Patrick Roberts played for an hour but could not prevent Sunderland U23s slipping to a third straight league defeat as Stoke City U23 won comfortably at Eppleton. January signing Roberts was included in the starting XI because he is desperately in need of gametime if he is to play a meaningful part in the Black Cats' League One campaign.
But Sunderland were comprehensively outplayed by the Potters, with only a string of saves from Jacob Carney preventing the visitors running riot. As it was, Emre Tezgel put Stoke ahead inside the opening quarter-hour, and Douglas James-Taylor added the second from the penalty spot after half-an-hour having been felled by Zak Johnson's clumsy foul.
The impressive James-Taylor then made it 3-0 inside the final ten minutes. Sunderland have now picked up just one point from their last five Premier League 2 games, and sit 12th in the table.
Along with Roberts, U23 coach Michael Proctor included three trialists in his side, with Ugonna Eminike and Michael Spellman continuing their successful spells, while Liverpool right-back Sean Wilson also played. Stoke took the lead on 13 minutes, as Thomas Sparrow's low cross from the right was swept home by Tezgel.
And it took a fine diving save from Carney to push a shot from Douglas James-Taylor to safety to avoid Stoke doubling their lead just a couple of minutes later. James-Taylor had another chance when he was picked out with a cross inside the box, but he directed his header straight at the grateful Carney from close range.
But Stoke did go 2-0 up on the half-hour from the penalty spot after centre-back Zak Johnson gave the ball away with a slack pass which was intercepted by Tezgel, it was fed into the box for James-Taylor and Johnson brought the forward down with a clumsy trip. James-Taylor picked himself up to convert, with Carney unable to keep the ball out despite getting a hand to it diving low to his left.
Carney then made a brilliant double save to keep out efforts from Abdallah Sima and then Tezgel as the Potters threatened to run away with the game, and when the ball ran free inside the box Ethan Kachosa then made a crucial block. Sunderland should have pulled a goal back just after half-time when Roberts intercepted a loose pass and advanced towards the box before playing Caden Kelly in, but his shot from the edge of the area went narrowly wide of he right-hand post.
Tezgel fired over the top from close range on the hour, and Carney made a good stop with his legs to deny James-Taylor soon afterwards. And Carney continued his defiance with another terrific point-blank save from James-Taylor 15 minutes from time.
The chances kept coming, however, and James-Taylor scored his second and Stoke's third eight minutes from the end, stabbing in from close range after the visitors had outnumbered Sunderland on the break.
Sunderland U23: Carney, Wilson, Johnson, Emenike, Kachosa, Kelly, Scott, Roberts (Gardiner 62), Taylor, Spellman, Gyimah. Subs not used: Richardson, Jones, Fieldson, Burke
Booked: Emenike, Scott
Stoke City U23: Noukeu, Sparrow, Okagbue (Baker 39), Forrester, Curl, Sy, Oakley-Boothe, Malone. Sima (Goodwin 46), Tezgel (Griffiths 79), James-Taylor. Subs not used: Hemfrey, Jarrett
Booked: Malone, Forrester
Referee: Martin Woods (Wigan)
Attendance: 183
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