10 hours Ago By James Copley
Sign up to our Sunderland AFC newsletter Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Sunderland Echo, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Sunderland goalkeeper Adam Richardson endured a controversial debut at Blyth Spartans last weekend. Advertisement Advertisement After enjoying a month with Hebburn Town earlier this campaign, the highly-rated stopper recently penned a loan deal with the local non-league side until January.
The Northumberland club were in action against Ryland in the National League North last weekend with Richardson getting the nod to start in goal. However, Blyth Spartans were denied what would have been a decent point on the road by a controversial penalty decision. “I don't like commenting on officiating at all but when their team's actually saying it's not a pen and the referees went and given it,” Blyth Spartans manager Michael Connor said after the game.
“And there were players in front of him and as our goalkeeper Adam Richardson had said, with the balls in his hands, he's been kicked out of his hands. Advertisement Advertisement “It's a little bit luck, we're going half-time 4-1 up but we end up losing 2-1, but as I said to the lads, I can't fault the desire, the fact that they were running for the full 90 minutes and total support as its something that's been missing but it's that little bit of quality, opportunities where we put the foot through the ball and we have a dig but when we did it, we've had two off the line, so you kind of look at it and you go, I'm disappointed.” Read More After joining Blyth Spartans, Sunderland’s academy manager Robin Nicholls said: “This opportunity will continue to provide Richo with exactly what he needs: minutes in senior football.
It builds on his time with Hebburn Town and offers him another chance to showcase his abilities. Blyth is a historic non-league club, and we’re confident Adam will play an important role in their current campaign.” Richardson added: (I am) delighted to sign, I'm excited to come and play men's football at a big club and hopefully we can get going in the right direction.
” Richardson, 21, formed part of the impressive Sunderland under-21 group that reached the Premier League 2 play-off final against Tottenham Hotspur last season and is highly-rated in academy circles..
