Allan Thompson Memorial Cup

Wednesday, 01 August 2007

Two-goal hero Jon Butler is presented with the Allan Thompson Memorial Cup
by Allan's brother Jimmy.

Sunderland RCA made the short journey up the bank to face neighbours Ryhope CW in the annual Alan Thompson Memorial Cup match. Having played the previous night against Washington, this was likely to be a long night for the RCA, with numbers already short due to injuries, holidays and work, RCA lost Moss, Hill, Matthews and Anderson from the previous night's squad.

The game started with RCA playing a 3-5-2 formation and from the outset taking the game to the CW. With some sharp interplay between Dixon, Goodwin and Jarvis, RCA should have been three up in the opening 20 minutes, but wasteful finishing saw the CW stay in the game. Jarvis fired wide from the edge of the area when unchallenged, Andrews shot wide when in a great position from a Dixon through ball, Butler headed wide from a corner when unchallenged three yards out, and from the move of the game Goodwin was put clear by Dixon only to shoot straight at the keeper.

The CW were starting to work their way into the game, and their direct route up to the front two unsettled a new, untried RCA back three. A shot saved by Lawson was pushed straight to former RCA man Gareth Hill, who, with the keeper still on the ground, fired wide of the far post. Hill then had a volley hit the post, and Jordan lashed the rebound high and wide. RCA continued to be on top, although however their passing became more sporadic and attacks repeatedly broke down around the CW box.

The CW toool the lead opwards the end of the first half. A long ball was launched down their right hand side, and when this was not dealt with, RCA's Laidler and Henderson both got sucked out of their central areas and a ball into the box, left the CW forward with a free header that just rolled into the far corner via the post.

This sparked a frenetic last few minutes of the half. When the ball dropped it was played forward to Andrews, whose collision with the full back resulted in a free kick to the CW. This produced an angry response from former RCA player Hill, and after prolonged and repeated warnings from the referee, he was substituted right on half time.

At the start of the second half and galvanised by the lead the CW were working and closing down RCA with great endeavour. The game lost a lot of its shape, and RCA began to go long and hopeful, resulting in scrappy play, and very little in the way of controlled possession and goalscoring chances.

With 20 minutes of the game remaining, RCA keeper Niki Lawson was fouled when he came for a high ball into the box, and although he continued for five minutes, he was replaced in goal by Barry Massey. Lawson was taken to hospital and has sustained concussion and damaged ribs.

RCA brought on Peel and reverted to a 4-4-2 system in the hope of shortening their passing. Laidler and Jarvis were now gaining good ground down the left, and RCA began to get back on top. From a clearance by Massey, Andrews flicked on and with hesitation in the CW back four, Butler burst through the back line and fired emphatically past Burlinson.

RCA were now looking for a winner and right at the end of the game Laidler and Jarvis combined down the left. Laidler raced towards the box only to be blatantly tripped from behind. Jarvis swung in a great free kick to the far post. Butler attacked the ball, easily climbing above a static defender to head firmly home for the winner.

Pre-season friendly

Saturday, 4 August 2007

Sunderland RCA were playing their fourth game of the week and were severely depleted yet again. Niki Lawson, Mark Lawton, Wayne Henderson, Karl Jarvis, Nathan Dodd, Phil Hall and Paul Robinson were all absent due to injuries and holidays had robbed the squad of Steve Thomas, Simon Hanlon, Marcel Lundy and Willie Crew.

The last thing the home side needed was to concede after three minutes, however due to some dreadful decision making by the referee, that's exactly what happened. Chester ran the ball out down their left hand side, the assisstant referee awarded the throw to RCA, however when a Chester player took a quick throw, the ball was crossed into the box for the unmarked forward to roll home. This resulted in long and loud protests from the home players, however to the consternation of all in the ground, the referee allowed the goal to stand.

Worse was to follow on 10 minutes when the Chester number 10 left Laidler floundering on the edge of the box, ran through unchallenged, and calmly slotted past the exposed Hall.

Hall then suffered a hip injury when colliding with a Chester forward as he came to collect a low cross into the box. After lengthy treatment, although obviously struggling, he managed to continue.

At the other end Hembrough cut in from the left, unleashed a shot which beat the Chester keeper, only for it to hit the post and bounce to safety. Butler also had a great chance to reduce the arrears, but failed to test the keeper with a free header from six yards. Further knocks to Dixon and Moss on 25 minutes saw them both replaced, and a complete reshuffle of the side as numbers were stretched to the limit.

Chester increased their advantage when Andrews and Hill were totally out-foxed inside the box, and again unchallenged the Chester forward scored past the exposed Hall. RCA were still attacking and had two great chances when Matthews was released, however on both occassions, heavy first touches allowed the Chester keeper to race off his line and smoother the ball.

