Sunderland RCA 0 Brandon United 0

skilltraining Northern League

Saturday, 15 November 2008

RCA began the match kicking up the slope and with the same formation - 3 - 5 - 2 - as the previous match against Washington. One change of personnel was forced on the management team, with Andy Jennings taking a place on the bench as he recovered from a nasty bug. Captain Steve Halliday moved up front to partner Mark Davison and Adam McGuinness came in for the position behind the front two.

One thing is very clear from this match: Brandon are not the rather sorry side of last season. This match finished 0 - 0, but it could have been 4 - 3 to either side and Brandon's young, fit, committed and slick passing players will perhaps count themselves the unluckiest as they missed a penalty and hit the woodwork twice.

Brandon shaded the early exchanges and 16 minutes had gone before Steve Halliday was nearly in against the Brandon keeper only for the combined efforts of two Brandon defenders, one of whom injured himself in the process, to clear the ball.

On 21 minutes it was RCA physio Darren Handy's turn to come on to the pitch as Glenn Moan required treatment. Brandon did not make the most of a series of free kicks which they won in midfield, but on 30 minutes one led to a corner, which RCA cleared. This was the occasion for more concerted RCA efforts. On 31 minutes, David Lee just kept the ball in to cross for mark davidson to fire a shot from 18 yards which the keeper covered. On 33 minutes Adam McGuinness kept the ball in play and passed it to Gary Shields whose first time cross was for a header by Mark Davison, which the keeper did well to save. Two minutes later though and it looked as though RCA would be going behind as the referee awarded a penalty to Brandon. The Brandon number 10, Paul Dixon, fired low and strongly to keeper Gary Hoggeth's right. Happily, Gary went the right way and made a good save, but the penalty taker will find fault with himself for putting it too close to the keeper.

On 43 minutes RCA forward Mark Davison was presented with another good heading opportunity when Gary Shields skillfully created space to fire in a cross from the right which Mark headed towards goal, but again the keeper was well-placed. At half time Andy Jennings replaced Adam McGuinness. Gary Shields continued his hard work down the right, but on 66 minutes it was a lucky escape for the home side as a Brandon cross shot came back off the post to be claimed by keeper Gary Hoggeth.

From the break, there was another text book Gary Shields right wing cross, which mark Davison headed just wide. Five minutes later and Brandon had the ball in the back of the RCA net, but were pulled up for off-side.

On 73 minutes Gary Shields' frustration continued as his cross came back off the Brandon bar. This was followed by three successive corners for RCA, but we could not make the pressure tell. Brandon dominated the last ten minutes of play and again had a shot come back off the post for the rebound to go wide. While RCA will continue to rue their goals to chances and effort ratio, credit should go to Brandon, whose youth policy, Dutch connection and tie up with Durham University seem to be paying dividends.