CHRIS RIGG became the youngest goalscorer in Sunderland’s history – but the teenager’s efforts were insufficient to secure a Carabao Cup success as his side lost 5-3 on penalties to Crewe.

The Black Cats’ League Two opponents scored all five of their spot-kicks after the game had finished 1-1, meaning Pierre Ekwah’s miss proved crucial.

Ekwah was the third Sunderland player to step up to the spot, and the only player from either side to miss as Crewe goalkeeper Harvey Davies made a low save to his left.

At the age of 16 years and 51 days, Rigg, who also became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the League Cup, fired home an equaliser midway through the second half to cancel out Luke Offord’s first-half header.

The teenager became Sunderland’s youngest-ever outfield player when he came off the bench in the FA Cup against Fulham last season – now he has another notable record to add to his collection. Given the esteem in which he is held, it is unlikely to be the last landmark he reaches in his senior career.

His goal came as Sunderland dominated the second 45 minutes, but they were ultimately punished for a lacklustre first half in which their fringe players once again failed to impress.

Given that last night’s game came just over 48 hours after Sunderland’s Championship opener against Ipswich Town, it was hardly a surprise that Tony Mowbray opted to make wholesale changes.

Mowbray had been scathing of his fringe players’ efforts in last week’s final pre-season friendly at Hartlepool United – this was an opportunity for a number of them to make amends. Very few members of the starting line-up stepped up to the plate, with Sunderland only getting on top when their head coach rang the changes in the second half.

Crewe might have started the season as many pundits’ selection for potential relegation candidates in League Two, but the visitors were the more threatening side in the early stages despite Sunderland dominating possession.

Joel Tabiner dragged a 12th-minute shot wide after the Black Cats defence struggled to clear a ball into the box, and Sunderland came within inches of falling behind just five minutes later.

Danny Batth was booked for tugging down Shilow Tracey as the Crewe forward threatened to break clear, and Jack Powell stepped up to curl a 20-yard free-kick around the wall and off the base of the right-hand post.

With neither side really creating much from open play, it was a night when set-pieces provided one of the few routes towards the opposition goal. Having been fouled as he looked to turn towards the Crewe goal just outside the 18-yard box, Alex Pritchard would have fancied his chances of breaking the deadlock on the half-hour mark. His floated effort beat the wall, but Davies got down to his right to push the ball to safety.

Pritchard was one of the few players on either team to offer any real creativity, with Jewison Bennette struggling to make an impression down the Sunderland left and Ellis Taylor proving similarly ineffective on the opposite flank.

Like Batth, who started at centre-half despite persistent speculation linking him with a possible move to Blackburn Rovers, Pritchard has been linked with a move away from Wearside before the end of the month, but the 30-year-old remains a valuable member of the Sunderland squad given his experience and creative nous.

He threatened again before the break last night, driving into a pocket of space 25 yards out before unleashing a fierce drive that thudded into Davies’ chest. Three minutes later, and he opened up his body to create another shooting opportunity after a pass infield from Abdoullah Ba, only for another effort to fly straight at the Crewe goalkeeper.

All eyes turned to the fourth official’s board as the interval approached, and while the announcement of three extra minutes was hardly outlandish given events at the weekend, it still provided enough time for Crewe to claim the lead.

A corner from the right-hand side was allowed to pass all the way across the goalmouth to the back post, and visiting centre-half Offord leaped highest to head home from inside the six-yard box.

Mowbray responded to the setback by making three half-time changes, which included a debut for summer signing Bradley Dack.

Dack has been signed to provide some of the invention that was delivered by Amad Diallo last season, and within eight minutes of being on the field, he was fashioning a slide-rule through ball that Bennette would have reached had it not been for the alertness of Davies in the Crewe goal. Four minutes later, and he was going close himself, firing in a shot that was blocked by Connor O’Riordan after Pritchard laid the ball off to him in the box.

Dack’s second-half performance was a rare bright spot for the hosts, with Jack Clarke also joining him on the field on the hour mark. Clarke was summoned to replace the ineffective Ba, and took just four minutes to make a positive impact.

The Crewe defence failed to adequately clear Clarke’s cross from left, with the ball eventually ending up at the feet of Rigg, who fired home a clinical finish from the edge of the area. It was the 16-year-old’s first goal in senior football, following a summer in which he committed his future to the Black Cats despite interest from Newcastle and Manchester United.

Sunderland were the dominant force throughout the second half, and another of their substitutes, Ekwah, almost claimed a winner with 13 minutes remaining. The midfielder’s 25-yard effort beat Davies’ left hand, but the ball rebounded off the base of the post, meaning the game went to penalties.