3 October 2009

skilltrainingltd Northern League Div. II

SRCA maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a hard fought win at Jarrow in atrocious conditions. The high winds made it almost impossible to play football and at times the game degenerated into a lottery.

Roofing took advantage of the strong wind in the first half but struggled to command. RCA counter attacked to great effect and were unlucky on five minutes when a clearance from Anderson fell into the path of McBryde, but his header went narrowly wide.

It wasn't until the 15th minute that Jarrow had a shot on target, a crossfield pass from Milner found Nelson free on the left and his well placed shot was superbly saved by Hoggeth. Five minutes later a through ball from Stewart found Halliday but with only the keeper to beat he dragged his shot inches wide.

Jarrow were forced to make a substitution when Milner was injured in a collision with Richards and was taken to hospital for a precautionary check up.

In the 31st minute RCA took the lead when Stewart sent a lovely cross into the box and McBryde was on hand to steer it into the net.

The half ended in dramatic fashion when a penalty was awarded to Jarrow Roofing when Wardle pulled back Nelson. However, Hoggeth pulled off a spectacular save from Forster's spot kick.

Within two minutes of the restart RCA were 2 - 0 up when a free kick from Jones was flicked on by McBryde to Davies who made no mistake from 10 yards out. Back came Jarrow with a well worked move which saw Dixon cross for Nelson and he beat the keeper from 12 yards.

The miss of the season took place after 10 minutes when a Jarrow player was guilty of missing an empty net from two yards out.

A minute later and RCA were down to 10 men when Wardle was given a second yellow card for a foul on Nelson.

The rest of the game saw Jarrow pushing for the equaliser and RCA showing why they are undefeated in the league with a solid defensive display.

Davies was unlucky with a 25 yard lob which landed on the roof of the net and in the 88th minute Nelson was once again denied by Hoggeth in the RCA goal.

Overall it is fair to say the the weather won this game although given the condition both teams did try to play football.

10 October 2009

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division II

Sunderland RCA played their "get out of jail free" card today to maintain their unbeaten run. However it took a 82nd minute goal from top scorer Mark Davison to clinch a hard fought draw against a very good Guisborough team.

Guisborough started the game strongly and forced RCA to defend for the opening 10 minutes without creating a meaningful shot on target.

RCA responded through a quick counter attack which saw Davies deliver a lovely cross into the box which McBryde couldn’t quite get to. A minute later and Davies brought a fantastic fingertip save from Rafferty when he fired in a shot from 25 yards.

Guisborough almost took the lead after 20 minutes when Henry whipped in a freekick and Butterworth headed over the bar from six yards out.

In the 30th minute RCA had a penalty appeal when Stewart was sent sprawling in the box, but the referee waved play on. Within a minute Stewart burst through again, but his shot was easily saved by Rafferty. Portas sent Onions clear in the 40th minute but the “Boro” striker shot well wide. At the other end Halliday, in space on the edge of the box, fired high and wide. In the final minute of the half RCA were forced to make a substitution when Anderson fell awkwardly and was unable to continue.

Two minutes into the second half and McBryde set Davies up with a deft flick, but the winger fired wide with just the keeper to beat.

Guisborough started to take control of the match and RCA were forced on the defensive again. The influential Portas was picking everything up in midfield and driving them forward at every opportunity. Onions up front had two golden opportunities to open the scoring; in the 65th minute he headed over the bar and two minutes later fired straight at Hoggeth. He redeemed himself in the 68th minute when he was sent clear of the RCA defence with a pass from Portas, this time he rounded the keeper and slotted home.

RCA brought on Coghlan for Davies and this had an immediate effect, a freekick from Richards was misheaded by Davison into the waiting arms of Rafferty, a minute later and McBryde slipped the ball through to Coghlan and his measured cross was headed home by Davies. RCA for the first time in the match were looking the better team and looked to capitalise on some defensive errors, however Rafferty pulled off a superb save from Halliday and when a cross from Coghlan was met by Davison he shot wide.

Guisborough rallied in the last five minutes and Hoggeth was forced to punch a dangerous curling shot away.

This was a well earned point against a very strong Guisborough team who will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

17 October 2009

skilltrainingltd Northern League Div. II

Sunderland RCA's unbeaten run in the league came to sudden end when they were defeated 2 - 0 by Newton Aycliffe at home.

This was the first visit of Newton Aycliffe to Meadow Park and they became the first team to beat us in the League this season.

The game started with both teams looking to play attacking football and as early as the third minute a cross from Davies was headed narrowly over by Davison.

Hoggeth was forced into action when Broom fired in a shot from 25 yards, which he managed to tip over the bar.

With the midfields cancelling each other out both teams reverted to a more direct style and Renshaw was unlucky with a shot that went wide.

