Danny Batth missed out on Sunderland's pre-season double-header against South Shields and Gateshead due to injury, boss Tony Mowbray has confirmed. Centre-back Batth has been the subject of transfer speculation over the last week, with Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers said to be interested in the 32-year-old.
And while Mowbray could not rule out out of a move this summer, saying that Batth might not be guaranteed a regular place in the starting line-up if he stays, he did say that it played no part in his absence today - and insisted that he would be travelling with the squad next week for the Black Cats' pre-season trip to the USA. Batth missed the run-in last season after suffering a knee injury in April and he is still working his way back to full fitness.
"It's just a knock, he's coming with us to the US," said Mowbray. And asked directly about the transfer rumours surrounding the former Stoke City and Wolves man, he added: "We have to wait and see - it seems strange, doesn't it, to be talking about your player of the year last year leaving.
"But we have signed two young centre halves [Jenson Seelt and Nectarios Triantis], you hope that Dan Ballard stays fit and that Dennis Cirkin and Aji Alese aren't too far away. You reach a certain age in football and you want to play, I get on really with Danny and I've been there myself as a player.
"Let's see what the next six weeks brings on that front. He was amazing last year, I have to say that.
"If he stays: great. If he goes it's because he wants to play. He'll get a feel of it [and we'll go from there]."
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Sunderland's pre-season got under way with a goal-packed game at newly-promoted National League North side South Shields, where new boss - and Black Cats legend - Julio Arca was taking charge of his first home game since being appointed with a record attendance of 4,000 turning out at the 1st Cloud Arena for the occasion. Mowbray included new signing Hemir in a starting XI which was made up mainly of senior players, with Ellis Taylor and Ben Crompton the only youngsters to begin the game although the match ended with an entirely different set of players, with no first-teamers among them.
Paul Blackett took advantage of sloppy defending to fire Shields in front midway through the first half, but Portuguese striker Hemir levelled straight after the interval when he nodded home Isaac Lihadji's cross. Blackett then restored Shields' lead on 56 minutes, cutting in from the right to slot past Anthony Patterson.
But Jack Clarke equalised on the hour when Lynden Gooch's low cross from the right side of the box found him at the far post, leaving him with a simple finish. And Clarke then put Sunderland ahead with just under 20 minutes to go, turning in Abdoullah Ba's cross.
Shields sub Dillon Morse made it 3-3 ten minutes from the end, but 16-year-old sub Chris Rigg had the final word when he scored Sunderland's winner in the 89th minute. Sunderland also hit the woodwork three times, with Clarke denied twice and sub Trie Ogunsuyi once.
Then it was time to switch venue for the second game against Mike Williamson's National League Gateshead. At the International Stadium, Mowbray included summer arrival from Birmingham City Jobe Bellingham in a strong starting line-up with defender Zak Johnson the only U21 player included.
Connor Pani's deflected shot gave Heed the lead midway on 20 minutes, with Adam Campbell adding a second just a couple of minutes later. But Dan Neil pulled a goal back before half-time with Alex Pritchard providing the assist, and Niall Huggins levelled things up shortly after the hour when he finished after good work from sub Callum Wilson.
Sub Michael Spellman then completed the turnaround inside the final ten minutes when Wilson's blocked shot fell invitingly to him inside the box and he scored from close range.
