Sunday, 18 August 2013
Sunderland Sunday League Premier Division
RCA Grangetown Florists finaly overcame stubborn resistance from a determined Ryhope CW by three goals to one in a very scrappy game. Ryhope played very tightly in the first half and RCA Florists just could not get into their stride, so 0-0 at half time.
RCA Florists got the breakthrough after 50 minutes when full back Gary Innes foraged forward, exchanged passes on the edge of the box and shot acroos the keeper into the bottom left hand corner. This was quickly followed by a second from a Martin Metcalfe header after 55 minutes.
RCA Florists went 3-0 up after 70 minutes with a similar goal to the first, but this time slotted home by Dean Arkley. Ryhope never gave up and were rewarded with a consolation goal by Anthony Rogerson after 85 minutes to give a final scoreline of 3-1 to RCA Grangetown Florists.
Sunday, 1 September 2013
Durham County FA Sunday Cup : First Preliminary Round
RCA Grangetown Florists stumbled into the next round of the County Cup with an unconvincing 3-2 win over Hartlepool Diablos.
Forced to play three full backs in midfield due to various withdrawals, RCA Florists began with a very strong wind in their favour and completely dominated the first half, without ever really looking that convincing. However they went into half time with a 2-0 advantage thanks to goals from skippper Phil Hall and a good finish from Mick Wharton.
The second half produced no real dramas until RCA Florists decided to defend a corner in similar fashion to Crystal Palace's first goal against SAFC to concede and allow Disablos back into the contest with 20 minutes left. Another corner produced the equaliser with ten minutes left when the Diablos' centre forward had a simple unchallenged header from six yards.
Extra time was looming until Jason Gargett received a long diagonal ball from right to left and found himself inside the box at an acute angle beyond the far post, but after taking a good first touch he volleyed left footed into the roof of the net to give RCA Florists a fortunate victory.
Sunday, 8 September 2013
Sunderland Sunday League Premier Division
Washington River Bar completed a comfortable 3-1 victory over a depleted RCA Grangetown Florists, with a determined and committed performance.
RCA Florists only had 10 fit players, although the 40 year old Keith Churchill came on second half, loads missing, some with reasonable excuses, others just couldn't be bothered (it's something thats becoming more and more prevalent).
River Bar took the lead on 30 minutes through Lee Baxter and increased it in the second half with strikes from Daniel Pearson and another from Baxter, to go 3-0 up after 70 minutes. RCA Florists consolation came from a Steven Clark penalty with the last kick of the game.
Well done to the River Bar lads who showed what commitment and hard work can achieve.
Sunday, 15 September 2013
Sunderland Sunday League Cup - Second Round
RCA Grangetown Florists booked a third round place in the League Cup with a comfortable 6-2 victory over Southwick.
It took half an hour for RCA Florists to break the deadlock when Ross Stead stroked home from close range after a goalmouth scramble and this was quickly followed by Martin Metcalfe firing home a second, to give a half time score of 2-0 to RCA Florists.
RCA Florists quickly went three up early in the second half through John Turvey, before Southwick scored through a Gavin Foot penalty on 55 minutes. RCA Florists then re-established their three goal cushion when Metcalfe headed home from a Philip Hall cross, only for Southwick to bounce back with a crisp volley from the edge of the box from Thomas Tansey.
RCA Florists though upped their game and sealed the 6-2 victory with Metcalfe's third goal and a strike fron Graham Thornton.
Colliery Tavern await RCA Florists in the Third Round, at Meadow Park on 6 October.
Sunday, 22 September 2013
Durham County Sunday Cup - 2nd Preliminary Round
RCA Grangetown Florists easily went through to the third preliminary round of the County Sunday Cup with a straightforward victory over Stockton League opponents Port Clarence by a 7-1 scoreline.
RCA Florists got off the mark quickly after four minutes when Steve Clark hit home from close range and goals followed at regular intervals with a further four coming before half time, with Martin Metcalfe helping himself to another hat trick and Graham Thornton tapping in from a Metcalfe cross.
RCA Florists struck after only three minutes of the second half through Scott Kelly and although Port Clarence grabbed a goal on 70 minutes, man of the match Metcalfe had the last word five minutes before time when he slotted home from close range for his fourth and RCA Florists' seventh.
Sunday, 20 October 2013
Carlsberg FA Sunday Cup : First Round
RCA Grangetown Florists began their journey in the National FA Sunday Cup with an exciting 4-3 victory over Northallerton Sportsman FC.