RCA started to get on top as the half hour mark approached and McBryde, Davies, Halliday and Stewart were all guilty of holding onto the ball too long when a simple pass or shot might have resulted in a goal. The Aycliffe defence held out and on a quick counter Renshaw crossed into the box and Gardner was on hand to steer the ball home from six yards.

After the break RCA put the Aycliffe goal under siege and it took a truly brilliant save from Richardson to deny a McBryde header. A minute later and a corner from Stewart was met by Wardle who thundered his header onto the cross bar.

Aycliffe reacted with a cross from Renshaw which found Gardner in space inside the box, but he fired wide.

In the 70th minute Coghlan burst into the box and shot, but once again Richardson in the Aycliffe goal was equal to it.

Within a minute Aycliffe were 2 - 0 up. Broom beat two defenders before rolling the ball into the path of Owen who made no mistake from 10 yards.

RCA tried hard to get something from the last 15 minutes, but were well held by a great defensive display with special mention going to Mitton and Close.

RCA were not at their best today, but Aycliffe to their credit made it difficult for us to play our usual game.

20 October 2009

Durham Challenge Cup Competition

Sunderland RCA FC went out of the Durham Challenge Cup competition beaten 3-0 by Ryton FC. RCA’s manager Neil Hixon was forced through injury, suspensions and work commitments to make several changes to the team and he gave first team debuts to five youngsters, Graeme Pickering started in goal with Liam Dunn, and Jonathan Davis starting the match. He then brought on substitutes Ryan Mather and Peter Deary to end the match with 5 players under the age of 18.

The game started in in typical cup fashion with both teams pressing for an early advantage, but with both defences looking solid there were no chances until the 18th minute when a shot from Taylor was well saved by the keeper and when Taylor crossed the ball into the box from the rebound there were no RCA players to take advantage.

With the RCA youngsters showing great enthusiasm the Ryton team were unable to get the ball moving forward with any effect. Benjamin did have a shot which was easily saved by Pickering and Innes fired wide.

In the 32nd minute one stray pass led to the opening goal when Innes pounced on a loose defensive ball and fired goalward, the ball took a wicked deflection of a defender and sent Pickering the wrong way.

Stewart had a chance to level the score, but fired wide.

The second half saw RCA pressing for the equaliser and both Taylor and Stewart had chances but both fired wide.

Benjamin forced a save from Pickering before and Dunn made a great tackle on Innes to deny the striker a shot on goal.

A long ball out of defence caught Ryton napping and the quickness of Stewart had him clear of the defence, unfortunately at the vital moment he slipped and the chance was gone.

Benjamin scored the second Ryton goal when he received a long ball from Young and fired home.The same player put the game beyond doubt when he fired home from 25 yards.

This was a good opportunity to see the progress made by the youngsters of RCA and none of them let the team down.

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.

31 October 2009

skilltrainingltd Northern League Div. II

Sunderland RCA lost out to a workmanlike Stokesley team with the only goal of the match coming from ex RCA player Andy Jennings.

How RCA did not get something out of this game is a mystery. For long period of the match they dominated but they could not produce the finishing required on the day.

Within five minutes of the start Stewart raced clear of the Stokesly defence and his cross was met at the far post by Davies who fired wide from two yards out. Three minutes later and Taylor was unlucky with a snap shot. A cross into the box by Davies was dropped by the keeper, but Taylor and Davison did not react quickly enough and the danger was cleared by Andrew O'Shea. At this point Stokesley had not had a meaningful attack.

After 15 minutes a cross field ball from McGuinness found Stewart in acres of space as he moved into the box, but fired his effort wide with only the keeper to beat.

An injury to Taylor seemed to dispupt the attacking options of RCA and Stokesley started to get more into the game. A shot from Jennings was well aved by Hoggeth and minutes later a long range effort by Yalcin went well wide. RCA were struggling to create any chances during this period and it was only a superb save from a Radigan freekick by Hoggeth that kept the score at 0-0.

The deadlock was broken when Jones was caught in possession on the byline by Stewart and his cross found Jennings unmarked and he tapped home from four yards out.

At the start of the second half Jennings almost made it 2 - 0 when he beat two players before firing low into the corner, but Hoggeth was well placed to save easily.

RCA changed up a gear and forced Stokesley back and only some last ditch defending kept them in the game. A shot from Davison went narrowly over the bar. Minutes later and a cross from Noble found Davison who fired the ball at the goal, but it was cleared of the line. RCA continued to bombard the Stokesley goal and reduced them to breakaway attacks during one of these attacks a splendid effort from Yalcin was turned over the bar by Hoggeth. RCA then hit the post and the follow up was fired wide.

Good defensive work from Stokesley denied any further real chances and the game ended 1-0 in favour of stokesley.