Sunderland youngsters 'on a mission' after huge Jewison Bennette impact

Jewison Bennette grabbed the headlines for Sunderland, but Tony Mowbray has talked up all the club's exciting youngsters.

Tony Mowbray was full of praise for Sunderland’s exciting youngsters as Jewison Bennette earned them a point at Watford.

Sunderland were once again without any recognised strikers for the trip to Watford, who were two levels above the Black Cats just a few months ago.

Mowbray’s troops had to come back from behind twice, with Aji Alese and substitute Bennette both scoring their first Sunderland goals.

Bennette, 18, was one of a number of young players sent on from the bench to try and salvage a point, with Abdoullah Ba making his debut for the club. All of them made an impact, especially the Costa Rican, and Mowbray said he was not remotely surprised.

"If they hadn't done it in training, I wouldn't have put them on,” Mowbray said.

“You have to earn my trust as a football manager, and in training every day they've done that. They're positive, direct, play with a smile on the face. They all want to do extra work.

“They're young kids with a mission and a goal to play in the English leagues and you have to give them the opportunity, you can't keep knocking them back and leaving them on the bench.

“They showed everyone, all those fans in a red-and-white shirt behind that goal, that these young kids could be something good going forward.

“It's exciting, I wouldn't put them on the pitch if I didn't think they could impact it and they are doing that.

It wasn’t just the new contingent of Bennette, Diallo and Ba who made an impact either. Leon Dajaku nearly grabbed a goal for Sunderland too, and Amad Diallo showed his quality as well. Mowbray was also keen to single out Jay Matete for special mention.

“I have to mention Jay Matete, a young kid who came from Fleetwood Town, who looked really assured and powerful,” he said. “Abdoullah Ba is very talented. You could look at it and say it's a bench of young kids, but the reality is they are coming off and making a difference.

“We'll see the season unfolds and they have to force their way in on a regular basis.”