Lincoln goalkeeper heads to Sunderland ahead of potential deal
Sunderland’s youth team secured a stellar 6-1 victory over Under-18s Premier League rivals Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.
Jordan Moore’s side dismantled the Reds with Marcus Neill netting a hat-trick at The Academy of Light, in stark contrast to the reverse fixture, which saw the young Black Cats beaten 4-2 in Liverpool.
Remarkably, all seven goals came in the second half of the match with Sunderland netting three on each side of what turned out to be a consolation goal for the travelling Liverpool side.
Academy prospects head north
Sunderland’s impressive defensive display was helped out by a new name on Tyneside, with full-back Freddie Cowin starting the match while on trial from Premier League club Crystal Palace.
However, Cowin will reportedly not be the only trialist to head up to The Academy of Light this month as the Black Cats look to bolster their academy side at the back.
According to the Sunderland Echo, young Lincoln City goalkeeper Isaac Allen is on trial in the North East this week and was touted to play in the postponed fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Allen, a third-year scholar in Lincoln’s academy set up, has been a consistent feature in the U18s side at the Imps, being part of the group that reached the third round of the FA Youth Cup in the last two seasons.
As part of his development, the talented keeper has been involved in first team training this campaign, leading to his inclusion in the first team match day squad on two occasions to date.
Allen looks to climb up the pyramid
Sunderland have had an inconsistent campaign in the U18s Premier League so far, with the two recent trialists being evidence of the coaching staff’s desire to shore up the defence.
The side currently sit seventh in the league’s standings and despite having a positive goal difference, a feat which teams around them have not achieved to date, the Black Cats have conceded 39 times in 19 matches this season, an average of just over two goals per game.
As a club, Sunderland are continuing to show ambition under owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus with the first team pushing for promotion back up to the Premier League after eight years out of the top flight.
This push for progression is clearly filtering down the age groups as oncomings are on the horizon at The Academy of Light.