Sunderland RCA 3 West Auckland Town 2

Saturday, 30 October 2010

STL Northern League Division 1

Sunderland RCA saw the return of Paul Talbot at left back after last week’s late defeat to Norton & Stockton Ancients replacing David Duke. Gavin Parkin was moved to a more advanced role next to Richard Logan in the RCA attack with Joe Walton coming in on the right side of midfield for Martin Smith who was missing through injury.

West Auckland began with a frantic pace looking for the first goal and it would not take them long to find it. After two minutes of play Gary Hoggeth turned away the first effort from the opening West Auckland corner. The second corner found Chris Renshaw at the near post and his header beat Hoggeth to give West Auckland an early advantage.

The away side were on top looking first to every ball and their aggressiveness showed as RCA struggled to get a foothold in the opening moments of the game. Some stout defending from James Oates and Carl Beasley at the heart of the RCA defence kept West Auckland within reach.

RCA began to find an outlet with balls into the channels and they had a willing runner in Logan. As RCA began to assert a presence in the game Logan began to find more time and space and receiving the ball at feet he was able to turn and run, troubling the West Auckland defence. His best opening came moments later turning the defender to run through on goal, but Mark Bell in the West Auckland goal turn the shot away.

The atmosphere of the game, set by West Auckland’s early aggressiveness, began to get lively as RCA set about their opponents in a similar manner. However, some of the West Auckland playing staff seemed aggrieved by the levels of competitiveness and tempers and petulance looked like they would eventually reach boiling point.

On 32 minutes referee Mr. Stalker awarded RCA a penalty for an awkward challenge on Parkin that was feverishly debated by the West Auckland staff and support. Harrison Davies stepped up to take the spot kick and angled it perfectly into the corner to restore balance to the scoreline.

West Auckland regained the lead deep into first half added time when Mattie Moffat beat two RCA defenders and set up Stuart Banks to slot in to give the away side a 2-1 lead at the half.

The second half began much in the same way as the first half ended. Both teams dedicated, but inevitably unable to remove the scrappy element from their play. It was in this passage of play however that RCA produced their best move of the match. Walton finding space down the right pulled back a perfect cross to Coghlan who brought the ball down on his chest and riffled the volley home.

The second equaliser seemed to hurt West Auckland mentally as frustration became the most significant part of their play. David Duke was introduced, replacing Parkin, to give RCA a more combative element to their play with Coghlan pushing further up field.

RCA began to create the better of the chances and had the majority of the play. A ball squared back to Logan on the edge of the area gave him the best of a number of shooting opportunities, but he failed to find the target.

With around 15 minutes remaining Logan pounced on a mistake in the West Auckland defence and his wild effort flew past Bell and hit the inside of the West Auckland post before seemingly taking an age to cross the line and give RCA the lead.

Disheartened, West Auckland switched to attack to try and find an equaliser, but RCA always looked the more dangerous on the break. Firstly, Duke with a one on one, but his effort could only find the outstretched arms of the keeper.

Scott Richards should have ended all doubt when he was slipped through on goal by Coghlan but as Bell came out to close the angle Richards let the ball run across his body and, with his left foot, attempted to curl a low shot near side which failed to find the target.

West Auckland were reduced to pumping long ball into the box in the final stages that were easily defended by the secure aerial presence of Oates and Beasley. RCA saw out the final few minutes to secure another three points from a hard fought contest.