Saturday, 13 August 2011

STL Northern League Division 1

Click here for a slideshow of photos from the match.

The opening day of the new season saw RCA paired against Shildon and for those who witnessed last season's matches between the two clubs an action packed and competitive game was envisaged.

Both teams have been reformed over the close season although there were still a lot of familiar faces on view.

The game itself was action packed with RCA reduced to nine men after Beasley was dismissed for a mis-timed challenge after eight minutes and Barton followed him to the changing room after 38 minutes following a clash with a Shildon defender. However the remaining RCA men performed heroically and were only denied all three points when Shildon equalised in bizzarre circumstances in the 92nd minute.

This match report will not be able to do justice to a truly pulsating football match, but here goes.

In the first attack of the game a long ball from Beasley was expertly controlled on the chest by Barton, but his effort on the volley went sailing over the bar. RCA took heart from this and Finch had to be at his best to take a cross from Walton, with both Davison and Barton in close attendance.

Shildon’s first attack saw Scott skip past Halliday before firing in a shot which went wide of Hoggeth’s goal and a minute later Hoggeth produced a good save despite being kicked in the face by Gredziak.

In the eighth minute, Watson intercepted a pass from Jones and sprinted clear of the defender, Beasley spotting the danger raced across to put in a poorly timed challenge which resulted in the RCA captain receiving his marching orders. The resulting freekick saw a header from Hunter easily saved by Hoggeth. RCA hastily re-shuffled their remaining three defenders moving Jones into a central role in a 3-4-2 formation.

Shildon took control of the midfield, but RCA were still dangerous up front with the Shildon defenders unable to cope with the presence of Davison and Barton.

In the 19th minute Scott once again got free of his marker and played a one-two with Watson before firing straight at Hoggeth. His long clearance found Walton on the right and he cut inside before unleashing a shot which was bound for the top corner only to strike Hunter and rebound for a throw in.

The game was flowing from end to end. Despite the man advantage Shildon could not produce a clear cut opportunity in front of goal and were being frustrated by a very organised RCA defence.

Richmond and Johnson combined in the 35th minute to produce an effort on goal, but the looping shot cleared the bar for a goal kick.

The game took a dramatic twist in the 38th minute when a high ball down the wing was competed for by Barton who looked to win the ball, however the referee, Mr McCallum, adjudged that he had used his elbow to gain an advantage and dismissed the RCA player. With only seven minutes remaining in the half RCA reorganised again, but maintained a threat up front with Davison.

In the 43 minute a cross field ball from Maddison found Davison on the left, with only one defender to beat, he instead chose to cross the ball to the far post where Walton was on hand to steer a wonderful header past the bemused Finch.

1 - 0 at half time and still 45 minutes to go.

RCA brought on defender John Butler at half time for the attacker Davies in a clear indication that they were prepared to defend their slender lead.

Shildon started the second half in controlled fashion, looking to pry open the nine men of RCA, but they looked to have got their tactics wrong as time and again RCA were able to clear their lines and seemed to be able to find frontman Davison with ease.

It is a testament to the superb defending that it wasn’t until the 63 minute that Shildon had a worthwhile effort on goal when a thunderbolt of a shot from Hunter looked to be heading for the roof of the net only for Hoggeth to finger tip it over the bar.

From the resulting corner Hoggeth could only punch the ball under pressure and it fell to Gredziak who’s first shot was blocked by Maddison, the ball came back to him and Hoggeth saved with his legs and his third shot was cleared of the line by Butler to the relief of the RCA players and supporters.

Shildon continued to pile on the pressure, but in doing so were leaving themselves open to quick counter attacks, one of which saw Walton feed the ball through to Davison, but he fired wide.

Shildon moved Hunter into a more attacking role and he was unlucky once again with a shot which flashed wide of the upright. A shock looked on the cards in the 81st minute when RCA took a 2-0 lead, Davison won a throw in on the right and this was thrown to Walton who found space to get in a cross which Owens did well to head home despite the close attention of three Shildon defenders.

Whether RCA relaxed a little or Shildon’s luck changed is debatable, but they got a goal back within two minutes when Paxton was on hand to bundle the ball home from close range.

