Hebburn Involve FC 2-9 Sunderland Albion FC: Match Report

Sunderland Albion FC secured their place in the 2nd round of the Durham County FA Minor Cup this afternoon with an emphatic 9-2 victory away to Hebburn Involve FC.

Both sides struggled to find the cutting edge in the final third throughout large parts of the first half with Albion having to come from behind twice to see them through to half time with the score tied at 2-2.

Albion were able to step up a gear after the interval and reaped their rewards, scoring seven in the 2nd half to secure what was a deserved 9-2 victory with seven different players getting their name on the final scoresheet.

The away side started the game very brightly with some neat passages of play but posed minimal threat in the final third during the opening stages with Hebburn capitalising on this and scoring with their first attack of the game. A low ball into the box found Hebburn’s number five unmarked at the back post for what was a simple tap in to make it 1-0.

Sunderland Albion reacted positively to going one down and started to pile pressure on the Hebburn back line and shortly after got their reward when Joe Bennett was able to get on the end of a long ball and drill the ball past the keeper at his near post to tie the game.

It appeared that it would be the away side that scored the next goal in the game with Bennett having an effort cleared off the line moments before Storey was denied by the outstretched leg of the Hebburn keeper however, against the run of play, the hosts re-took the lead with a deflected cross somehow nestling in the far corner of the Albion net to make it 2-1.

Ryan Hawyes was able to pull Albion level once more on the stroke of half time with a looping header from the centre of the box.

Albion stepped it up in the second half and began to take control of the game with Ryan Lindsay giving them a early second half lead, whipping a 25 yard free kick into the top left corner.

A quickfire double from James Andrews allowed Albion some breathing space with the forward reacting first to a rebound and firing into an almost empty net moments before receiving the ball in the box from Paul Storey and finishing well to make it a brace for himself and a 5-2 lead for Albion.

Bradley Skinner and Joe Wardingham were both introduced as second half substitutes with both getting on the scoresheet. Skinner finding the roof of the net from 30 yards with a bullet like effort moments before Wardingham was alive at the back post to fire into an empty net to make it 7-2 to Albion.

With Hebburn tiring, Albion continued to take advantage with James Buglass the next name on the scoresheet and Josh Elliot ending the scoring with his deflected effort rolling into the bottom corner not long before the full time whistle was sounded.

Albion will be hoping to replicate today’s performance next week when they travel to face Polton’s U23’S in the Wearside League.