Pre-season friendly

Saturday, 2 August 2008

Please click here for some photos from the match.

Another disappointing result in a Saturday friendly away to Dunston Fed, but a good work out with several positives in what was a fast and well-contested game.

The Fed were playing their eigth pre season game and looked well advanced in their preparation. Holidays and other absences meant Hicker went with a 4 4 2 formation featuring Henderson and Davies at centre back, Davis and Moan at full back, Graydon and Arkley in centre midfield with Middleton and Casson wide, and Taylor and Shields up front.

Goals from Harkin and Hedley had the Fed in front within the first twenty minutes and in truth it could have been more by half time as we struggled to get to grips with the pace and passing of the Fed front men. Nonetheless there were some signs of good control and the beginnings of some understandings between partnerships around the pitch.

The second half saw more quality play from RCA, although from the hour onwards a lot of substitutions and positional changes, from both sides, inevitably broke the flow of the game. Jon Newton missed a good chance for RCA, and Ash Davies moved forward and had several chances, and made a number of strong runs.

Youngsters Josh Watson and Lloyd Conlin impressed when they got on, as did a young triallist who showed real quality in a twenty-minute stint at full back. No names till he signs!

skilltraining Northern League

Saturday, 9 August 2008

Nothing like a good win to put a spring in your step!

The Forum has been pretty lively with differing views on Saturday's 4 - 0 win over Prudhoe Town. For those of us who were at this fixture last season, when we got beat 3 - 2, with our goals coming from a penalty and a bit of good fortune, this result and the performance will be taken as a mark of just how far - and that's very far - we have come under the leadership of Neil and George. In the first half we were dominant and in the second totally dominant. Granted: Prudhoe were not good and they were down to ten men shortly into the second half, but you can only play what's in front of you. This was a very solid and encouraging performance. We look like a well-balanced team. The frustration for everyone from RCA on Saturday was that we did not score more. It's not an exaggeration to say that we could have got into double-figures.

Quite a few of the squad will be disappointed not to have been selected. That's a mark of just how difficult selection is. We have a strong squad with competition for places running high.

Prudhoe kicked off and were quickly attacking down their right, forcing RCA wing back Adam McGuiness to clear. From the Prudhoe throw in the cross was held by Craig Shields for his first touch of the match.

On eight minutes new signing and captain, Keith Graydon, aka 'Rasher', had a shot blocked following good work on the right from Paul Taylor. Two minutes later and Rasher was in action again with a free kick into the box, but the referee blew against RCA. On 14 minutes, it was the captain again, this time putting in a cross to Andy Jennings, who headed on, only for Paul Taylor's shot to go wide. A minute later Andy Jennings was through on goal, but carried the ball too far. 'Pull the trigger Andy' was the shout from the back.

In between these RCA attacks the defence had looked reasonably solid. Glenn Moan in particular, who was at the centre of the three man defence, was getting in good headed clearances and showing strong leadership and organisation.

On 25 minutes Paul Sammons slid a great ball though to Paul Taylor to run through on goal. The ball was cleared in desperation and both Paul Taylor and the Prudhoe number 5 needed treatment following the clash.

In the 29th minute Prudhoe found it too easy to attack down their left and RCA keeper Craig Shields could only parry the shot for Adam McGuiness to clear.

Ryhope CW old boy Richie Jordan, who had a very good RCA debut, very nearly opened the scoring for RCA, but his shot from the right edge of the penalty area was pushed over for a corner, which the keeper gathered.

On 37 minutes Paul Taylor beat the keeper, but also the far post with this cross shot. Minutes later, he was through on the keeper only to be brought down just outside the area by a chasing Prudhoe defender. While no one likes to see a red card, this looked like a 'rules-is-rules' moment, but the referee held up a yellow. The free kick went just wide.

At half time it was 0 - 0. RCA frustration, Prudhoe relief.

There were no changes for the away side as RCA kicked off the second half playing into the wind. On 50 minutes RCA's domination was beginning to become evident. A good shot from Keith Graydon was turned around for a corner, which Prudhoe cleared for another corner from which Paul Taylor shot over.

On 55 minutes the big man broke the deadlock. Andy Jennings ran from the left to shoot strongly across the Prudhoe keeper to score in the far corner. A text book finish.

Two minutes later Paul Taylor put in a strong run and cross from the left which was cleared for yet another RCA corner. That was Paul's last action of the match as he was replaced by Gary Shields.

On 60 minutes Prudhoe went down to ten men following a second yellow card.

RCA were becoming more and more dominant. Prudhoe could not cope with Gary Shields' powerful, fast and incisive wing play down both flanks. Dynamic or what?

