skilltraining Northern League

3 January 2009

A very disappointing result as RCA missed the chance to consolidate on our recent good form when we entertained Hebburn Town at Meadow Park for our first game of the year. Neil named an unchanged side against a Hebburn Town sitting around us in the league table, but with a mixed record of decent results and poor defeats. The four points gained in previous two games against top three sides away from home meant we went into this fixture confident of making more progress.

We started brightly enough, playing down the slope, with half chances coming from long balls into the box for Andy, who would have scored with any kind of touch, and a good cross for Dava Lee which he couldn't quite control.

Hebburn looked workmanlike and confident and took the lead on 22 minutes when a corner came back off the post and was slotted home by Myers, 1-0 to Hebburn. Nothing to worry about there surely, we had come back twice against North Shields hadn't we? But this time the belief just wasn't there as Hebburn looked the better side for the rest of the half, and had the ball in the net again, before a linesman's flag meant it was ruled out for a push on Hoggy.

0-1 at the break.

Early in the second half came the turning point of the match, as a certain penalty for handball was refused. From then on we looked like a tired side. Hicker used all his subs, but it made little difference; we lacked punch or composure and might have played all night without scoring. So, Hebburn do the unlikely double over us, much like Prudhoe last season. Not good, but still not halfway in the season, keep the faith.

skilltraining Northern League

17 January 2009

RCA had two new faces on show for the game at home to Prudhoe, and another two on the bench, as manager Hixon prepared for the hectic spell of games to come by boosting his squad. Making a welcome return to the club was last year's captain, Scott Richards in midfield, and making a club debut was Wyn Fremlin on the right wing. Dave Henderson, joining from Tow Law was on the bench alongside Sean Joseph who has come to us from Northallerton.

There was a familiar face or two in the stand, but no doubt more of that later!

Missing from the previous game was Andy Jennings who is away, while Anth Laidler had to make do with a seat on the bench this time. RCA lined up in their familiar 3-5-2 formation, with Gary Shields moving from front to back to partner Mark Davison up front. Prudhoe came in to the game boosted by ceditable draws in their last two fixtures and made a decent start, and could have gone ahead within a minute or two as a ball broke in the box, but was scrambled clear.

The game settled into a steady pattern of midfield scrimmaging with Prudhoe, playing down the bank working hard to frustrate Buddy and Scott in midfield, but already the combination of Scott's running power and Buddy's steadiness on the ball looked very promising as a partnership. There were a few chances at either end: Wyn Fremlin made a number of good runs and his added width looked to balance the side well, but Prudhoe also created a chance or two.

Adam McGuiness made an excellent long break and created a shooting chance for himself, Richards fired just over, a good tackle stopped Sparky, and we made it to half time with honours even, but RCA were looking forward to playing down the bank in the second half.

The second half started with RCA camped in the Prudhoe half of the field and making good positions without creating many clear chances. Prudhoe continued to work hard in denying us clean possession, but the impression grew that it was only a matter of time until we made the breakthrough and one goal would lead to more. But time got on and it wouldn't come. Sparky had chances, the keeper made a great one handed save from one of the. Hicker took off Fremlin who had done well on his debut, and Adsy McGuinness, and gave debuts to Sean (Taz) Joseph and David Henderson and the pressure increased and increased. Taz, looking a quality left winger, put over a number of good crosses from the by-line, which were cleared or scrambled away, and Dave Henderson was very busy on the right.

It looked as if it would never come until in the 87th minute Andy Reay, by now playing as an auxiliary centre forward, claimed a header was over the line from another Sean Joseph cross, while Sparky seized on the keeper's half clearance and powered a header into the roof of the net for his 11th goal of the season. Relief all round, but hard lines on a very spirited and hard working Prudhoe team who never resorted to kicking people. This valuable three points lifts us into the top half of the table. Tally ho!

skilltraining Northern League

24 January 2009

It was a sunny day but a heavy pitch which looked sure to cut up badly as Sunderland RCA took the field for their vital game at table toppers Esh Winning on Saturday. Hicker has been busy in the transfer market ready for the second half of the season and some new faces were on display. Scott Richards returned to the club and took his place in midfield alongside Buddy, Steve Stewart, signed from Chester-le-Street, started wide right, and Sean Joseph (Taz) made his full debut on the left wing, while Adam McGuinness took up his occasional role up front alongside Sparky Davison as we went with a 4-4-2 formation, with Lee, Reay, Henderson and Jones across the back in front of Hoggy. Wyn Fremlin dropped to the bench, as did Gaz Shields, and they were joined by Paul Wardle (Delta), who also returns from Chester. Dave Henderson and Anth Laidler completed the subs, while Glenn Moan, David Tait, Liam Gill and Gary Anderson failed to make the 16, to their clear disappointment.

The game started with RCA playing up the bank, and we should have taken the lead after only two minutes as Taz was brought down and Buddy's free kick reached an unmarked Wayne Henderson in the box who put his header wide. The new width given to us by Taz and Steve Stewart was immediately apparent as the game settled down into an open, attractive contest, but one in which RCA clearly had the upper hand. Another good run and cross from Taz was forced away with Sparky closing in, for the first of a number of corners which always looked dangerous although the Esh keeper was obviously in good form.

