Sunday, 31 March 2013
Sunderland Sunday League Premier Division
RCA Grangetown Florists deservedly came out on top in this league encounter against a determined and committed Hylton Castle TWR, by 2-1.
Kicking up the slope, RCA Florists quickly got into their stride, producing a couple of decent openings which they were not quite able to capitalise on and they were punished when after 12 minute the first real threat from Hylton Castle came with a ball over the top into the outside left area which resulted in hesitancy from full back Clark and keeper Harkness which allowed Darren Snowball to nip in and roll the ball home from 18 yards to give Hylton the lead.
RCA Florists continued to have the better of the play and McQuillan was unlucky when his chip from 40 yards, after a poor clearance from Hylton keeper Smith, just cleared the bar. However the same player restored parity after 25 minutes when he turned sharply in the box to drill home from 10 yards to bring about a half time score of 1-1.
The second half opened with a great opportunity for Hylton to go ahead again with a break down the right flank, but they failed to deliver the killer ball and the threat was averted. McQuillan then had two efforts superbly saved by Hylton keeper Smith, along with two other efforts just clearing the bar, before the same player set up Gaz Hill from 10 yards to drive home an unstoppable shot past the keeper to put RCA Florists 2-1 up after 70 minutes. Hylton never gave up and had one or two half decent opportunities, but it was RCA Florists who continued to create the better openings and Hill wasted a similar chance to his goal but sliced wide.
Led by the outstanding Phil Hall RCA Florists played out the last five minutes and secured another victory, by a 2-1 margin, and will have to do it all over again this coming Thursday against the same competative Hylton outfit. Games coming thick and fast now.