Birtley Town 3 Sunderland RCA 4

Tuesday, 16 November 2010

League Cup Second Round

Sunderland RCA's trip to Birtley Town for the Second Round of the League Cup provided an entertaining night's worth of football for the supporters, but, perhaps not for either manager.

RCA came into the fixture with a squad depleated due to injury, suspension and work commitment. Coming into the side from Saturday’s victory against Penrith was Dave Anderson who started at centre half, Joe Fairish and David Duke returned to midfield with Lee Owens making his first start since returning to the club and Chris Smith replacing Joe Walton, who picked up an injury in the pre-match warm-up.

RCA took a while to settle into the match. The flowing passing game that had been a feature of their recent good results in the league was breaking down against a hard working Birtley side in the centre of the park. Instead, much of the RCA’s possession play was drawn back towards their own goal.

Birtley looked to provide most of the attacking impetus in the first half. They tested the RCA defence with a number of balls over the top that repeatedly found their front line being flagged offside. But, you sensed that eventually the Birtley attack would time a run right.

Birtley’s best chance of the first half came around the half hour mark. Nathan Hepurker found himself with space in the RCA box, but despite being unchallenged, he was only able to shoot over.

RCA’s best moment came when Martin Smith, bending his run to beat the offside trap, ran through on the end of a lifted ball over the Birtley defence. Smith’s first touch was good, setting himself up for an attempt on goal, but Mark Dawson in the Birtley goal came out to close the angle down and Smith’s low effort was saved by the keepers feet.

Birtley broke the deadlock just before half time. A ball over the top exposed the RCA defence that had pushed up field and the runner, finally beating the offside trap, shot across goal. Gary Hoggeth made the save pushing the ball back into the danger area for Andrew McIntosh to fire into the roof of the net giving the scampering Hoggeth and RCA defence no chance.

Birtley again looked to press after the interval and were immediately rewarded. Herpurker was put through on goal and his shot, expertly tucked away in the corner, gave Hoggeth little chance.

Birtley’s second seemed to wake RCA who began attacking with a lot more enterprise. Pushing forward more men into attack RCA began finding gaps in the Birtley defence and a chance for Richie Logan resulted in a RCA corner. Martin Smith swung the corner in towards substitute James Oates at the near post. His flick onto the back post left Dawson stranded. Duke came in behind the defender with the simple task of heading home from three yards, but, he was somehow unable to make the right connection and headed wide.

RCA pulled their first goal back when, with some good feet, Logan passed the first defender and a simple exchange of passes put him through to shoot straight at Dawson. The Birtley keeper was unable to push the ball to safety and Martin Smith jinked passed the player held in attention and placed the ball in the back of the net.

RCA continued to create chances searching for an equalising goal. Carl Beasley must have thought he had levelled things when a deep searching cross from the left hung invitingly at the back post. Beasley rose and headed across goal beating Dawson but the ball came back off the Birtley post.

Birtley were looking dangerous on the counter attack and with RCA committing more men forward they were able to expose the RCA backline but were unable to convert any of the chances.

RCA levelled things with about ten minutes remaining when an attack from the left gave Smith a shooting opportunity. His effort was parried by Dawson, the hard working Birtley goalkeeper, but Duke was quick to follow up and he fired the ball into the empty net.

This cued a frantic end to the game with both sides looking for a winner. RCA were looking the more likely exerting pressure on the Birtley defence. The pressure reaped benefits with almost immediate effect. Beasley, who was in affect playing as a third striker, pulled off a defender in an almost carbon copy of his effort which hit the upright and headed back across goal giving RCA the lead for the first time in the match.

RCA made it 4-2 minutes later with a well worked move. Passing around the Birtley defence down the left flank the ball was pulled back to the edge of the box where Duke, timing his run perfectly, fired high past Dawson in the Birtley goal.

From kick off Birtley orchestrated an attack and with pace and precision they found their way easily through the RCA defence and substitute Martin Roper finished comfortably passed Hoggeth.

For the final moments of the match RCA focused on holding their lead. Birtley tried to create a final chance to take the game to extra time but RCA were able to hold out and progress to the next round, which, on the evidence of their first half performance, they will perhaps consider themselves lucky to do so.