Sunderland RCA FC 2 Consett FC 2

Saturday, 28 January 2012

STL Northern League Division 1

Andy Jennings bursts through on goal during the first half of the match.

Click here for a slideshow of photos from the match

The management team were forced to make wholesale changes for today's match with Mark Davison sustaining a recurrence of an ankle injury in training on Wednesday, Andrew Cuthbertson unavailable, family commitments and Lee Owens working away. In came Jennings, Robson and Wells to replace these and Richard Paxton returned to the centre of defence to replace James Oates.

After 20 minutes of the game no one could have predicted the score as RCA were in total control of the game. Then the wheels came off and they let Consett get back into the game and in the end both teams had great chances to grab a win.

Both teams settled into this game quickly and it was Consett, with the advantage of the slope, who had the first shot on target. A free kick was awarded for a foul on Mackay and former RCA favourite Harrison Davies stepped up to curl a low shot straight into the arms of Atkinson.

RCA then forced Consett to defend with a series of attacks, Walton gaining a corner on the right which Wells took and his far post cross was headed over by Beasley who was free at the back post.

Then Jones took advantage of the hesitancy in the Consett defence as he picked the ball up on the halfway line and proceeded unchallenged into the opposition’s penalty area before shooting over the bar.

It was all RCA and when Jennings chested a cross from Walton into the path of Wells it looked like RCA would take the lead, but Jameson came to the rescue making a fine save.

However, the home supporters did not have long to wait for the opening goal. A cross field ball found Jennings on the left and he glided past the last defender before squaring the ball to Walton who had a simple tap in from 10 yards out.

Consett responded with a number of attacks which came to nothing; the closest was a good move involving Lund and Mackay saw them set up Molloy but his effort was well off target.

During this move Walton, who was back helping his defence out, picked up a bad injury which meant he could take no further part in the match and he was replaced by Gary Shields.

RCA continued to cause problems for the Consett defence and it was no surprise that they went 2-0 up. Berj won the ball in midfield and Close picked up the loose ball before passing to Jennings. The RCA striker cut inside the defender and into the box before he was unceremoniously up ended. Robson stepped up to take the penalty and although Jameson got a hand to it he could not prevent it from going in.

Within a minute Consett could have been back in the game when Mackay shot wide.

Slightly against the run of play Consett got a lifeline when Burrell ran 20 yards unchallenged and as the defence opened up he fired in a low shot the gave Atkinson no chance. 2-1 and game back on.

The game flowed from end to end. A through ball from close found Jennings and his first time shot was well saved by Jameson, at the other end some good work by Slocombe provided Davies with great opportunities to cross the ball into dangerous areas but the winger failed to deliver.

Utilising the slope, Consett were applying more pressure to the RCA backline. In a rare counter attack by RCA Jones found Jennings who crossed to Wells, but the RCA winger lacked power in his shot and it was easily saved by Jameson.

In the 40th minute Mackay could be forgiven for believing he had equalised when he unleashed a ferocious shot which was heading for the bottom corner, but Atkinson in the RCA goal somehow managed to get a hand to it and push the ball for a corner.

Consett did equalise two minutes later with a great goal from Lund. Receiving the ball in the centre circle Lund skipped through several challenges before finding himself inside the box and he coolly slipped the ball past Atkinson.

Déjà vu, 2-2 at half time at Consett earlier in the season.

RCA started the second period eager to get back to the form of the first 25 minutes and only the brilliance of Jameson prevented them from going 3-2 up as Berj was set up by Robson and his shot was tipped onto the post before being cleared by Scorer.

Consett’s first attack of the second half saw Davies cross the ball into the box but Lund mishit the shot and it went tamely wide.

RCA responded again and once again it was Jameson who saved from a fierce shot from Close.

Consett were starting to make inroads into the heart of the RCA defence and it was only some sterling work by Paxton and Beasley that kept Mackay and co at bay. RCA were forced to defend deep and didn’t seem to have any outlet.

Against the run of play RCA had the best chances of the second half as first Shields raced onto a long ball out of defence and beat the last man, but his shot was parried by Jameson, the rebound fell to Berj who blasted the ball goal wards, but Jameson managed to get a hand to it and the ball went for a corner.

Five minutes later and Shields was sent clear again; this time he elected to lob the keeper, but his effort was easily saved by Jameson.

Consett, in search of a late winner, had efforts by Mackay and Davies which were easily saved by Atkinson and the only real chance fell late in the game to Davies who cut in from the left wing to fire in a shot which went narrowly wide.

A draw was probably a good result for us on the balance of play. However on good chances created we could arguably have won this game. Injuries are becoming a problem with such a small squad.