Wednesday, 3 March 2010

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2

Two of the top three met in a terrific end-to-end encounter which first swung in favour of the Marske United but then as the game progressed it was Sunderland RCA who came into the game and finished by far the stronger. The only disappointment for the fans was the fact that it ended goalless.

Steve Stewart came back into the side. The pitch was very sticky and the first half was very evenly contested, with few chances for either side.

Ash Davies went close for RCA and Ben Thompson was a constant threat for Marske, but it was 0-0 at the break.

The second half saw Marske start the stronger, but as the game went on RCA got on top and Darren Kokes went close from close range on a couple of occasions.

Ash Davies caused real trouble with his running on the left and Marske were the more relieved side to hear the final whistle as an entertaining game finished goalless.

Saturday, 6 March 2010

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2

Sunderland RCA took all three points in a hard fought match against a very competitive, young Brandon United team who never stopped trying. In the end RCA proved too strong for Brandon who tired as the game entered the final 10 minutes and RCA took advantage to move five points clear at the top of the division.

Brandon were quickly into their passing game and a good spell of early possession ended with a shot from Bowman being well saved by Hoggeth.

The game then became scrappy with the ball being given away cheaply by both teams and the game got bogged down in a midfield battle. Brandon had a free kick 25 yards out, but Fothergill fired his shot straight at the RCA wall and the danger was cleared.

As the half progressed RCA started to penetrate the Brandon defence and after some good work by Richards, Ascherl was sent clear, but his attempt at lobbing the keeper went narrowly wide.

Within a minute Ascherl, who was playing in a more advanced role today, fired in a shot which was well saved by Myers.

Quick interplay between Jones and Ascherl should have been rewarded with a goal but the final shot from Jones flew over the bar.

RCA were almost caught in the final minute of the half when a crossfield ball found Bowman who tried a cheeky first time shot from fully 40 yards out which cleared the bar and landed on the roof of the net.

O'Riordan replaced Davis at half time and made an immediate impact, beating two players before crossing into the box for Stewart, but he fired over from five yards out.

Brandon broke out and a searching ball from Bramley found Verity free on the edge of the box and he fired in a low shot which scraped the foot of the upright.

The game was starting to open up now with RCA forcing their opponents to defend deep. A right wing corner was not cleared and Hall sent in a fierce shot which Myers was equal to.

The game changed dramatically with the introduction of Coghlan, with almost his first touch of the ball he hit the bar with the keeper well beaten. Five minutes later a pass from Ascherl found Coghlan on the right and his crossshot was magnificently saved by Myers at the expense of a corner. Coghlan took the corner and found Hall, unmarked, 12 yards out, and he thundered home his header.

As Brandon weakened RCA started to press for a second, but were denied by some good defensive work by Guy and Newby.

RCA were maybe feeling the effects of a hard match at Marske, but Brandon aquitted themselves well today.

Special mention must be made to RCA's defensive record this season: 14 clean sheets (8 in the last 9 games) must be a club record, if not a second division one.

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup

North Shields progressed to the semi final of the Ernest Armstrong Cup with this comprehensive win against a below par RCA team. The result was rarely in doubt after "Shields" opened the scoring within the opening two minutes.

A crossfield ball found Wright free and his cross to the far post evaded everybody except Akinbolu who bundled the ball home.

RCA responded with a shot from O'Riordan which was tipped over the bar by Robinson and a minute later the same player thought he had scored only for Farman to clear off the line keeper Robinson beaten.

More good chances then came for "The Robins" with Hay heading over and then he had a goal disallowed after a great move.

Ascherl was unlucky not to level the scores when he steered a Coghlan freekick inches wide and in the final minute of the half Davison fired staright at the keeper.

The second half didn't liven up until the 60th minute when Jones fired just wide. Then with 20 minutes remaining North shileds were awarded a freekick which Rassmussen blasted into the net aided by a goalkeeping error.

Robbie Livermore made it 3-0 when he dribbled into the box and knocked the ball past Hoggeth. Robinson finished the scoring with a deft header from an excellent Nellis cross.

