Young guns' steep learning curve as Cup clash ends in heavy defeat

GRAEME Murty reflected on the learning that his side can take from Sunderland U21s' 4-0 defeat to Boston United on Tuesday.

- By CLIVE YOULTON

The lead coach watched on as an own goal from Ben Kindon and strikes from Lenell John-Lewis, Jordan Cropper and Kieran Donnelly sealed the victory for the hosts, as Sunderland lost for the first time in this season's National League Cup.

Murty (right) admitted to safc. com: “It is a difficult one to take.

“We started really brightly, and for 20 minutes, we got to grips with the different kind of system that we had, and handled the physical part of the game very well.

“The disappointing thing is that we conceded a poor goal, and too many heads went down.

“You could see Boston grow and we shrank, and that’s the disappointing part for me.