Tuesday, 25 October 2011
STL Northern League Division 1
Sunderland RCA relinquished their status at the top of the league, falling into third spot behind West Auckland Town and Dunston UTS, who leap frogged into second spot courtesy of a dismal first 45 minutes by RCA.
The return to the team of Beasley, Maddison and Davison did little to stop the flow of excellent football produced by Dunston, who found themselves 1-0 up inside the first minute and continued to batter RCA for the remainder of the half.
A different RCA team emerged from the dressing rooms for the second half and could well have salvaged a point. However it was not to be and but for some brilliant keeping by Gary Hoggeth the scoreline could have been much worse.
Dunston started this top of the table clash at a terrific pace and forced the first corner within 30 seconds of the whistle when Maddison blocked a shot from Dixon. The corner was whipped in by McAndrew and was met by the unmarked Young who flicked his header through a crowd of players and into the net. It could have been much worse four minutes later when McAndrew skipped past two defenders before crossing into the area where Dixon rose to power in a header which rattled the crossbar.
RCA composed themselves a little as they tried to get to grips with the pace of the game and when Owens slipped the ball to Davison, his shot rebounded to Cuthbertson whose first time effort was blocked by Robson.
The waves of pressure from Dunston started again in the 20 minute when a slide rule pass from Craggs found Bulford on the right and he cut the ball back into the path of Shaw who curled his shot wide of the upright. Two minutes later and McAndrew crossed the ball to Dixon but, under pressure from Beasley he fired over the bar. Things did get worse in the 26th minute when RCA lost the ball in midfield and after a succession of ricochets the ball fell to the lively McAndrew who ran to the by line before crossing the ball into the box for Craggs to head home from six yards. Dunston were well on top and went looking for the goal that would kill off the game, but the more they attacked the more gaps they were leaving in their defence and on the half hour McGuinness tried to exploit this with a lovely cross into the area, after a quick break away, but Davison's header went wide with Clark beaten. RCA's best chance so far came when Jennings crossed to the far post and the ball was headed back into the danger zone by Owens but Walton was unable to connect with the ball and Dunston scrambled the ball clear. Back came Dunston through that man McAndrew again, his cross found Craggs who’s header looked destined for the top corner but Hoggeth somehow managed to tip the ball over the bar.
As the half entered its last five minutes, RCA, for the first time, started to exert some real pressure on the Dunston defence. Walton burst through two defenders and fired in a low shot which Clarke did well to push round the post for a corner. Owens floated the ball into the box and for the first time Jennings got to the ball first, but his downward header was scrambled off the line by Galbraith for another corner. The third corner was whipped in and headed away by Robson but only as far as Maddison who blasted his shot wide.
The start of the second half was almost a replica of the first, except that Bulford fired wide and there was no early goal to Dunston. Whatever was said to the RCA players at half time worked as they started to get their passing game together and when Cuthbertson found Walton with an exquisite pass the RCA winger cut inside before unleashing a shot which went narrowly wide. Then came the moment that gave RCA hope, a pass from Jennings found Owens inside the box and as he tried to turn the defender he was fouled and a penalty was awarded; cool as you like Owens picked himself up and fired high into the net to throw RCA a lifeline.
How the game changed as Dunston became nervous at the back and RCA powered forward, a slick interchange between Close and McGuinness saw the latter fire in a trade mark left foot shot which went narrowly wide. Within a minute a cross from McGuiness was punched clear by Clark with Davison only inches away. The ball fell to Robson who in turn found Bulford in the centre of the park and he threaded the ball through to McAndrew who beat Hoggeth, but saw his shot cleared off the line by McGuinness.
Clarke was again called upon in the 70th minute when a flick from Jennings found Shields who pulled the ball back into the path of Davison but although the ball took a deflection Clark was able to turn it round the post. The corner was cleared by Swailes, but fell to Cuthbertson who found Owens on the left wing, he crossed into the six yard box for Davison but Swailes was again on hand to block the shot and the defence cleared the ball.
As the game entered the final five minutes RCA pushed forward and Dunston counter attacked to great effect. A cross from Shields was met by Owens, but he could only steer the ball into the arms of Clark. His huge clearance found McAndrew who squared the ball for Bulfard three yards out, but miraculously Hoggeth saved; the ball rebounded to Dixon who looked certain to score, but Hoggeth was able to gather the ball and set up another RCA attack.
This game once again demonstrated the team spirit at RCA. However, we have to stop giving teams two goal leads before we start to play.