Shildon poured forward looking for the equaliser, but the resilient RCA defence were standing firm under a bombardment. Maddison was on hand to clear one effort from Byrne and a minute later was able to put in a brilliant tackle to deny the same player a shot on target.

In the second minute of injury time a long ball was sent into the box and looked to have been dealt with by the RCA defence, however the header struck the back of Hughes and bounced over the line for a goal to Shildon to make the score 2-2.

This was a game which had spectators, players and officials on the edge of their seats and the passion shown was admirable.

On Wednesday, RCA move on to another potential blockbuster at Consett.

As always we will look forward to meeting Shildon later in the season at their ground, four epic matches in two seasons bodes well for the next meeting between the two sides.

Wednesday, 17 August 2011

STL Northern League Division 1

RCA won a scintillating match against a strong Consett team. Neil Hixon made one forced change to the team that drew with Shildon on Saturday, bringing in Lee Owens for Gavin Barton.

RCA twice came from behind in the first half, but managed to go in at the break even at 2-2. The second half saw RCA dominant in the opening 30 minutes taking a 4-2 lead before conceding a penalty late in the game, but were able to hold on in a desperate end to the game.

The result looked far from clear cut when Blandford made it 1-0 after just eight minutes, rifling home from 20 yards. Then Walton had two good chances to increase the lead, firing one effort just inches wide and having another deflected out for a corner.

RCA made Consett pay by equalising on 32 minutes. Centre-forward Mark Davison, leading the line in superb fashion all night, found the space to set up Jones to finish past Peter Jameson from an acute angle.

Two minutes before half-time Mackay restored the Steelmen's lead when he capitalised on a mistake by visiting keeper Gary Hoggeth, who came 20 yards out of his box to clear a long ball, only to hit it against Mackay, who hooked it round two defenders for a fine opportunist goal, after Carl Beasley just failed in a last ditch attempt to clear the ball.

RCA went in level at half-time when a long throw from McGuinness was flicked on at the near post, and Lee Owens stole in unmarked to prod home from a couple of yards.

In the 53rd minute RCA took the lead for the first time when a long ball from McGuinness caught the Consett defence out and Scorer's header back pass was fumbled by the keeper with Owens was on hand to fire home.

RCA increased their lead 10 minutes later when a freekick from Walton found Davies in acres of space at the far post and he made no mistake from 10 yards.

Consett pulled one back with six minutes left when Bell was brought down in the box and Mackay tucked away the resulting penalty. This set up an amazing five minutes of play in which Consett threw everything at RCA and only some great defending and one brilliant save from Hoggeth kept the score at 3 – 4.

This was a great result and performance from the whole RCA team in what will probably be our last league visit to Belle Vue Park.

The Sunderland RCA and Birtley Town team captains and match officials line up before the start of the first FA Cup tie of the 2011-12 season.

Friday, 19 August 2011

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

The following match report is courtesy of Andy Hudson of Gannin’ Away who managed to rattle off the fastest FA Cup match report ever likely to be seen this season.

Neil Hixon made several changes to the starting line up in a effort to keep things fresh and also to rest players who were possibly feeling a little jaded after two hard league matches.

The 2011/12 FA Cup got underway amidst controversy in the north-east tonight as Northern League Division 1 side Sunderland RCA swept aside Birtley Town of the Northern League Division 2 to claim their place in the Preliminary Round. The scoreline of 7-0 was a deserved result on a mild evening at Meadow Park, 97 days after Carlos Tevez had hoisted the famous trophy aloft for Manchester City on a sunny afternoon at Wembley, and came after RCA had been defeated at this stage in each of the previous four seasons.

Yet Birtley will surely feel aggrieved as all of their pre-match planning to contain the hosts went out of the window after only 90 seconds of this encounter. When Andy Jennings found himself just in an offside position chasing down a long through-ball he must have had a feeling his luck was in as the assistant referee failed to flag. When Birtley’s goalkeeper, Philip Holgate, went up to gather the bouncing ball, Jennings then fouled him and was left alone to stroke the ball into the empty net. With all other players turning away, expecting the foul to be given, the referee allowed the goal to stand, despite the protests of Birtley’s management team of Scott Oliver and Barrie Fleming.

