All six of our North-East teams were in action over the weekend. 

Who did enough to make it into The Northern Echo’s Team of the Week? 

GK - Nick Pope (Newcastle) - Made some crucial saves, the pick of which saw him claw away Lallana’s goal-bound header at the start of the second half

RCB - Darragh Lenihan (Boro) - Improved defensively as the game wore on and proved a major factor in the Blades box in the closing stages. Provided assist for second goal

CB - Dan Burn (Newcastle) - Did brilliantly after being shuffled to left-back – stopped a goal when he made a brilliant last-ditch challenge on Welbeck

The Northern Echo:

LCB - Dennis Cirkin (Sunderland) - Superb at the back. Won his battles, kept things quiet on the right and looks really comfortable at Championship level

RM - Kieran Trippier (Newcastle) - Defended brilliantly all afternoon, and produced a superb first-half goalline clearance to ensure the scoresheet remained blank

CM - Corry Evans (Sunderland) - An astute operator in the middle of the park and never seems to get fazed on the ball. Ticked things over really well

The Northern Echo:

CM - Mark Anderson (Spennymoor) - Scored another worldie for Spennymoor, which isn’t the first team that’s been said, to warn them a late point

LM - Isaiah Jones (Boro) - Set up Boro’s first goal with a lovely slide-rule cross and was offered a constant threat down the right

ST - Chuba Akpom (Boro) - Burst back onto the scene with his first two goals in a Boro shirt for more than a year – was a real threat all afternoon and took his goals

The Northern Echo:

ST - Ross Stewart (Sunderland) - Couldn’t do much more to salvage the three points for his side. Was on hand to finish the chance for the first goal and forced Dieng into an outstanding save at the end

ST - Mark Beck (Darlington) - was Darlington’s hero in the dying stages. Took his goal really well from range and maintained their unbeaten start 

Man of the Week: Chuba Akpom