skilltraining Northern League

17 December 2008

Sunderland RCA finally got our season back underway after nearly a month out through bad weather with what looked likely to be a very tough trip to League leaders Norton on Wednesday night. And it looked a lot tougher when a rash of late cry offs saw Hicker left with a depleted force at his disposal. Gary Hoggeth took his place in goal, but the absence of Henderson and Reay through illness meant dispensing with our more usual wing back formation and going with a flat back four, with Anth Laidler deputising alongside Steve Jones in the middle and Gary Anderson, welcome back Gaz, and Dava Lee as full backs. In midfield young Michael Lawson came into the centre to partner Buddy as Glenn Moan was in hospital getting his snout fixed, with Gaz Shield and Adam McGuinness wide, and Andy Jennings and Sparky Davison were our usual twin strikers. Lee Owens was baby sitting, don't ask why. The bench was very short, with only Chris Youldon and Jon Minniss as genuine alternatives, so we couldn't afford any knocks.

Norton were obviously confident and started well, competing hard all over the pitch, but the first half hour was fairly even, Norton had pressure without much in the way of shots on goal. Gaz Shields was getting a lot of room to run down the right, and Michael Lawson started well, looking calm in possession and passing well.

After 14 minutes a Norton lob bounced off the top of the bar, and Hoggy had a lucky escape when he fumbled a ball on the edge of the box, but Andy and Sparky were proving a handful for their centre backs whenever we got it forward.

On the half hour Norton had a little spell of pressure leading to a couple of corners and a harsh booking for Buddy. The corners showed we had trouble with a bit of lack of height at the back, but we coped well with the use of tight marking and solid competing. We now came more into the game and began to enjoy some situations out wide for Shieldsy and Adsy. Adam should have done better when well placed in the box and failing to find a man, but a couple of minutes later he made amends in some style, running onto a knockdown in the box and blasting an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net. 1-0. From now to the break we looked confident and went in one goal to the good, after a well contested half.

The second half started with Norton throwing everything at us and for a while it was like the Alamo with Laids and Jonesy having to work their socks off under constant pressure in the air and Dava Lee and Gary Anderson also making a string of excellent tackles. But we seemed like we couldn't get the ball far enough up the pitch and had Norton had a bit more finesse about their play we must have been in trouble. We still looked sharp on the break though, with Sparky missing the best chance of the game when he pushed an Adam McGuinness cross past the post. And just after the hour we proved just how sharp with a candidate for goal of the season.

The ball was worked swiftly forward through three or four passes and reached Sparky about 25 yards out, from where he looked up and smashed a great shot past the Norton keeper, who could only dive in despair. 2-0.

Norton still pushed hard and had a couple of half chances, but you could tell they knew the game was up and we started to look good working the ball wide and forward. Buddy Halliday had led by example throughout, supporting his defenders and using the ball well when he got the opportunity and he again started the move that brought Sparky Davison his second, another corking drive, and tied the game up nicely with ten minutes to go. A fantastic performance from everybody, great team spirit and will to win, leadership by example from Buddy, everybody supporting each other and working their socks off. 3-0 and job well done!

skilltraining Northern League

20 December 2008

This was a real battle on a very poor pitch with North Shields unrecognisable from the team we played early in the season.

Manger, Neil Hixon made a couple of changes with Andy Reay resuming at the back and young Anthony Ashman making his debut alongside him as Gary Anderson dropped out with injury and Wayne Henderson was only on the bench. We reverted to a wing back formation with Anth Laidler going back into the middle of the park, as Adam McGuinness was also missing due to family illness.

The game was delayed for a minute or two for a presentation to SunderlandvRCA's Graham Defty to mark his fifty years in the game. League chairman Mike Amos did the honours, and the event was marked with warm applause from the crowd and both teams.

The sides kicked off and it was clear it was going to be a physical contest with football hard to play on the sticky surface that broke up from the start. North Shields were very combative and RCA stood up to it, and the Ref was fully involved. No surprise therefore when Shields took the lead after quarter of an hour through Ian Dugdale, up supporting his attack. RCA hit back immediately with young Ashman causing a few problems with his good quality long throws and within three minutes we were level as Sparky Davison forced home the ball at the far pst from a free kick. But Shields continued to harry and came again to lead from a corner as Brian Smith won a header at the back post, which Gary Hoggeth saved well, only for Smith to seize on the rebound and score. 2-1 to North Shields at the break.

RCA came out with a determined manner for the second period, playing up the bank and keeping the ball well. Dava Lee got the equaliser, scoring direct from a free kick out wide, despite the linesman trying to disallow it for offside. Sparky then put our noses in front for the first time with an absolutely superb header from an Andy Jennings cross, which beat the keeper on his line, and Andy Reay got forward to head home in text book style with another good effort to give us a two goal cushion. Shields didn't give up, pressed hard and had a goal marked off, but we held firm and took the points again. Five games unbeaten now, let's keep going!

skilltraining Northern League

27 December 2008

'It was a good result. I would have settled for a point before the game. - Manager, Neil Hixon

'This keeps our run going - undefeated in six games.' - Chairman, Owen Haley

Sunderland RCA earned a well-deserved draw with Horden CW at Welfare Park.

On a gloomy December day, RCA lined up with their now customary 3-5-2. Horden were quick to show and had good midfield possession without really troubling RCA keeper Gary Hoggeth, although they used dead balls effectively. At the other end, RCA mounted some good attacks.

On ten minutes a good move down the left ended with Mark Davidson taking a good cross shot, which the Horden keeper did well to dive to his left to save. Fifteen minutes later a good corner from the left was spilled by the keeper, but eventually Horden cleared their lines. On 35 minutes an RCA free kick led to the ball being cleared for a left wing corner, but this was cleared by Horden. With half time a minute away the referee seemed to miss a blatant handball by Horden and then awarded a dubious free kick to Horden on the edge of the RCA penalty area. The ball was pushed left and the resulting well taken shot was parried by Gary Hoggeth, but Horden followed up to force the ball home.

Horden threatened early in the second half, winning a corner from the kick off, which was only half cleared and Gary Hoggeth had to gather the following cross.

On 52 minutes RCA were unlucky not to equalise when the ball broke to Andy Jennings whose early taken shot came back off the cross bar with the keeper well beaten. A minute later and Horden were threatening again with a strong shot causing Gary Hoggeth to dive to his left, parry and gather the ball at the second attempt. On 60 minutes Andy Jennings had the ball near the Horden corner flag. Harried by two Horden defenders there was the usual cry of 'He's going no where!', but he was. Very skilful footwork beat the two defenders and Andy ran into the box squaring the ball across the six yard box. Unfortunately the final touch was just missing.

Four minutes later, more skillful work from Any Jennings led to a left wing corner. On 68 minutes RCA finally got the equaliser their play deserved. Micky Lawson, who had come on as substitute for Andy Reay three minutes earlier, threaded the ball through for the on-rushing Mark Davidson, whose powerful run beat two defenders. Running through the centre, Sparky fired powerfully past the Horden keeper.

On 73 minutes it looked as though RCA might take the lead as a throw in on the right led to a powerfully hit shot, but straight at the keeper. Horden exerted sustained pressure in the last ten minutes of the match and came closest when they headed against the cross bar from a right wing cross on the 86th minute.