Premier League North

Sunderland 7 (Gardner 16’, 45+3’, 45+6’, 63’, Jones 58’, Rigg 65’, Waters 82’)

Leeds United 5 (Thomas 6’, 26’, 77’ pen, Buchan 59’, Andreucci 67’)

Sunderland: Richardson (GK), Jones, Bell, Williams, Bainbridge (Beattie 90’), Jones (Waters 72’), Cain, Singh, Rigg, Gardiner (Creamer 83’), Middlemas. Subs not used: Bond, Moore.

Leeds United: Christy (GK), Littlewood, Richards, Godden, Carole, Bradbury (Spencer 45’), Buchan, Coleman (Grainger 45’), Picksley (Ferguson 45’), Thomas, Andreucci. Subs not used: Wilson, Toulson.

Venue: Academy Of Light

Referee: Darius Bradley

Booked: Littlewood (Leeds) Bell (Sunderland)

Sent off: Christy (Leeds)

Leeds United Under-18s started the year off with an enthralling encounter against Sunderland, despite ending up on the wrong side of a 12-goal thriller.

Leeds went into this game off the back of a 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough before the Christmas break, with the hosts’ last match also coming against Boro, with Sunderland losing it 4-3.

Goals were to be expected with the two sides recent scoring form and the form guide was certainly proved right at the Academy of Light.

The Whites started the brighter of the teams and were on the front foot straight away, with Luca Thomas scoring a superb solo goal, beating several players before slotting home past the Sunderland goalkeeper.

The home side then settled into the game and hit back 10 minutes later, as Harry Gardner tapped into an empty from close range to get his first of the game. 

Thomas then grabbed his second goal of the match with 26 minutes on the clock, as he pounced on a defensive error and smashed the ball into the bottom right corner, giving Adam Richardson no chance to deny him in the Sunderland goal. 

The game then turned on its head, as the referee sent Leeds goalkeeper Harry Christy off for a last man challenge, with him being adjudged to have fouled the opponent. The hosts were awarded a penalty and Gardner stepped up and converted calmly, to level the game up once again. 

Seconds before the break, Sunderland were given another penalty this time for a mistimed challenge in the box. Gardner made no mistake and scored the resulting spot kick, and in doing so, completed a 45 minute hat-trick.

HALF TIME: Sunderland 3-2 Leeds United

The task got even more difficult for Leeds 13 minutes into the second half, when Jenson Arron Jones poked home following a scramble in the Leeds area, to give the Black Cats a two-goal lead. 

Scott Gardner and his players showed their never say die attitude as Jay Buchan reduced the arrears straight from kick off, as he smashed the ball home at the back post and reduced the deficit to one for the 10-man Whites. 

An action-packed game got even more eventful as Sunderland’s Gardner scored his fourth of the afternoon, after latching on to a through ball from Oliver Bainbridge. 

The Black Cats then looked to put the game to bed, as Chris Rigg scored following a misplaced pass in the Leeds defence. 

The visitors kept fighting and United forward Ben Andreucci immediately hit back with a beautiful curling effort from just inside the Sunderland area, which nestled into the top corner of the net. 

With 23 minutes still to go, Leeds were still battling and they were awarded a penalty of their own, when Sunderland’s goalkeeper was adjudged to have fouled substitute Morten Spencer. Thomas stepped up and dispatched the penalty, grabbing a hat-trick of his own and give his team hope of a dramatic comeback. 

Into the 82^nd minute and the scoring didn’t stop there, but an incredible game was finally put to bed as Jake Waters bundled the ball home after a goalmouth scramble to get a seventh for the hosts. 

This result means the Whites drop down the table into eighth place with 12 games played. Next up for Gardner’s side is a clash with table toppers Blackburn Rovers next Saturday, who they sit eight points behind.

FULL TIME: Sunderland 7-5 Leeds United