Sunderland RCA FC 2 Jarrow Roofing BCA FC 3

Saturday, 7 April 2012

STL Northern League Division 1

Harra's back: Harrison Davies returns to RCA's left wing after a spell at Consett.

Scorers: SRCA: Paxton (43), Jones (82) Jarrow Roofing: Robinson (23) (57) Hughes (72)

Please click here for photos from the match

RCA made a number of changes to the team beaten in mid week by West Auckland Town: Shields replaced Atkinson in goal, Jardine was preferred to Jennings and Davies replaced Berj; a further change was made when RCA Captain Brian Close pulled up in the warm up and had to be replaced by McGuinness.

The problems continued for RCA today, they saved their worst performance of the season for this match and at times it was pitiful to watch as Jarrow took full advantage of some terrible defensive errors. The result comes on the back of two defeats and was the first time all season that they have lost three in a row.

It appears that they have lost belief in themselves and that they don't want to win the league, which now looks like a hopeless cause although they still have the points in the bag.

RCA were on top for the first ten minutes of this match with Walton firing over after five minutes and then sending in a corner which Davison headed narrowly over the bar.

In the tenth minute, a Davies freekick was blocked by Chris Scott. The rebound fell to Walton, but he sliced his effort wide of Carmichael’s goal. The Roofing keeper was injured in this attack and had to receive extensive treatment on an ankle injury before continuing.

In the 15th minute a move between Nelson and Hughes brought the first save of the match from Shields. He threw the ball out to Davidson, but his poor pass was won by McMahon and fell into the path of Robinson and the ex-Newcastle striker fired in a rocket of a shot from 30 yards out which rattled the crossbar. Within a minute the striker hit a great shot from inside the area which Shields did well to smother, from his throw out Davison fed the ball to Davies inside the area and when he cut the ball back he looked odds on to score, but Carmichael was able to block the shot.

Within a minute RCA forced a corner which Davies took and Davison powered a header against the post and the ball was cleared up field and went through to Shields. His clearance was headed back by McMahon to Nelson, who fed the ball wide to Robinson and he deftly chipped the ball into the net off the far post from 18 yards out.

RCA took a while to get over the shock of this and Roofing went looking for a second. Nelson fired wide before Jardine outpaced the Roofing defence but instead of shooting he chose to Square the ball and it went harmlessly out for a throw in.
The next opportunity in a disjointed first half fell to Davison after Davidson had played the ball to Cuthbertson the RCA midfielder playe in Davison but his shot was brilliantly saved by Carmichael who was fast becoming a thorn in the side of RCA’s attack.

Two minutes before half time RCA were level, Walton fired in a corner which was headed across goal by Davison and Paxton was on hand to score RCA’s 100th league goal of the season.

If RCA supporters thought that this would be the start of a revival for the home team they were to be let down. An early second half chance saw Oates and Walton set up Davison, but he shot wide. This was to be the start of a period of dominance by Jarrow as they blew away RCA midfield in wave after wave of quick attacking football and they received their reward in the 57th minute when Chris Scott picked up a loose ball 35 yards out. His cross into the box should have been dealt with by McGuinness, but the RCA defender mistimed the clearance and the looping ball was chested down by Robinson who fired past the helpless Shields.

RCA tried to come back at Jarrow and almost scored when a Davidson throw in was flicked on by Davies to Davison whose spectacular overhead kick had to be well saved by Carmichael to avoid the equaliser.

Back came Roofing through Nelson, his shot was saved by Shields and Hughes following in fired over however, the Roofing winger made no mistake three minutes later when McMahon fed the ball to him. He cut inside two defenders before checking back onto his left foot to send a curling shot inside the post.

With 15 minutes to go RCA made substitutions in a effort to get something from the game and committed men to attack. A cross from Davison found Jennings but the tall striker fired wide from a good position. For the first time in the game RCA were on top and only some stirling work by Hedley and Carson kept RCA at bay. In the 82nd minute RCA were handed a life line when a Davidson throw in was headed on by Jennings and the bouncing ball was headed in at the far post by Jones to make it 3-2. A grand finale was on the cards as RCA threw everything at Jarrow, Jennings had a shot well saved by the brilliant Carmichael and the Davison sent an effort wide,.

A good move between Davison a Walton saw the wingers shot saved by Carmichael and his long ball out of defence found Robinson in acres of space and the Roofing forward almost exploited it to the full; he skipped past Shields before clipping the ball towards goal only to see James deny him his hat trick by clearing off the line.

RCA came back at Jarrow and in the dying minutes had numerous chances to equalise. Jennings fired wide, a Davison effort was deflected wide and from the subsequent corner RCA’s keeper Shields headed into the path of Jennings who headed towards goal only to see the ball fall into the arms of Carmichael.

It was a case of too little too late for RCA. In Jarrow today they found a team who are playing to try and stay in the first Division and RCA were well below par.