Goal scorer Kyle Fryatt whips in a second half cross.
More photos from the match are here.
RCA travelled to The Sir Tom Cowie Millfield, to play Crook Town in this Ebac Northern League fixture. Crook are having an indifferent season so far and recent results show that they have won two and lost two of their last four games while RCA have only lost one of their last four and were looking to follow up their emphatic 4-0 victory over Tow Law Town in mid-week.
With no injury concerns from Tuesday’s match the management team named an unchanged starting eleven with Lavery, Morris and Lawrence all named on the bench after short term injuries.
The teams lined up as follows:
Crook Town: C Lamb, Winstanley, Pilling, J Lamb, Mitton, Walker, Metcalfe, Brown, Johnson, Parnaby, Forster. Subs: Ball, Irvine, Nash, Harrison.
Sunderland RCA: Marrs, Allen, Charlton (c), Jakab, Hall, Jakab, Moan, Bennett, Nelson, Annang-Colquhoun, Guy, Fryatt. Subs: Charmey, Best, Lavery, Morris, Lawrence.
The “Millfield” looked in good condition but a little uneven in places and as the players took to the field the sun came out to make for ideal football conditions.
RCA started the game on the front foot with an early raid down the left by Charlton receiving a return ball from Fryatt he clipped the ball into the box where C Lamb dropped the ball but was adjudged to have been fouled by Annang-Colquhoun.
Crook had the next chance of the game when a long ball forward by Walker was picked up by Johnson who controlled the ball well before hitting a terrific shot which took a deflection which flew just wide of the upright.
Hall went down injured in the centre circle and was replaced by Morris, Nelson switched to centre back position.
RCA continue to attack with a well worked move down the right, Morris controlled a long ball forward from Jakab before laying it off to Allen who whipped in a cross which was controlled by Fryatt but his shot was charged down by Walker.
Within a minute Nelson spotted Charlton in acres of space on the left and played the ball into his path and he out paced the Crook defence before sending in a low cross which was met by Morris but he mis-hit his shot and the Crook Keeper picked up the loose ball.
Crook's only reply was a cross shot from Winstanley which was easily saved by Marrs.
For all their possession RCA were finding it difficult to get clear cut chances in and around the Crook penalty area.
Another defence splitting pass from Moan was picked up by Annang-Colquhoun who was clear of the Crook defence but he needed one touch to many to get the ball under control and Mitton was able to make a fantastic last ditch tackle to send the ball out for a corner.
The corner kick to the far post caused some panic in the Crook box as Fryatt controlled the ball before drilling it back into the six yard area where Winstanley hooked the ball away under pressure from Moan.
RCA took the lead on the half hour mark. A deep corner kick to the far post was dropped by C Lamb and Fryatt was again on hand to drive the ball back across the face of goal where Annang-Colquhoun was on hand to smash the ball into the net.
Dead ball situations were causing Crook some problems and when they conceded another corner Charlton again fired the ball to the back post where Nelson managed to find space but hooked his effort inches over the bar.
The visitors were piling on the pressure with Crook unable to get any sort of possession as they were immediately closed down.
Bennett picked up a poor pass in the centre of midfield and released Annang-Colquhoun forward once more again the RCA striker's shot was blocked by Mitton for a corner. Charlton’s corner kick caused further panic in the box but the ball was eventually half cleared by Parnaby but fell to Guy who drifted out wide before sending a cross which Jakab headed straight at C Lamb.
As the game moved into the final five minutes of the half Crook players resorted to some very niggly fouls which upset the rhythm of play and RCA started to get frustrated in not being able to make their superior possession pay off in the final third.
The second half started well for Crook as the pushed RCA onto the back foot. A good move down the right which saw substitute Ball play the ball to Johnson who in turn squared the ball to Parnaby who fired in a low shot which flew wide of the target.
A minute later and a good ball forward from Mitton was picked up by Brown on the right and his driven cross cum shot struck the right hand post and was cleared by Allen.
Crook with more possession in the first 15 minutes of the second half than they had had during the whole of the first half continued to push RCA back and were unlucky not to equalise when a corner on the left was headed just over the bar by Pilling.
However RCA struck back on the hour mark, yet another freekick conceded by Crook was taken by Charlton who floated the ball into the box and although it was cleared it fell to Moan who struck a sweet shot which was blocked by Mitton but the rebound fell to Fryatt who struck a great volley into the roof of the net.
A minute later and the game should have been put to bed when a long clearance from Nelson bounced awkwardly in front of the Crook keeper and Annang-Colquhoun was able to get a foot to the ball but with an empty goal to hit he tried to cut the ball back onto his right foot and the opportunity was gone as Winstanley recovered to clear and Guy following up blazed the ball over the bar.
Another chance for RCA in the 65th minute as Allen played a delightful ball into the path of Bennett he clipped a curling cross into the box where C Lamb was relieved to tip over the bar with Annang-Colquhoun challenging.
A minute later and RCA had the ball in the net again, a cross in by Charlton hit Annang-Colquhoun on the back but he managed to somehow hook the ball into the net however the referee indicated that he had used his hand.
This was a ten minute period in the game when RCA were rampant and Morris and Bennett kept up the pressure on the right with Morris pulling the ball back into the path of Guy but he fired over the bar.
After this spell of RCA pressure both teams took time to make a number of substitutions as players tired.
Another RCA attack and Morris showed a great piece of skill in sending his marker the wrong way before drilling his left foot shot over the bar.
Crook tried to get back into the game but the RCA defence was in no mood to relinquish their clean sheet on this occasion.
With neither team having any further chances and the game ended with a win for RCA.
Next up is our foray into the Durham Challenge Cup with a Home game against Darlington RA on Tuesday, 11th October 2022.