With Birtley rocked, RCA took full advantage to dominate possession – and oh how they did so. As the visitors struggled to find a third consecutive pass, the hosts stroked the ball around patiently looking for an opening and testament to the instructions delivered to them before the opening whistle by manager Neil Hixon.

The second goal arrived midway through the first half when a delightful left wing free-kick was swung in from the right foot of Lee Owens. Jennings and his strike partner, Gavin Barton, were first to react amongst a static Birtley defence, and it was Barton’s head that met the ball first to steer it back across goal to score.

Within two minutes it was game over. Holgate just beat Owens to a through-ball but his clearance only found Barton out on the RCA right. One of the deadliest forwards in the Northern League is not the man you would want to be leaving with any chance, and he took the opportunity to grab his second by lobbing the ‘keeper and the backtracking defence with a first-time effort from 30 yards out.

Birtley settled more as the half progressed and Kevin Dixon became more of a danger. However, despite three good efforts where he held off the home defence, he was just unable to find the goal when cutting in on his left.

RCA started the second half with another early goal. When a right wing cross was allowed to drop into Birtley’s box, it was the substitute Gary Shields who reacted first to stab home goal number four.

With Brian Close, formerly of Middlesbrough, Chesterfield and Darlington and making his competitive debut tonight, pulling all of the strings in the midfield, RCA advanced forward at will. They soon added a fifth goal when defender Leon Carling stepped forward and met another right wing cross at full-length to beat the ‘keeper. Jennings then grabbed his second of the night and RCA’s sixth when he was left all alone in the middle to stroke home.

Birtley had a rare attack when James Allsopp was allowed to carry the ball forward on the right, but when he unleashed a left footed shot it rebounded away off the post.

RCA went straight back on the attack and Barton completed a tremendous hat-trick, the first of the FA Cup this season, in style. Receiving the ball out on the left, he was allowed time to pick his spot and he curled a right footed shot into the far top corner to end the scoring at 7-0.

Another FA Cup year is over for Birtley Town but for RCA there’s an away FA Cup game on Saturday 3rd September against either Spennymoor Town or Esh Winning.

Sunderland RCA manager, Neil Hixon:

We were quite fortunate to get the first goal so early in the game and that set us up for a quite easy and comfortable win. After watching Birtley during the week, I knew that even after rotating the squad tonight we would be more than capable of beating them. For our first goal tonight, you see them given. A lot of the time the referee gives it in favour of the goalkeeper, but on this occasion we’ve got the good result on that side of things. Some of the goals tonight were exceptional. Barton and Jennings were fantastic. Barton gets goals; he’s in the right position most of the time and he gets good goals. I was very happy with the way we kept possession tonight. The midfield players were excellent; they kept the ball and kept us playing basically. We’ve got a tough next round against either Spennymoor or Esh Winning but I fancy us to be competitive against anybody this season.

Birtley Town manager, Scott Oliver:

You tell your lads to get to that twenty minute mark without conceding; you set yourself up for the game ahead; and then after that [the opening goal], well, everyone inside the ground could see that it was a foul. Our goalkeeper had the ball in his hands and it has happened too quick in the game for the referee. He’s looking for his linesman to help him out, the lineman doesn’t help him out, and he just takes the easy option. They were expected to win the game of course, but he goes and gives him the goal. We couldn’t have had a worse start and then we go and concede again. The RCA movement was frightening for twenty minutes, and we found ourselves 3-0 down; we couldn’t handle it. The game settled down after that and it was a little bit easier to get to grips with them. We changed our system for the second half but at the end of the day, whenever they were in or around our box their finishing was frightening. It sounds daft as we’ve let seven in, but our ‘keeper hasn’t had many saves that he has been able to make. We’ve lost a lot of players from last season, we’ve had a bad week [losing both of the opening league games] and tonight was always going to be difficult, but the lads kept on going tonight.

FA Cup hat-trick hero, Gavin Barton:

That was a great team performance; everyone chipped in and played their part. It was my job to score the goals and I’ve scored then goals; it was the lads at the back’s job to defend and they defended really well; the lads in the midfield pulled all the strings and it was a good effort. I had a free header at the back post for my first goal, I wasn’t marked, and I headed it back across the goal. The second one came from Lee Owens chasing the ‘keeper down brilliantly and it’s fell to me to hit into an empty net. The third one I saw the ‘keeper off his line and I curled it in. It could be Spennymoor or Esh in the next round but bring them on. We’re hoping to do well throughout the entire season and I think we’ve got an excellent squad.