The second period started with Hall giving way to injury, and full back Barry Massey taking over between the sticks for the home side. With Andrews playing at the back, RCA only had one defender on the pitch, and their sporadic possession was being wasted and given away cheaply.

Chester increased their options by introducing March, Draper and Shields into the fray - three experienced first division players. RCA were now looking a tired side both physically and mentally, and Chester dominated the rest of proceedings.

With some swift and flowing football Chester went on to score three more unanswered goals to record a deserved and comfortable 6-0 victory. RCA now have a week to nurse their walking wounded back to fitness, see the return of players from holiday, and get ready for a tough opening fixture away to last season's relegated side Horden CW.

Arngrove Northern League Division 2

Saturday, 11 August 2007

Sunderland RCA began their ANL Division 2 campaign with a tough away fixture to Horden CW.

As has been the case throughout pre-season, the RCA were again severely disrupted with no less than 9 players missing. With Niki Lawson, Karl Jarvis, Mark Lawton, Phil Hall, Paul Robinson, Nathan Dodd, Dean Fox and Andy Middleton injured and Simon Hanlon away, there was also Marcel Lundy and Willie Crew returning that morning from holidays and Steve Thomas coming back after a month out with a foot fracture.

So with an unfamiliar starting eleven, and a great deal of experience missing it was no surprise RCA started slowly. Horden were moving the ball well and the away side were finding it difficult to get a foot hold in the game. Horden went with three up front forcing Laidler deep, so RCA pushed Andrews up front and brought Butler out to the right.

Horden's forwards, particularly Martin and Allan, were looking lively and causing the RCA defence some anxious moments. However with all the possession the home side had there were very few chances being created.

All that changed when a ball down the home side's righthand side was played forward by Di Lella, Lundy came across and scuffed his clearance, Anderson swung wildly and sent the ball high but no distance, and Martin latched onto a header into the box to fire wide from six yards. With RCA allowing Horden all the freedom in the world the home side were increasing the pressure. Egbe and Stephenson both fired over from the edge of the box, Allen shot tamely wide from eight yards out.

Horden finally took the lead when Dixon lost possession to Stephenson, he played the ball forward, and a static RCA back line, stood with hands in the air appealing for offside. With play waved on Allen raced claer, rounded Hall and tapped into an empty net. Horden comfortably ran down the remaining five minutes of the half to go in leading 1-0.

The second period was only a couple of minutes old when Horden attacked down their left. Anderson never got near the winger who flighted a cross into the box, Moss was sucked under the ball allowing Martin a free header which caught out Hall. A late reaction saw Hall tip onto rather than over the bar. The rebound fell straight to Laidler at the back stick and only six yards from his own goal. With Allen closing in Laidler should have cleared first time, but took a touch, allowing Allen to pinch the ball and hammer high into the net.

RCA made a triple substitution on the hour introducing Thomas, Hembrough and Crew for Laidler, Dixon and Andrews. This seemed to bring a renewed determination and much quicker tempo to the away sides play, and going thee at the back they now started to dominate the game.

RCA's passing was shortened, quicker and much more effective and Thomas began to exert some control to the play. With 20 minutes to go RCA got themselves back into the game. Thomas rolled the ball out wide to Matthews who in turn found Butler in the box. He turned the defender and when he fired goalwards, a deflection saw the ball roll into the bottom left corner to reduce the arrears.

Horden now seemed to lose their shape and began to pump long balls forward, these were being picked up by the away side and the pressure was being increased. Hembrough and Butler combined down the right hand side, the former producing a superb cross to the far post after leaving the fullback in his wake. Crew rose unmarked two yards out, and with the goal at his mercy managed to head straight across goal and back out wide.

RCA had three freekicks in quick succession, Thomas each time delivering with quality into the box. However two were headed clear unchallenged and when Moss reached the other he headed wide. Right at the death RCA were awarded a freekick 25 yards out and just right of centre of the goal. Thomas bent the kick over the wall, and with the keeper beaten saw it drift narrowly wide.

FA Cup

Saturday, 18 August 2007

Sunderland RCA travelled to ANL 2nd Division Crook Town in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup. With the revenue and exposure generated by a good run in the competition, RCA were looking to record their first win of the campaign.

Again hampered by injuries RCA were missing no less than 11 players from the squad, (Lawson, Hall, Lawton, Laidler, Jarvis, Goodwin, Fox, Robinson, Andrews, Dodd and Middleton) however they did include Winspear, Hanlon and Thomas, all making their first starts of the season.

