Sunderland RCA 0 Jarrow Roofing BCA 0

skilltraining Northern League

4 March 2009

A good atmosphere tonight with a decent crowd gathered in the main stand for this match against neighbours Jarrow Roofing. The game was spiced up in that quite a few of the players on show had played for both clubs in recent years, with Jarrow having Keith (Rasher) Graydon and Dean Goodwin in their starting eleven, both players involved with SRCA at the start of the season.

Jarrow won the toss and opted to defend the slope. Immediately from the RCA kick off it was clear that all in sundry were in for a very competitive night. The referee had whistle to mouth consistently and exchanged words with a Jarrow forward on three minutes after a late challenge on Glenn Moan just inside the RCA half. Strong challenges were swapped throughout the midfield before RCA had their first surge into the box, with Stewart playing Halliday in from the right and although in a position to shoot the player attempted to switch inside, the defender reading the move, making a good intercepting challenge. Soon after Stewart was in again down the right and this time he was more direct cutting into the box then drilling an excellent 20 yard drive across the keeper who parried out; the ball nearly fell to Jennings who following up, but was beaten to it when a hasty defensive clearance was made for a corner. Jarrow's feathers were ruffled now and they conceded three successive corners, one great cross finding Jennings who headed firmly goalwards but this ricocheted off the head of a defender with the keeper beaten. Jarrow dusted themselves down though and now winning more of the ball, showed their first attacking intent after 12 minutes, moving the ball well up the left through Graydon, finding Tate, but the ball was wasted with a speculative effort hit high over the bar. RCA responded winning the ball again in midfield through Moan. Halliday played the ball to Stewart and moving forward quickly he hit a great effort from 25 yards which cleared the bar by inches. Only minutes later Shields got played in down the right and in a good position with the keeper to beat he hit a shot which the keeper easily dealt with. More corners were then wasted by RCA with poor delivery.

Jarrow were generally playing counter attack football and moved the ball well when breaking away on the right with Goodwin breaking clear and his run winning the visitors their first corner on 25 minutes. However after moving more players into the RCA box Jarrow were nearly caught on the counter, when McGuiness received the headed clearance on the left playing a great ball down the line to left winger Joseph who raced clear but pulled his shot a couple of yards wide of the post. On 30 minutes Halliday was booked for RCA and moments later Jarrow's Graydon, in what seemed a more serious tackle, only received a reprimand from the referee. SRCA upped the tempo with Joseph on the right causing major problems, but there was little end product, his best cross being headed over the bar by Jennings. Jarrow however responded with their best chance on 40 minutes when a five man move was completed with a great goal bound effort well saved by Hoggeth in goal. Half-time arrived 0 - 0 and well appreciated by the crowd who applauded the fighting spirit of both teams.

The second half opened like the first as neither side were prepared to give up territory and again it was RCA who had the first attack ending up with a saved shot hit by Joseph and a further corner that was well defended. As the game was becoming even more physical in midfield Hixon made a change in bringing on Scott Richards for Shields on 55 minutes. He immediately made his presence felt and after winning successive challenges was unlucky in playing through an excellent through ball which travelled through to the keeper. The next ten minutes brought most of the action from the referee and the game lost momentum with needless fouls from both sides. After bookings for two Jarrow players, Scott Richards also received a caution on 70 mins. Moments later RCA hit a ball into the box which was handled, however penalty appeals were turned down with a free kick been awarded right on the 18 yard line. Scott Richards drilled this into the wall. On 74 minutes Davidson came on for Jennings and the extra pace immediately livened up the RCA attack and again a flurry of corners were won. The Jarrow keeper was floundering at times and grateful for his defenders assistance in scrambling balls clear. To make matters worse Jarrow were reduced to ten men on 80 minutes, when a defender received his second caution for another dangerous tackle.

The last ten minutes were as lively as the rest of the game with chances end-to-end. Jarrow nearly stole the lead on 82 minutes when the right winger ended a good move by racing into the box and a cross shot eluded the home keeper and glanced off the bar to be cleared. Then the best chance of the game came to RCA on 85 minutes when Stewart raced away up the right, hassled by the last defender, the linesman was flagging for a foul close to the penalty area, but Stewart was given the advantage by the referee and he managed to cross the ball into the area where Joseph racing in and an open goal available, hit the ball with ferocity over the bar. The home supporters, arms already in air, were gobsmacked. Jarrow then ran the clock down and the referee blew. A 0 - 0 game that was very entertaining, but a severe setback to SRCA's promotion hopes. We need Saurday's home game to arrive quickly to get back to winning ways.