Wednesday, 24 August 2011

STL Northern League Division 1

Sunderland RCA travelled down the A19 to play unbeaten and free scoring Billingham Synthonia in this Division 1 match. Synners defending a 100% record took to the field full of confidence.

RCA's management team once again made a number of changes to the team who won on Friday night.

Synners showed from the outset why they have started so well this season their pace and movement was excellent. However, RCA countered this with some brilliant defending and great attacking options, if not for some poor finishing in front of goal they could have been out of sight before half time, but that is football.

The game opened with Synners looking calm in possession, particularly at the back, but with RCA marking well and breaking up any movement forward with Close and Cuthbertson making good interceptions and trying to set the RCA wide men free at every opportunity.

After a dozen minutes of sparring Synners conceded a free kick on the edge of their box, with many spectators thinking the offence might have been the other way, but in any event definitely in the box. Not to worry, the free kick, driven in by Mark Davison, brought a good save from the keeper, but Gavin Barton was sharpest to react and slotted the rebound home. In the next few minutes RCA could have had the game sewn up, as a couple of glorious chances to extend the lead were spurned.

The rest of the half saw the Synners faithful in the decent crowd becoming increasingly frustrated as the pattern of the game continued with the home side looking good in possession, but RCA looking far more dangerous with the ball. Through Mark Davison holding the ball up well and Gavin Barton playing off him, three chances were made and let go.

After the break Synners enjoyed their best spell for 15 minutes, pushing forward aggressively and getting a series of balls into the box. RCA centre backs Carl Beasley and Ian Maddison dealt with most of them, with Hoggy catching and punching on occasion.

RCA conceded a few corners, but rarely looked extended and it was past the hour before Hoggy made his only save of real note, beating out a good effort from the edge of the box.

The longer the half went on the more RCA came back as an attacking force. Again, several excellent chances were spurned. In fact, it was only that it stayed a one goal lead that kept Billingham competitive.

As the final quarter came round we looked very comfortable, breaking well and holding the ball in the corners to see out a good win that was a good deal more impressive than the scoreline suggests: a very decent performance against a more than decent Synners side.

Gavin Barton heads home his third goal and RCA's fourth in the 5 - 1 home win against Ashington FC.

Saturday, 27 August 2011

STL Northern League Division 1

Click here for a slideshow of photos from the match.

Match report courtesy of the Sunday Sun reporter Malcolm Pratt.

RCA continued their impressive start to the season with a comprehensive win at Meadow Park against Ashington FC. Gavin Barton was on hand to score his second hat trick of the season and his opening goal was an absolutely supurb piece of individual skill.

Neil Hixon was again forced to make changes with Lee Owens replacing the injured Harrison Davies and Leon Carling coming in for Ian Maddison who was at a family wedding.

Sunderland RCA manager Neil Hixon hailed his side’s ‘fantastic’ start to the season after the five-goal rout of Ashington at Meadow Park. Following heavy rain during the morning, the sun shone on the Wearsiders once they had reined in the Colliers’ early ambitions.

Hixon was delighted with the performance of his side as they kept in touch with the Northern League Division One’s early pacesetters. He said: “We were a bit sluggish at the start and conceded an early goal but thereafter, there was only one team going to win.

“We’ve won three of our four games and it was a great result drawing with Shildon who we led by two goals even though we finished with just nine players. And it shouldn’t be forgotten that we put seven goals past Birtley Town in the FA Cup.

“It’s early days yet, but we are more than confident of competing with the top teams,” added Hixon who steered the Wearsiders into a mid-table finish last time – their first in the top flight for more than two decades.

It was Gary Middleton’s Ashington side who struck first, however, as Chris Scott delivered a lovely through ball for Gareth Bainbridge to chip goalkeeper Gary Hoggeth. But any ambitions the Northumbrians harboured of causing an upset ended within a minute. Joe Walton raced through their defence and chipped keeper Karl Dryden for a sixth-minute equaliser. RCA were in dominant mood from then on and yje only surprise was that it took until the the 43rd minute to take the lead for the first time, but two goals in five minutes either side of the interval just about ended the game as a contest.