In perfect conditions Spotsman took an early lead when the outstanding Anderson got behind the Florists defence and crossed low and hard for a easy tap in from close range. Florists responded well and drew level after 10 minutes when Scott Kelly drove home from the edge of the box following good work down the left flank. Things got better five minutes later when a long cross to the far post was met by MOM Martin Metcalfe's header into the path of returning Gareth Hill to bundle home from close range.
Both sides were playing attractive attacking football and only a brave block from David Rush prevented a Spotsman equaliser. Florists were then awarded a rather harsh penalty when the ball struck the hand of a defender after a deflection, and Martin Metcalfe stroked home to put Florists 3-1 up after 35 minutes. Sportsman nevertheless fought back and in turn were awarded a penalty on 40 minutes for a robust challenge, which was struck home to give a ht score of 3-2 to Florists.
The second half was barely five minutes old when Florists again went two goals ahead when Matty Harrison's delightful lob from 25 yards cleared the despairing dive of the keeper. Sportsman upped the pace, but the game flowed from end to end until in the 75th minute a floated free kick from the right was misjudged by keeper Donnely and escaped his grasp to bring Sportsman back into the game.
The last 15 minutes, plus six minutes overtime, were played out at a furious pace, but produced no further goal to give RCA Grangetown Florists a hard fought 4-3 victory and passage into the Second Round.
Sunday, 17 November 2013
Carlsberg FA Sunday Cup Second Round
RCA Grangetown Florists exited this national competition with a 7-6 reverse on penalties after 0-0 at full time and after extra time.
All any team asks for in any match is a level playing field, well that was definitely not the case in this game, when all the cards were well and truly stacked against RCA Florists. The three match officials were individually very poor and collectively were shocking.
The game itself was an aside to the their display and I will precis it as follows: pretty even for the first 30 minutess apart from RCA Florists centre forward being shoulder charged into the surrounding block wall (when the ball was out of play) and suffering serious damage to his arm and shoulder. Referees action, nil. RCA Florists player being physically abused and attacked, standing his ground and getting a red card, home team players no action, after 35 minutes. 0-0 HT.
Second half RCA Florist player shown red card for abusing the linesman (first instance) after 70 minutes, despite the referee being given similar previous abuse from the home team on more than one occassion but taking no action whatsoever.
RCA Florists then proceeded to put up magnificent resistance for the remaining 20 minutes of normal time and 30 minutes of extra time to take the game to penalties. They then had an opportunity to win the game with their fifth penalty, but it was saved by the home team keeper, who should not have been on the pitch, as he should have been dismissed in the first half incident when RCA Florists first red was shown. The next penalty to be missed was by RCA Florists and so they got nothing, other than pride, out of a game they were never really given a chance in.
Very disappointing and you expect better from so called top officials.
I have deliberately not named anyone in this report as every player who represented RCA Grangetown Florists in this match deserves equal praise for their attitude and application.
Sunday, 16 February 2014
Total Sport Challenge Trophy
A totally inept performance from both management and players saw RCA Grangetown Florists deservedly go down to a 4-2 defeat against a fitter, more determined and ultimately superior Times Inn, and exit the Total Sport Challenge Trophy. RCA Florists started brightly but that did not last long, but nevertheless they took a somewhat fortunate lead through a Martin Metcalfe penalty on 30 minutes. They had one chance to increase that to 2-0, but Owens shot flew high and wide. From there they proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot with mistake after mistake which resulted in the equaliser on 40 minutes from Chris Patton. 1-1 at half time.
Another mistake allowed Paul Muir to score off his back when a cross was missed by the keeper and defenders to put Times Inn ahead on 55 minutes. RCA Florists however did draw level with their only bit of decent play in the second half, when Metcalfe scored under the keeper to make it 2-2. This bit of fortune was however undone when further calamitous defending allowed a cross to the near post where the unmarked Luke Bell had time and space to pick his spot and put Times Inn ahead again with 15 minutes remaining. The final goal came with the last kick of the game when Paul Muir scored his second and Times Inn's fourth to give them a well deserved passage into the next round by a 4-2 scoreline and we wish them well for the third round.
Meanwhile RCA Florists will have to improve drastically to have any chance this coming Sunday against F.A. Sunday Cup semi-finalists Humbledon Plains Farm, who they meet in the Quarter Final of the League Cup at Meadow Park, 10.30am ko.