RCA continued to put pressure on the North Shields defence but didn't really trouble the keeper.
Mention must be made concerning the great vocal turn out by the "Red Ultras"; North Shields' travelling fans were a credit to their team.

Saturday, 13 March 2010

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2

RCA entertained Stokesley in a vital top of the table clash, and the big news before kick off was former RCA centre forward Andy Jennings pulling up in the warm up and having to drop to the bench.

Courtesy of the Sunday Sun reporter Steve Brown: Match report:

An “absolute cracker” one would be “daft to miss”, promised the programme. It was right, as Sunderland stoked their promotion flames while Stokesley demonstrated sufficient to suggest that despite defeat in Ryhope, hope floats. Some game too. Five goals, two sendings-off, a penalty. Heated disagreement between dug-out and crowd, two balls in the neighbouring cemetery and another in a small girl’s face. It had everything and, for victorious boss Neil Hixon, satisfaction at the death. “That’s a massive win for us, we needed it if we have any aspirations to win the league,” he said, his side leading Northern League Division Two by five points from Jarrow Roofing, but nine now ahead of yesterday’s visitors, fourth with games in hand.

“It was a good game between two good sides but I think we deserved to win and they’re three big points for us.” They never looked like claiming any at the outset, as in-form Stokesley – 14 league wins on the bounce before last week’s draw with Newton Aycliffe – ought to have romped into a three-goal lead courtesy of Turkish Under-21 international Lev Yalcin. “That’s three glorious chances he’s p****d away,” bemoaned Frustrated, of Stokesley.

Home keeper Gary Hoggeth kept Yalcin, and Paul Crager’s header, at bay before Richard Hope fired across the face of goal, and by then Sunderland had at least served some notice of their attendance at least, Mark Davison and Liam McBryde heading at Rob Dean. Then though RCA, imploded.

A difference of opinion between a spectator and RCA boss Hixon saw the former vacate Meadow Park and the latter exit the dug-out. Something and nothing, you sensed.

Yet moments later Hoggeth’s 32nd-minute throw struck the back of unwitting team-mate McBryde and fell kindly to Bryan Stewart, who sprang clear to score. Credit though to the hosts, for they re-gathered composure, and took control. Six minutes later Davison headed in McBryde’s arrowed cross, the goalscorer then volleyed wide and ex-Gateshead star Christoph Ascherl fired at Dean before Darren Kokes ought to have scored in added time. Though before then Stewart and McBryde might also have handed Stokesley the lead again, the second half belonged – largely – to Sunderland.

Three minutes after the restart McBryde hit the foot of the post, then after Stokesley’s Stuart Wise was dismissed for a second bookable offence, Davison saw headers tipped and fly over, Stephen Halliday shot wide, Martin O’Riordan volleyed over and, finally, on 73 minutes, all that pressure paid. O’Riordan sent Kokes down the left, his nifty turn left Crager for dead and set up Scott Richards for a simple finish.
Game over, surely. But from near nowhere Stokesley seized a lifeline.

Hope’s threaded through ball put Stewart clear, only for the winger to be impeded by Steven Jones, who was red-carded as Yalcin equalised from the penalty spot.

So a draw then. Seems fair, keeps things interesting.

Sunderland had other ideas though, and on 85 minutes Halliday’s careering run took him past two opponents before a slid pass allowed Davison – who had just curled a free-kick wide – to ram the winner past Dean.

“I’m very disappointed, we should have had it won after 25 minutes but missed a lot of chances,” said Stokesley manager Ted Watts.

“We did enough for a point but that’s our first loss in 19 games.

“You don’t want to lose against a promotion rival but we’ll bounce back, I’m confident of that.”

Saturday, 20 March 2010

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2

Sunderland RCA FC should have bagged all three points at Whitehaven and only two monumental errors by a better than average referee denied us. His first was in denying Davison his hat trick when he headed home. Reason given was a pull on the goalkeeper's jersey by an unknown player. The second was in the last minute of the game when Shields was fouled just outside the box, he gave a non existent advantage as Whitehaven had the ball and they scored from the long ball out of defence.

Sunderland RCA started this match fantastically well putting Whitehaven under pressure from the off. In the third minute a slick one-two between McBryde and Kokes set up Davison, but he fired wide.