On 65 minutes the second of successive corners was turned in powerfully by defender Andrew Bowes from the edge of the six yard box.

It was nearly three-nil a minute later as an Andy Jennings header found the side netting. At this point Anth Laidler came on for Paul Sammons in central midfield.

On eighty minutes great work from Gary Shields put Keith Graydon in and he looked as though he must score. Desperate defending saw the ball beak to Andy Jennings, who made no mistake.

On 90 minutes it was four-nil. Andy Jennings ran through and, as the keeper came out, unselfishly passed to Keith Graydon who scored emphatically into an empty net. Well done Rasher, after all your efforts you deserved that one.

A good, solid start with a score line that's not at all flattering. It will no doubt be a stronger test against Hebburn, but there is no question that everyone will be up for it. See you there.

The FA Cup

Saturday, 16 August 2008

A massive disappointment as we go out of the FA Cup before I have even had me holidays!

A lot of excitement as usual because it is the Cup and it was a bright and breezy day as we made the trip to Blue Flames Sports Ground to play West Allotment. A great pitch, but not a proper football ground, with wide open spaces all around, and a cricket match on view over the open fence.

Hicker made two changes to the team before he went off scouting in Europe, Shieldsy returned in place of Paul Taylor up front, and Buddy Halliday was preferred to Paul Sammons in midfield.

The game started in front of a decent enough crowd, and for the first 15 minutes was fairly untidy, as both sides tried to settle, and with little in the way of goal mouth action. Having said that, Andy Jennings had the ball in the net after 12 minutes from a good Gary Shields cross, only for it to be disallowed for what looked like offside, which might have been harsh. As the game wore on we started to find our feet a little and began to have most of the ball, knocking it about nicely in midfield, finding Shieldsy down the wings regularly, but not showing too much penetration.

West were hard working but not having much joy, with their main tactic seeming to be to try and turn the defenders with long balls and rely on their strikers pace.

After 26 minutes we took the lead, as Keith Graydon found Andy Jennings with a great ball and the big fella ran well into the box and finished smartly. Graydon's passing had started to look very dangerous and this looked like a fair reward. But disastrously we switched off and virtually from the kick off a long hopeful cross found a man unmarked on the six-yard box to head home. 1 -1, and we were sick. Both sides were livened up by the goals and the rest of the half saw half chances at either end, with defenders Glen Moan and Andy Bowes both getting up well for headers from corners.

We started the second half well and pressed hard for the first 15 minutes. A short corner from Graydon leading to panic in the box, Jennings challenged the keeper for a couple of other crosses from Richie Jordan and it looked like we were bound to get something from the game. Gradually however West Allotment started to increase in confidence, and had their purple patch around the 70 minute mark.

They pressed us hard, had a couple of efforts and then scored the winner when a speculative shot from wide left came off the bar and the centre forward bundled home the rebound from a few yards out. They then missed a great chance to settle things completely when a cross was begging to be converted. George Herd made a rash of substitutions, going for three up front as we chased the game. Graydon shot well, Bowes again went close from a corner, we pressed but couldn't find a way though, and that was that, as the ref brought things to a close, and left us to think what might have been. On another day we would have won it or got them back to our place, but we looked short of games and ran out of steam.

skilltraining Northern League

Saturday, 23 August 2008

Sunderland RCA enjoyed a romp at Ralph Gardner Park as they swamped a young, but game North Shields side 8-0.

From the off RCA were always in control with our midfield trio dominant. Within the opening 10 minutes Rash Graydon hit the bar with a chip, Anth Laidler was clean into the box but couldn't get his cross in, Rash had a free kick tipped round the post, Buddy Halliday shot over the bar, and Rash hit another free kick narrowly over.

It was no surprise then when we opened the scoring in the 22nd minutes as Gaz Shields pounced on the rebound as the Robins' keeper saved from Buddy Halliday. Within two minutes Andy Jennings added the second from a Paul Sammons cross, and when constant pressure led to a third from a Sean Davies low 20 yarder in the 28th minute, the game was effectively over.

And it was all over a few minutes later as the North Shields centre half and player manager Paul Hogg lost his rag, nutted Rash, and was promptly sent off.

A good move saw Gaz get his second in the 34th minute from an Andy Jennings cross, and it was five at the break as Jennings turned well on a Wayne Henderson pass and slotted past the keeper.

The second half was understandably low key, goals from Gaz Shields, Paul Sammons and Paul Taylor, subbing for Jennings, in the 60th, 66th and 78th minutes saw us reach eight, but in truth it could have been many more, although North Shields managed to have one disallowed before the ref brought it to an end.