The game started brightly and the visitors should have taken the lead in the first four minutes when some good play and a great ball into the box found Crew unmarked six yards from goal. His header was easily saved by the keeper diving to his right. The game was being played at a frantic pace with Crook going direct at every opportunity to the tall forward and trying to play off the bits.

RCA had another good opportunity when Winspear delivered from the right. Crew flicked on at the front post, but nobody reacted quickly enough and the home keeper came and collected low in the six yard box. The visitors took the lead when Crew fired in from the left hand side of the area, after beating the offside line and being played in with a clever ball over the defence from Dixon.

Crook restored parity on the half hour when awarded a free kick on the left hand side. The ball was swung into the box, the knock down bouncing high for the Crook forward to head in off the post with Moss caught flat footed. RCA attacked hard and almost took the lead again when Winspear drove past the fullback, raced into the box, but just overran the ball for the keeper to come and collect.

The second half started with RCA in the driving seat, Thomas becoming a pivotal figure, and passing the ball much better and shorter than the home side. They again took the lead with some decisive passing down the left, good interplay between Dixon, Hanlon and Thomas who delivered a quality ball to the back stick for Butler to head home above the defender.

Crook leveled for the second time when awarded a corner on their left hand side. The ball was thrown to the back post and the Crook forward was allowed a free header. Hanlon headed clear and Henderson completed the clearance. However the linesman flagged and indicated the ball had crossed the line, resulting in the referee awarding the goal.

In the final 10 minutes RCA attacked with great purpose. Dixon beat two defenders before firing a great drive just wide from 20 yards, Thomas passed to Butler, who spun and fired goalwards, a deflection seemed to wrong foot the keeper, who changed direction and produced a top quality save. The corner resulted in Moss just heading wide.

So, a draw and back to Meadow Park for the replay on Tuesday night, when RCA hope to have four or five players returning.

FA Cup replay

Tuesday, 21 August 2007

A very bad night for RCA as a committed and determined Crook outfit deservedly progressed to the next round of the FA Cup, and collected the £500.00 prize in doing so.

Honours even in the first half of what was not a great game, with Paul Robinson lasting only 15 minutes on his return from injury before a bad tackle forced him to limp off, but things changed rapidly in the second half.

Within five minutes of the restart Crook were two goals to the good as a mistake by keeper Simon Hall gifted them an early lead was followed within a minute or two by a recklessly conceded penalty, which effectively sealed the tie.

Crook had more chances and eventually notched a third, while the RCA misery was completed as Steve Thomas missed a penalty in the 89th minute. A bad night, made worse by the knowledge that the draw had been kind and we could and should have won the game at the first time of asking at the Millfield ground.

Good luck to Crook at Hall Road in the next round, they have every chance of progressing. Few positives for RCA on the night, and big games in the League to come.

Arngrove Northern League Division 2

Saturday, 25 August 2007

Would the Crook result be out of the boys' systems for the away trip to Prudhoe?

A few changes saw Steve Winspear return to the team for his second game, John Butler and Wayne Henderson also returned after missing the replay and Glen McCartney made his debut, at left back rather than his usual right side.

Again the first half was goalless, although RCA had the best of the few chances and looked strong. Prudhoe did hit the bar, which was a warning.

The second half again saw goals conceded early with a frantic four minute spell seeing Prudhoe score twice with John Butler replying with a penalty for RCA.

All to play for but it was Prudhoe who extended their lead before a goal keeping blunder pushed a Scott Hembrough cross into the net with 10 minutes left to set up what might have been a hectic finish.

Prudhoe saw the game out comfortably enough however and RCA remain pointless in the league, with a tough bank holiday fixture to come at home to South Shields.

Arngrove Northern League Division 2

Monday, 27 August 2007

With two down in the league and two defeats, Monday morning was a good time to get the season started.

More changes with Simon Andrews acting as an emergency keeper in the absence of all three signed on specialists, and Paul Moss missing out through injury, along with Paul Robinson and Wayne Henderson. Andy Allen came into midfield for his first start since returning to the club, Anth Laidler came back after injury on the left hand side and Steve Winspear moved forward to partner John Butler up front.

The first half followed the pattern of recent games, staying goalless as RCA battled hard against a good quality and confident Mariners side, given vocal, if not always coherent, backing from their usual band of devoted followers.

Sadly the second half started the way we are beginning to dread with Shields establishing a three goal lead, that never looked threatened, within the first 20 minutes of the half. A full range of substitutes was used with Scott Hembrough, Kevin Dixon and Gary Anderson getting into the action for Steve Winspear, Simon Hanlon and Steve Thomas, but Shields were always well on top, and could have extended their lead on a number of occasions in the final quarter, much to the delight of their fans.