his effort over the bar with the winger off balance. Not deterred by that miss, the Black Cats winger made sure to make the Canaries pay.
Sunderland struck twice in quick succession with two moments of magic from Spellman. He picked out Kelly on the left wing - who cut inside and curled a brilliant effort into the top right-hand corner leaving Mair with no chance - before an inch perfect Spellman cross picked out Ryder in the middle, whose header flew past the Canaries keeper just two minutes later.
Both sides were forced into two changes just after the half hour mark, before Norwich reduced the deficit through Dickson-Peters. The Canaries youngster latched onto a long punt upfield from Mair and lashed a fierce volley into the bottom right-hand corner beyond Bond.
They could, and probably should have restored parity moments later - Harry Brooke opted against shooting and rolled in Kamara to his left but he could only blaze over the bar. Bond then had to be alert to deny Tyrese Omotoye from 15-yards out, palming his effort clear.
The hosts would end the half strongly with Omotoye going close again at the near post, Fieldson's slight touch deflecting the ball behind. The Black Cats were good value for their lead at the break but would once again have to weather a storm after the break, with Bond forced into two smart saves.
The first to Dickson-Peters from a set-piece, tipping an effort that looked destined for the top right-hand corner, behind for a corner. Minutes later the Black Cats shot stopper smothered the ball at the feet of Kamara after Omotoye's cross.
The Black Cats didn't test Mair as much in the second-half, with Rigg's effort from the edge of the box the best opportunity. The Under-21's limited the hosts to many clear cut chances with Kamara and Omotoye squandering two good chances for Norwich.
Sunderland did well to propel a number of Norwich attacks but the hosts finally found a leveller after a slick passage of play saw Dickson-Peters tap Stewart's pull back into an empty net. The Canaries would make their second-half pressure pay with Kamara beating his man on the right-hand side and slotting the ball into the bottom corner to complete their comeback.
Norwich City U21s XI: Mair, Campbell, Warner, Shipley, Riley (Duffy 30), Brooke, Watt (Coker 87), Stewart, Dickson-Peters (Aboh 90+2), Omotoye (Matos 87), Kamara
Subs: Aziaya.
Goals: Dickson-Peters (35, 83), Kamara (86)
Bookings: Dickson-Peters (47), Campbell (49)
Sunderland U21's XI : Bond, Burke, Sekete (Beattie 32), Fieldson, Jones, Sohna, Moore, Rigg, Kelly, Spellman, Ryder (Cain 46)
Subs: Cameron, Mitchell, Obolo
Goals: Kelly (20), Ryder (22)
Bookings: Burke (54), Spellman (68)
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