Steven Jones delivered a crossfield pass and dangerous striker Gavin Barton produced an exquisite chip with the inside of his left foot, deftly placing the ball over Dryden’s head from 15 yards.

Despite being pegged back for much of the game, Ashington had a glorious chance to equalise in the 46th minute but Stephen Young’s penalty was saved by Hoggeth.

The visitors paid the ultimate penalty when two minutes later Barton’s fierce shot rebounded from the underside of the crossbar into the net.

The predator completed his hat-trick midway through the second period with a comfortable header from six yards following a well-taken free-kick by Lee Owens.

Just before the end, the Wearsiders went nap as Dryden was beaten for a fifth time by Mark Davison’s spot-kick after a foul in the area.

Hixon added: “I thought Ashington competed pretty well in the first half but they wilted during the second.

“We go to South Shields tomorrow in good spirits but I’ll certainly remind the lads there are no easy pickings in this league.

“The Mariners haven’t taken a point yet and will be desperate to get off the mark, but the way we are playing I’m confident we can make a real go of it this season.”

Monday, 29 August 2011

STL Northern League Division 1

Sunderland RCA have gone top of the STL Northern League after today's hard fought match at South Shields.

It was another entertaining Bank Holiday match between these two sides. It is always difficult to go to Filtrona Park and come away with anything and for 80 minutes of this game it looked likely that it would end in a draw. However a superb free kick by Mark Davison in the 82nd minute clinched it for RCA, gave Davison his hat trick and put us top of the league.

RCA were forced to make two changes for this Bank Holiday match. Halliday was brought in for the injured Cuthbertson and Butler returned after injury to replace the suspended Owens. On the bench Manager Hixon included Marc Ellison after his short spell at Whitby Town

RCA created the first chance of the game when a cross into the box was volleyed goalwards by Walton from close range, but the effort was saved by the feet of Cunningham. A minute later and Butler limped out of the game with what looked like a recurrence of his hamstring injury. Ellison replaced him on the left of midfield.

South Shields almost took the lead when a long ball was flicked on by Alex Benjamin to Barclay but he was unable to get control of the ball.

Moments later Shields did take the lead when a ball into the box was headed home by The Mariners number 9 Alex Benjamin to make it 1-0. Benjamin almost doubled the lead on 22 minutes when a cross from the right by Smith was flicked by Barclay and headed goalwards by Benjamin, but his attempt went over the bar.

RCA equalised on 24 minutes when Davison took full advantage of a mixup in the Shields defence to knick in and grab his first goal of the afternoon.

Shields came back at RCA and a strong run from Barrie Smith, who ran with the ball from his right back position before unleashing a 25 yard strike, but the shot was well saved by Hoggeth.

It was South Shields who were to retake the lead on 35 minutes when a good through ball from Barclay found Burnell, who held off two RCA defenders before firing past Hoggeth to make it 2-1.

The game flowed from end-to-end and on 34 minutes, an excellent delivery from Jones was met by Davison, but he headed over from 10 yards out

A minute later and a corner from Walton was hooked over by Barton and as RCA piled on the pressure another cross from Walton was met by Barton who steered his header onto the bar.

Sunderland RCA were to get their equaliser just before half time, when a free kick taken by Jones on the right was met by the head of Davison, who was head an shoulders above the defence to power the ball past Cunningham for his second goal of the game.

RCA looked the more likely to grab the spoils as they ran rampant in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, twice coming close and only some good keeping by Cunningham kept the score at 2-2.

Walton clean through on goal tried to chip the ball aover Cunningham, but the Mariners keeper pulled off a great save.

Shields had a penalty appeal turned down by the referee when Burnell passed the ball to McAvoy in the box, and he appeared to be brought down as he shot for goal.

It was RCA again pressurising the Shields defence five minutes later; this time Gavin Barton turned Duncan O'Brien on the edge of the box and fired in a curling shot that was again saved well by Cunningham.

RCA eventually got the winner and Davison claimed his hat-trick in the 82nd minutes with a perfectly struck free kick from 20 yards which gave Cunningham no chance.

Overall this was an entertaining match which RCA probably just deserved to win; it is however a mystery how South Shields have not picked up any points.