SAM Allardyce got his first glimpse of Sunderland’s youngsters when he took his seat in the stands at the Stadium of Light for the Premier League International Cup tie with Borussia Monchengladbach which ended 1-1.

He watched the action alongside first team coach Paul Bracewell and goalkeeper coach Adrian Tucker and it was a tight game and both sides missed a penalty.

The German team missed the first in the 12th minute before Mikael Mandron’s poor kick was saved in the last minute – after Liam Agnew was fouled – and that would have won it for the Black Cats.

French striker Mandron – who also had an effort ruled out for offside – had a strange night. He opened the scoring when he found the net nine minutes after half-time. He got on the end of Lynden Gooch’s near post cross after he managed to beat his man to get to the line.

But Monchengladbach hit back with nine minutes remaining when Marlon Ritter powered a free-kick on the edge of the area beyond Max Stryjek after a Mandron handball which also earned the forward a booking.

Sunderland: Stryjek, Matthews (J Robson 81), T Robson, Ledger, Brady, E Robson (Honeyman 63), Smith, Agnew, Greenwood, Gooch, Mandron. Subs: Purvis, McEvoy, Blinco, J Robson, Pybus, Nelson.