Ellis Taylor's brace ensured Sunderland U21s' Premier League 2 campaign got off to a winning start against Norwich City at a rain-lashed Eppleton. Taylor scored put the Black Cats on course inside the opening quarter-of-an-hour, with Costa Rica international Jewison Bennette providing the assist.

And Taylor added the second from the penalty spot five minutes from time after sub Michael Spellman had been brought down by goalkeeper Vincente Reyes. Graeme Murty named an experienced starting XI included six players - Niall Huggins, Nectar Triantis, Chris Rigg, Zak Johnson, Bennette, and Taylor - who started last week's Carabao Cup first round tie against Crewe Alexandra, along with Portuguese striker Luis Hemir who played for an hour tonight against the Canaries.

Sunderland were on the front foot from the word go, with Taylor cutting into the box from the right before bringing a save out of Reyes inside the first ten minutes. Taylor should have put Sunderland ahead soon after when he beat Reyes to a throughball 30 yards from goal after the keeper had come rushing out of his penalty area, but he then steered his finish into the sidenetting when he could have carried it forward and made absolutely certain.

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Bennette then saw a shot blocked by the legs of the keeper and out for a corner, before Sunderland finally made their pressure count in the 13th minute. Bennette's low ball across the box from the left found Taylor unmarked eight yards out and it left him with a simple sidefoot finish.

It took a crucial block from Matt Young to preserve Sunderland's lead midway through the half after an electric run through the middle from Fin Welch opened up the defence and he slipped in Ken Aboh, but he could only hit his shot at the advancing keeper. Harrison Jones sent a shot over the bar five minutes before the break, while at the other end Welch missed the target when he should have done better inside the penalty area.

Norwich dominated the second half for long spells but without seriously testing Young, with their best effort coming from Gabe Forsyth who flashed a shot wide from 25 yards. At the other end Ben Crompton had a couple of opportunities, sending a header from a corner straight at keeper Reyes, and later bending a shot narrowly wide of the top right-hand corner from 25 yards out.

Sunderland made sure of the points in the 86th minute, when Spellman - who had replaced Hemir - put Reyes under pressure and the goalkeeper brought him down. Taylor stepped up to send Reyes the wrong way from the spot, slotting his penalty into the bottom left-hand corner.

Sunderland U21: Young, Huggins, Triantis, Johnson, Crompton, Burke (Bainbridge 72), Rigg (Chiabi 46), Taylor, Jones (Gardiner 61), Bennette, Hemir (Spellman 60). Subs not used: Cameron

Booked: Burke, Young, Triantis

Norwich City U21: Reyes, McIntosh (Montoia 61), Adegboyega, Wilson, Renecke, Brooke, Riley (Watt 83), Manning, Forsyth (Coker 75), Aboh, Welch. Subs not used: Craven, Reindorf

Booked: Manning, Welch

Referee: Stuart Morland (Liverpool)