Blondy Nna Noukeu: 7/10
Was a spectator for most of the match but did impress the few times the ball came his way. Tipped one header over the bar with an acrobatic save and looked to spring counter attacks with long balls.
Jenson Jones: 6/10
Defended
well down the right and went close to scoring after the break but curled his shot just over the bar.
Luke O’Nien: 6/10
A comfortable evening for O’Nien with the visitors barely threatening. Didn’t play too many diagonal balls but dropped a shoulder often to find himself some space.
Ben Kindon: 6/10
Just not tested defensively with Bilbao comfortably kept at arm’s length.
Dennis Cirkin: 8/10
Played an hour as he continued his come back, had a pretty good game too, getting forward often and ending up with a goal and an assist. Set up Waters for the opener and then won the ball in the opposition 18-yard-box, cutting onto his right foot and curling it home for his goal. Was at fault for the Bilbao goal however, being a bit casual when tracking back and then sticking a lazy leg out when the ball was going past him.
Dan Neil: 7/10
Absolutely cruised through the first hour, stepped forward often to win the ball back – including for his well taken goal and distributed the ball well but had a very sloppy last half hour with plenty of passes going astray.
Ben Middlemas (C): 9/10
Bossed midfield for the home side, set up Waters for the fifth goal after a surging run and calm pass across the box and won the ball high up and finished with aplomb for the final goal of the night.
Felix Scott: 6/10
Had a tidy, if quiet game, on the right due to everything coming down Sunderland’s left.
Jaydon Jones: 9/10
Terrorised Bilbao from just behind the striker, always took up good positions around the box. Won the ball himself for his goal, ran forward and finished low past the goalkeeper and then set up Tutierov for the third of the night.
Timur Tutierov: 8/10
Full of running on a night where he had the beating of his man time and time again and looked spent when he went off with 15 minutes remaining. Scored a trademark goal when he cut inside and fired past the goalkeeper, unlucky not to score another or pick up an assist.
Jake Waters: 8/10
More good minutes in the tank for Jake following his return from injury and went off at half time with two goals to his name. Swivelled following Cirkin’s ball for the first and fired past the goalkeeper, then slotted home from a Middlemas ball across the box just before half time. Could easily have had a hattrick, going close on a few other occasions.
Substitutes
Ethan Moore: 6/10
Replaced Waters at half time with the game won but was a willing runner both up top and out wide.
Rhys Walsh: 6/10
Showed plenty of pace on the left when he came on, including a mazy dribble from the half way line that ended with the goalkeeper saving his effort.
Archie Lightfoot: 6/10
Came on for Cirkin and carried on where the senior player left off, getting up and down the line to support attacks.
Marcus Neill: 6/10
A late change and not much chance to make an impression.
Man of the Match: Ben Middlemas
Jaydon Jones came into the starting line up very late following Jack Whittaker’s withdrawal and was very impressive but my man of the match was Ben Middlemas. As is often the case with under 21 games, Middlemas was the best player on the pitch, making intelligent runs, using the ball well and working hard off the ball. Scored late on after he won the ball himself and fired hard into the far corner, got an assist following a driving run into the Bilbao box and a clever reverse ball across the box for Waters to tap in and was always involved in the home side’s best football.
