SUNDERLAND return to the North-East from a tour of North America this morning and manager Mick McCarthy has labelled Martin Woods as the 'surprise package'.

Woods, who spent a short spell on loan at Hartlepool last season, was a free transfer signing from Leeds this summer and is not expected to figure too often in the Premiership starting XI.

But he has made the best possible start to life at his new club by impressing his boss.

Woods scored a 30-yard screamer in the 1-0 win over British Columbia All-Stars in the club's first game in Canada and has been working well ever since.

And McCarthy, whose side drew their final tour game with Portland Timbers yesterday morning, is full of praise for the young midfielder along with a number of his other summer signings.

"Jon Stead has been terrific. I have been really pleased with him. But one of the surprise packages has been Martin Woods, he has been excellent," said McCarthy.

"Kelvin Davis has also been excellent. They all have, they have really settled. Nyron Nosworthy has done well. He is a big, strong defender and very quick. He wants to defend so I'm delighted.

"It's been a great success because the team spirit we have built up is fantastic. The fitness work we have had out of these games has also been very, very good.

"A trip like this does unite the team and makes things better all round."

Sunderland's goalless draw with the Timbers may not have been the perfect way to end the tour but the squad had been told to take things easy by McCarthy.

The biggest football crowd inside PGE Park - 15,370 - turned up to see Sunderland in action and they got a glimpse of most of the Black Cats players, as McCarthy made 16 substitutions.

Stead, Stephen Elliott, Daryl Murphy and Neill Collins all had great chances to win the game but failed to convert and the match ended level.

Now Sunderland return to Wearside and prepare for Wednesday's game with Hull City - the first of three friendlies. Meetings with Sheffield United and AZ Alkmaar have also been lined up.

McCarthy's men won two, lost one and drew one of their 12-day tour of Canada and the United States but he is not too concerned with results.

"We got out of the tour what we wanted," he said.

"We came to gel and we look a lot fitter and stronger now."

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