A good burst from Adsy after 20 minutes was wasted when he shot weakly and Taz continued to cause a lot of trouble with direct running and good crossing. Hoggy had to be alert as Esh also pushed forward, and nearly dropped one into his own net after 23 minutes before recovering well. A couple of minutes later he tipped a fine shot over, but by and large it was RCA asking the questions with Adsy again denied by a double save from the keeper after great work by Stewart set him free, a Taz corner leading to a goal being disallowed for a push on the keeper, and then as the half wore down a bad miss by Scott Richards after a good turn in the box, followed by a shot over from Taz after great work and a mazy dribble from Buddy Halliday.

As the half ended goalless some of us were worried that we had seen the best of our play and that RCA would pay for failing to take their chances. A 2-0 scoreline at half time would have fairly reflected the play.

The second half started in similar vein to the first however, with Scott Richards and Steve Stewart becoming more prominent as the game wore on. Early in the half Gaz Shields came on for Adam McGuinness and his understanding with Stewart was immediately obvious as we broke with speed on a number of occasions. Sparky and Stewy were both guilty of blazing over early on in the half and then the keeper and a defender combined to get in a couple of blocks when it seemed Richards must score. Esh continued to look dangerous on the break, but overall RCA were dominating without reward, including as a great move was finished by Sparky sliding in, only for the linesman to flag for offside. The deadlock was finally broken in the 73rd minute as Stewart showed great pace to burst past his man, feed Shieldsy, and the little man showed great composure to slide the cross in for Sparky who made no mistake from close range.

Justice at last. But now Esh were stung into action and enjoyed their best spell of the game, pushing us back and enjoying a couple of good chances, and probably should have equalised. Dave Henderson came on for Taz, who had a great first half but who had tired as the game wore on after several weeks out, and the partnership of Stewart and Shields continued to look dangerous on the right. And so it proved as again the swift surge from Stewart led to a Gaz cross and Sparky firing home. 2-0.

Esh pressed hard, and Delta came on for Sparky to shore up the back as we went one up front to protect our lead. At the death the Esh skipper fired home to give them a little hope, but deep into injury time Steve Stewart finished them off with a calm finish from another Gaz Shields cross. Three assists from Gaz in his half hour appearance in a performance of real quality which bodes well for the rest of the season.

skilltraining Northern League

31 January 2009

A cracking win for RCA against a committed and hard working Birtley team who belied the unfounded rumours of their demise to put up a good performance. A diabolical pitch to play on, and a couple of enforced changes as Scott Richards was absent and Sean Joseph failed a late fitness test. Ever-reliable replacements in Anth Laidler in midfield and Gary Shields out wide meant we again fielded a strong looking side, in front of a decent crowd in bitterly cold conditions. And the game started lively as Birtley had a good near post effort in the second minute followed by a strong drive past the post in the fifth.

RCA started to get to grips with things, playing down the bank, and created a couple of good chances of their own with Gaz Shields doing well down the left to cross dangerously, and Sparky Davison looking to be in the same good form as of late and putting the defence under pressure. Steve Stewart made a couple of sttrong runs, but it was Birtley who took the lead after 24 minutes as a mix up between Gary Hoggeth in goal and Wayne Henderson let Hepplewhite in to give the visitors the lead with a soft goal. Hicker was not happy! And a few minutes later things took another turn for the worse as Dava Lee clattered into a concrete post and was forced off with a nasty looking knee, cut and swelling rapidly. Wyn Fremlin came on with Adsy McGuinness moving to left back and Gaz Shields moving up front to allow Wyn to assume a position wide right, with Stewy moving over to the left.

It was Stewy who got us back into the game, running well into the box and being brought down for a stonewall penalty. Sparky stepped up and confidently put us level after 39 minutes. A few minutes later, as your reporter was starting his half time duties, Sparky got his second running through strongly and hitting a strong shot from an anagle past the keeper to bring us in at half time in front.

HT 2-1.

The second half was a different story to the first. RCA ramped up the pace of the game, and dominated proceedings right from the off. Wyn Fremlin and Steve Stewart looked to run wide at every opportunity and stretched the defence constantly with excellent breaks, and helped by the good movement of Davison and Shields. Buddy and Anth had the centre well policed. Wyn saw a shot turned onto the post by the keeper, Shieldsy managed to miss an open goal twice in the same move, and Sparky had at least half a dozen good efforts. Birtley will be disappointed with their second half show playing downhill, and when Gaz Shields made it 3-1 with an excellent headed finish after good work from Stewart and Davison it looked all over. But Birtley roused themselves in the last 10 and had probably their best spell of the game. Glenn Moan and Paul Wardle came on to bolster the defence and had to work hard as the visitors suddenly looked dangerous, culminating in Hoggy making a tremendous save after 82 minutes, which kept the margin intact. Overall though a good show, up to sixth, and we get the chance to do it again on Wednesday, Birtley's problem pitch permitting.