SUNDERLAND kick-started their pre-season campaign with a win and a defeat on Saturday.

The Black Cats thumped South Shields 5-0 in the day's first friendly before a 2-1 defeat at Gateshead.

Here's the story of the day:

EMPHATIC WIN AT SOUTH SHIELDS, SELECTIONS AND ABSENTEES EXPLAINED

As expected, Regis Le Bris split his first team squad over the two games.

The likes of Trai Hume, Dan Ballard, Chris Rigg and Patrick Roberts played in the win at South Shields, with the XI at Gateshead containing Anthony Patterson, Luke O'Nien, Jack Clarke and Jobe Bellingham.

Roberts, Hume, Rigg, Eliezer Mayenda and Adil Aouchiche were all on target in the first half at Shields, with Le Bris ringing the changes on the 70-minute mark.

Le Bris hinted that a 4-3-3 in possession and a 4-4-2 out of possession would be his preferred tactical blueprint of choice.

Supporters didn't have to wait long to see the seeds of that early pre-season work at South Shields. Dan Neil operated at the base of a midfield three in possession, flanked by Aouchiche and Rigg in the 'number 8' positions. Rigg was particularly impressive. Roberts and Hume worked well together on the right and Mundle looked lively on the opposite flank.

Maydenda pressed well from the front, grabbing a goal and his tenacity helped set-up Rigg for Sunderland's third of the afternoon.

Le Bris also made wholesale changes on the 70-minute mark at Gateshead, but with Sunderland 2-1 down instead of 5-0 up.

There were a few senior absentees. Summer signing Simon Moore missed the game having picked up a knock, while Abdoullah Ba and Nectar Triantis are both injured and expected to be out of action for a couple of weeks.

Alan Browne, meanwhile, was never expected to play after finalising his move this week. He's in the process of relocating to Wearside ahead of the trip to Spain next week.

HOW THE GATESHEAD GAME PLAYED OUT

The only surprise in the early stages of Saturday's second friendly was the fact it took Gateshead almost 20 minutes to open the scoring.

The hosts were by far the better of the sides in the early exchanges and carved out three good opportunities to break the deadlock in the opening quarter of an hour, with Greg Olley twice forcing Patterson into good saves and Owen Oseni dragging a shot wide after skipping past Luke O'Nien.

It was Oseni who got the opening goal Gateshead deserved, the striker on hand to tap in after a front post flick had bounced down off the bar.

The National League side were only ahead for 10 minutes, Sunderland levelling from the spot through Clarke. The move that led to the spot-kick was wonderfully worked, with O'Nien setting Timothee Pembele away down the right and the full-back cutting back for Nazariy Rusyn, who was sharp and beat Regan Booty to the cross before being clattered by the midfielder. Gateshead could have no complaints at the penalty award and Clarke made no mistake from the spot.

The Black Cats had a better spell after their leveller but Gateshead got themselves back in front in the last minute of the first half. Kenton Richardson sprayed a brilliant long ball into the path of Tom Allan, who'd had the better of Pembele throughout the first half. He charged into the box before teeing up Oseni to tap in.

The second half was a bit of a non-event, though Gateshead had a couple of good opportunities on the counter to wrap up the victory but were denied by Patterson.

Sunderland made nine changes with 20 minutes to play, with Patterson and half-time substitute Pierre Ekwah the two to stay on.

RUSYN UPS AND DOWNS

Rusyn won Sunderland's penalty in the first half at Gateshead and created another chance for himself with a similar dart to the front post, but ballooned his shot over the bar.

But while his movement was good in those two instances, the Ukrainian striker failed to make the most of a couple of other glorious openings.

He frustrated Jack Clarke when he failed to spot the winger, who would have been in on goal had he been seen and picked out. And Rusyn should have scored just before Gateshead's second goal when he picked up a loose ball inside the penalty box and had the time and space to pick his spot, but was denied by a goalline clearance.

Bringing in a striker is surely a must for Sunderland this summer but Mayenda took his chance in the first game at Shields, impressing in the opening period before being replaced by Hemir.

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JOBE ANSWER, FORMATION REVEAL AND MIDFIELD BATTLE

In his media unveiling, Le Bris made it clear he knew exactly how and where he planned to use Jobe Bellingham but at that stage he hadn't discussed his thoughts with the teenager so didn't want to make the plans public.

We now have a clearer idea. Bellingham played on the left of a midfield three in a 4-3-3 against Gateshead, with Le Bris adopting the same shape and system for both games. The former Birmingham youngster was clearly encouraged to join the attack and was the most advanced of the three in the middle, with Jay Matete sitting deep and Elliot Embleton to his right.

Given Le Bris played the same system for both games, it's wise to assume at this stage that will be the Frenchman's preferred approach going forward. There's plenty of competition for places in midfield, with Neil, Ekwah, Bellingham, Rigg - Sunderland's best in the Shields win - and new signing Browne all set to compete, while Elliot Embleton made a bright return at Gateshead after his long lay-off and Jay Matete was also back in action.

INJURY RELIEF

How Embleton and Matete will have enjoyed being back out there after their injury struggles last season. It was a first taste of the action for 10 months for Embleton after his Derby loan last term was cut short because of a thigh injury, while Matete needed minor surgery on a knee problem last season and didn't play again after February.

There'll have been equal relief for Dennis Cirkin and Aji Alese, who were both limited to just eight Championship appearances last season. Both started at Gateshead and will be hoping to play central roles this coming season.

Perhaps the inclusion of several players on the back of injuries last season - with Rusyn another who had a spell out of action at the end of the campaign - went some way to explaining the underwhelming display at Gateshead.

SUNDERLAND VS GATESHEAD: Patterson, Pembele, O'Nien, Alese, Cirkin, Matete (Ekwah, 46), Embleton, Bellingham, Benette, Clarke, Rusyn

SUNDERLAND VS GATESHEAD (FROM 70-MINUTES ONWARDS): Patterson, Lavery, J. Jones, Bell, Bainbridge, Ekwah, Middlemas, H. Jones, Walsh, Watson, Ogunsuyi.

SUNDERLAND VS SOUTH SHIELDS: Trialist, Hume (Lavery, 70), Ballard (Compton, 45) Hjelde (Bell, 70), Anderson (Bainbridge, 70), Neil (Mitchell, 70) Rigg (Kelly, 60), Roberts (Walsh, 70), Aouchiche (Jones, 70), Mundle (Watson, 70), Mayenda (Hemir, 45).