So two clean sheets in the league and a positive goal balance of 12; not bad, but surely Horden will prove tougher opponents on Monday?

skilltraining Northern League

Monday, 25 August 2008

It really has been a Jekyll and Hyde holiday weekend for Sunderland RCA. This was a horror story. All credit to Horden CW as they showed us how to play the game and why they are fancied to make a strong challenge for promotion this season.

The start of the match was not so bad, with RCA playing down the pitch and with a favourable strong cross wind. On two minutes Paul Sammons won a corner, which was cleared. Five minutes later and a good cross field ball from Keith Graydon put Paul Taylor through wide on the right, but his cross was cleared. On 11 minutes, Andy Rafferty, the very tall Horden keeper, fluffed a cross to concede a corner. On 18 minutes a ball out of the RCA defence to the left wing was collected brilliantly by Anth Laidler who ran through to cross strongly.

On 24 minutes Horden attacked down their left and were allowed to progress into the RCA area where the outstanding Ian Clark shot across the RCA keeper Craig Shields to make it 1 - 0.

On 31 minutes we handed Horden a further advantage when striker Paul Taylor saw a straight red for a two-footed tackle that connected painfully with a Horden player.

On 35 minutes an RCA free kick flew off the Horden wall for a corner, but this was cleared.

On 37 minutes a double save from Craig Shields stopped Horden going 2 - 0 up. Just before half time Stephen Thomas scored Horden's second after he was allowed far too much time and space in front of goal.

On 50 minutes a back pass from Steve Halliday played in the chasing Horden forward who shot wide of the inside post when a cross shot seemed the more sensible option. Horden did not have to wait long to go three up, with an excellent shot across the keeper and into the far corner by Darren Atkinson.

On 66 minutes Horden substitute Craig Hubbard made it four nil with a stunning shot from outside the area which flew past the RCA keeper. Five minutes later and Michael Ford went nap for Horden following poor defensive play.

The pain was not over for RCA as Wayne Henderson suffered an injury which meant he had to leave the field. For the last 10 minutes of the match RCA were down to nine men having already used their three substitutes. Keith Graydon moved to centre half.

In the ninetieth minute RCA were saved by the post from being knocked for six as the Horden forward was clear through.

Painful stuff, but the rude awakening we clearly needed.

skilltraining Northern League

Saturday, 30 August 2008

A highly disputed goal separated Hebburn and Sunderland RCA at the end of the match, but in truth this was another frustrating display by the visitors.

RCA got off to a flyer. Andy Jennings knocked a long ball down to Paul Sammons who worked hard on the right to deliver a perfect cross for Gary Shields to knock the ball past the Hebburn keeper. 1 - 0 up before a minute had gone. This gave us some confidence and we were comfortable for the first 20 minutes, with new signing Neil Moan heading goal ward on seven minutes only for the referee to pull pull up for pushing and Paul Sammons putting the ball in the back of the Hebburn net, but again the referee had blown for a push.

On 28 minutes a cross from the left saw a good challenge form Andy Jennings and the ball feel to Paul Sammons again, but his shot went wide.

By this time Hebburn had worked their way back into the match and on 33 minutes a left wing cross fell to Stephen Rutherford who shot across Craig Shields to equalise.

On 40 minutes we gave the ball away badly in midfield and Hebburn ran through. The shot on goal was parried, but then ran to a Hebburn forward who looked clearly to be in an offside position, with the linesman in a good position, but the flag did not come up. There was much protest from the RCA players and after the match they were adamant that this was a clear off-side.

After the break RCA made strong efforts to get back on terms. Strong running and a cross from Gary Shields led to a clearance for a corner. on 50 minutes Ritchie Jordan snatched at a shot to fire just wide of the inside post. On 58 minutes a strong run from Andy Middleton, who had come on for Paul Sammons, led to the ball falling to Sean Davies, who shot powerfully, but just over.

0n 65 minutes Hebburn extended their lead with a free header from a right wing corner to make it 3 - 1 to the home side. RCA's response was to use our last substitution bringing on Paul Taylor for Anth Laidler.

Determination and strong running from substitute Dean Goodwin was beginning to drive RCA forward and on 72 minutes Dean was on hand in the box to hook in from a Sean Davies cross. On 80 minutes a snap shot from rom Paul Taylor was pushed around the post.

Hopes of a come back looked to be completely dashed when Hebburn hit their fourth, with RCA's attacking leaving them too exposed at the back.

On 87 minutes Dean Goodwin popped up again to make it 4 - 3, but it was not enough.