RCA took the lead on 11 minutes when Hall took the ball past a Whitehaven defender before crossing for Davison to volley home from 10 yards out.

Whitehaven's first effort on goal came in the 15th minute, when a smart passing move resulted in a long range effort from Shaw which was easily saved by Hoggeth. Immediately RCA went up the other end and Kokes rounded the keeper before shooting only to see his effort blocked by Lewis. RCA were dominating the play and Whitehaven were guilty of giving the ball away in key areas. McBryde and O'Riordan were a constant threat on the wings and their balls into the box were causing major problems for a shaky Whitehaven defence.

Davison scored his second when he was the quickest to respond to a shot from O'Riordan which struck the underside of the bar and bounced for him to head home from close range,

In the 43 minute Hoggeth was called into action for the second time of the half when he saved from Shaw again.

The second half started much the same as the first with RCA attacking and Whitehaven reduced to counter attacking.

In the 50th minute O'Riordan was unlucky to see a shot from the edge of the box clear the bar by inches and a minute later a Davison freekick was well saved by Miller. Connolly then tested Hoggeth as he skipped past two defenders before firing straight at the keeper. Kokes had a glorious chance to make it 3 - 0 when he was sent clear by McBryde, but his shot was well saved by Miller.

The game turned in the 78th minute when the referee disallowed what looked like a perfectly good goal which would have given Davison his hat trick. Whitehaven took advantage of the situation and Connolly was allowed to much room to get in a shot which beat Hoggeth low dow and nestled in the bottom corner.

In the 83rd minute Davison once again headed goalwards only to see Miller, at full stretch, tip the ball onto the bar and away for a corner.

With the 90 minutes up the referee decided to give a non-existent advantage when Shields was up-ended and Miller fired the ball forward to Connolly who finished with some aplomb from 25 yards out.

RCA should have had this game wrapped up well before the 80th minute, but it just goes to show that missed chances will cost points at this stage of the season.

Saturday, 27 March 2010

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2

An early morning pitch inspection was required after the torrential rain of the last few days. Once it was decided to play then it was game on against two teams who only seven days earlier had fought out a 2 - 2 draw. The srong wind was always going to be a factor in this match, but neither team took full advantage of it.

RCA took advantage of the wind and the slope in the first half and were quickly on the attack, Hall sent a searching pass into the path of Kokes who shot over. The wind was causing problems to both teams with the ball running away from players and the difficult conditions underfoot were making it impossible to play attractive football.

A bit of good fortune stopped Whitehaven taking a bizarre lead when a cross from Robson went over Hoggeth's head, but hit the top of the crossbar.

In the 18th minute Jones latched onto a McBryde pass and fired in a 30 yarder that screamed past Fryer in the Whitehaven goal, but hit the crossbar and went out for a goalkick.

Danger man Robson went close again after 30 minutes, forcing a good save from Hoggeth and in the closing minutes of the first half O'Riordan crossed into the box and Davison headed narrowly wide when he looked odds on to score.

Whitehaven started the second half positively probably bouyed by the fact that they had not conceded in the first half.

In the 50th minute Donnald burst past the RCA defence, but with only the keeper to beat he sent his shot wide. The effect of this miss was to lift the game of RCA who poured forward and Davison was unlucky with a powerful header which flew over the bar. Then a shot from McBryde almost deceived Fryer when it hit a divot, but the keeper did well to readjust his position and make the save.

RCA piled on the pressure and a corner from McBryde was flicked on at the near post by Davison, but it was cleared off the line by Johnson.

Whitehaven almost scored against the run of play when Shaw received a good through ball from Holliday but fired well over the bar.

Then within the space of 30 seconds Davison had two great headers. The first went wide off a defender and from the resulting corner he headed downward and looked to have beaten the keeper but somehow he got a hand to if and it went over the bar for a corner.

In the last five minutes RCA almost self-destructed when a Hall backpass to Hoggeth was intercepted by Holliday, but Hoggeth was able to stay on his feet long enough to stop the Whitehaven captain getting in a cross and the danger was averted.

Marske moved to the top of the table and RCA drop to second for the first time since October.