Brandon United FC 1 Sunderland RCA FC 4

24 October 2009

skilltrainingltd Northern League Div II

This game was billed as the clash of the league leaders against the current in form team. Brandon have made great strides in recent seasons and have looked a very decent team leading up to today's game. Everyone was looking to see how RCA would react to their first league defeat of the season.

My apologies for the less than informative first half report; unfortunately I didn't arrive until just before half time. I had to attend my granddaughter's 4th birthday party, which just proves that we do have a life outside of football.

The highlight of the first half was the goal scored by Taylor in the 15th minute. I was informed that we should have been 7 - 0 up by half time, but that information was given to me by an RCA supporter.

The second half started with RCA attacking up the slope and they immediately went close when a cross fromm Davies was headed wide by Davison. In the 52nd minute Davison scored to make it 2 - 0 when he controlled a long ball from McGuinness on his chest before slotting past Joyce in the Brandon goal.

Brandon got back to 2 - 1 in bizarre circumstances when an appeal for a penalty was initially turned down by the referee, but as the RCA defence cleared the ball he awarded a penalty. Fothergill converted the spot kick.

RCA piled on the pressure and were unlucky when Taylor broke into the box and looked odds on to score, but fired high and wide. Within a minutes he had another chance and again fired wide.

After a number of near misses RCA eventually got their third goal when a corner from Stewart to the far post was met by the unmarked Davison who volleyed home his 14th of the season.

The one way traffic continued and shots from Halliday, Sherwood and Stewart were all easily dealt with by Joyce.

RCA's goal did survive a mini onslaught when Dixon fired in a shot which was cleared off the line by Jones and the follow up was again cleared off the line by McGuinness.

RCA broke from this and substitute Davis was unlucky to see his shot go wide. Brandon looked to go forward after this slight break through, but were well and truly caught napping when a long ball out off defence from debutant McArdle was chased down by Davis and his delicate lob beat Joyce and nestled in the bottom corner of the net.

There were further chances for RCA to increase their lead, but they had to settle for a 4-1 win which keeps them six points clear at the top of Division Two.