SUNDERLAND RES 2
NEWCASTLE UNITED RES 2
Premier Reserve League
Stadium of Light
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Kick-off 7pm

GEORDIE midfielder Mark Doninger fired a stunning equaliser for the Magpies as Lee Clark's side kicked-off their campaign with a 2-2 draw in the Tyne-Wear derby.

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The black and whites opened the scoring through Jonny Godsmark but found themselves 2-1 down as the Black Cats struck either side of half-time before Doninger struck.

And it was Doninger who had the game's first effort on goal, his 5th minute shot sailing over the Sunderland crossbar from outside the area.

The hosts were soon on the offensive themselves and David Dowson should have done better with his header from 10 yards out after being picked out by Michael Kay's on the right.

But it was Godsmark (12) who broke the deadlock, his left-footed curler from outside the area drifting over Trevor Carson and into the top corner after Frank Wiafe Danquah had teed-up his strike partner.

Doninger then saw a shot saved by Carson before Gavin Donoghue (31) levelled the score.

Fraser Forster had done brilliantly to fist over Roy O'Donovan's close range effort, but the Toon stopper was left asking questions of is defence as Donoghue ghosted in un-marked to head home from the resulting flag-kick.

And it took just two minutes for the Wearsiders to get their noses in front after the break, Jamie Chandler firing into an unguarded net from close range after Forster had again done well to save O'Donovan's initial effort.

Dowson went very close to doubling the home side's lead moments later but saw his low drive from the edge of the area evade Forster's post by a whisker.

But it was Doninger (67) who popped up to smash the Magpies equaliser, the Newcastle-born midfielder connecting with Darren Lough's left-wing delivery before seeing his 20-yard strike nestle beyond Carson in Sunderland's goal.

Frank Wiafe Danquah had a late chance to win it for the visitors but headed over the bar from eight yards out after climbing highest to meet Matty Pattison's free-kick.

SAFC: Trevor Carson, Michael Kay (Jake Richardson, 45m) Michael Liddle, Peter Hartley, Gavin Donoghue, Graham Kavanagh, Robbie Weir, Jamie Chandler, David Dowson (Martin Waghorn, 75m), Roy O'Donovan
Subs not used: tbc

NUFC: Fraser Forster, Mark Bertram (Alex Francis, 64m), Darren Lough, Mark Doninger, Paul Huntington, David Edgar, James Troisi, Matty Pattison, Frank Wiafe Danquah, Jonny Godsmark, Kazenga LuaLua (James Marwood, 60m)
Subs not used: Mark Cook, Shane Ferguson, Callum Morris

Attendance: 3,271