The newly-appointed boss was in the stands at Eppleton CW as goals from Luke Charman and Victor Fernandez sentenced the Black Cats to defeat. But how did the individuals in Elliot Dickman’s squad perform? We’ve dished out our player ratings from the Premier League 2 clash – scroll down and click through the pages to see who shone and struggled for Sunderland’s second string:
1. Anthony Patterson
Little he could do about either goal and, other than a shaky moment when clearing a second half cross, dealt well with most of Newcastle's threats. 6 Photo: Frank Reid
2. Jack Bainbridge
An imperious performance at the back, particularly in the second half, as he won everything in the air and made some crucial blocks - including one to stop a near-certain goal. An excellent performance. 7 Photo: FRANK REID
3. Kane Evans
Struggled to get forward as Newcastle pinned the Black Cats back, the young full-back defied his years to put in a mature performance. 6 Photo: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC
4. Brandon Taylor
Saw red in the first half in an incident that changed the game. Could have few complaints about the dismissal. 4 Photo: Frank Reid