Saturday, 3 Aprill 2010

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2

Sunderland RCA went back to the top of Division 2 with this win against lowly Darlington RA. However they did not have it all their own way. Darlington gave as good as they got in the first half and took a surprise lead and could have doubled it before RCA turned on the style.

A torrential hailstorm greeted the players at the start of the match and it soon became clear that the pitch would cut up badly. RCA were finding it difficult to adapt their passing style on a sticky pitch and it was RA who seemed to revel in the conditions early on with Donalson causing problems down the left and Abel holding the ball up front. Eventually RCA got it together and should have taken the lead when a Stewart cross was met at the far post by O' Riordan, but he somehow managed to steer the ball wide of the opposite post.

RA took the lead when O'Riordan was dispossed on the halfway line and the ball was quickly fed to Abel who made no mistake from 12 yards out. This was a wake up call for RCA and they pushed forward, but could not seem to do the simple things well and were getting caught with smart counter attacks from RA.

In the 25th minute Kokes went past two defenders and fired in a shot which Moody was equal to, the resulting corner was headed over by Hall.

RA almost doubled their lead when another defensive mistake saw Freary release Donaldson on the left and his cross was met by Abel who looked to fire home, but Hoggeth got down to turn it round the post for a corner.

RCA were level after 38 minutes when a through ball from Richards found O'Riordan and he cooly curled the ball into the top corner.

This was the start of some sustained pressure from RCA and both McBryde and Kokes were unlucky with efforts that went narrowly wide. When they did get shots on target, Moody was saving them with ease.

The sun tried to make an apppearance for the second half and RCA certainly did with a blistering assault on the RA goal. A through ball from Halliday found McBryde in space and his shot was inches over the bar. O'Riordan was having a field day on the left and on three occasions he went past the full back but could not get an effective cross in.

In the 52nd minute a clipped through ball by Halliday was handled inside the box and a penalty was awarded; O'Riordan stepped up and blasted the ball home.

Two minutes later and the same player was clear of the defence the simple pass to Kokes or McBryde was on but he went for glory and hit the side netting.

RCA were rampant now and RA could not get the ball out of their own half. The whole RA Back four were being pulled apart, but RCA were squandering chances and while it was still 2 - 1 RA were in with a shout. The longer the game went on the more RA turned the tide and came back into the game and Hoggeth had to be at his best to hold a fierce shot from Freary.

In the 80th minute Coghlan replaced Kokes and with his first touch made the score 3 -1 when he found space in the box to steer the ball past the helpless Moody. Two minutes later and he latched onto a through ball from Davies and fired home at the back post. Two goals in two minutes with two touches of the ball: an inspirational substitution, playing a central midfield schemer as a make-shift centre forward.

With the game over RCA played out the remainder of the match in comparative ease.

Wednesday, 7 April 2010

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2

A first half hat-trick from Liam McBryde set RCA on the way to a comfortable away win against a struggling Crook Town team. The score could easily have been more but RCA were guilty of squandering a hat full of chances.

The Crook Town team that turned out tonight bore no resemblance to the one that played so well in the early part of the season, but to their credit they played some decent football without really troubling a solid RCA defence.

RCA took the lead when the Crook defence failed to clear a Stewart corner and McBryde was on hand to volley home from eight yards out. Stewart should have made it 2-0 within minutes but his weak shot was easily saved by Carr. Richards set up Kokes with a lovely though ball but the ex-Crook striker fired wide.

On 20 minutes Halliday was unlucky when he fired in a shot after a good header from Hall found him free, but his shot was cleared by Kime.
Kime and Wilson were performing heriocs at the heart of the Crook defence, but could only stand and watch as McBryde headed home a Noble freekick after 33 minutes. Five minutes later McBryde completed his hat trick when Kokes beat a defender before laying the ball off for the simplest of tap ins.

In the dying minutes of the half Taylor hammered in a shot from 35 yards which hit the post with the RCA defence looking on in disbelief. Within five minutes of the restart Stewart had fired a shot high over the bar and both Kokes and Richards had half chances.

In the 56th minute it was the Kokes, McBryde combination that struck again with McBryde bundling over a pass from Kokes. Crook responded and forced a corner which was taken by Laverick and only a goalline clearance from Davies prevented Wilson from scoring.

McBryde was replaced by Davison and with his first touch he found Stewart with a perfectly weighted pass and the winger bore down on goal before firing past Carr from 10 yards out.

Crooks only remaining contribution to the game was a 20 yard shot from Hanson which went narrowly wide and some good passing and movement without any real penetration.

The only downside to the night was the injury sustained by Henderson which looks like a hamstring problem which could mean the end of his season if confirmed.

Saturday, 10 April 2010

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2

Sunderland RCA maintained their push for promotion with this hard fought win against a strong Northallerton Town team. The cause was not helped by the dismissal of Scott Richards after four minutes for violent conduct. However the remaining ten men dug deep and when Hoggeth saved a Northallerton penalty after ten minutes they rose to the occasion.

Sunderland RCA are becoming skilled at doing things the hard way, five minutes into the game they were down to ten men, when Richards was dismissed for violent conduct when he retaliated after a late tackle from Richard Thompson in front of the referee who had no option but to send him off.

Click here for a slideshow of photos from the match

Northallerton Town were passing the ball well and were making the extra man tell and on 13 minutes were awarded a penalty when Halliday was alledged to have fouled Allison inside the penalty area. Hoggeth made a superb save to deny Smurthwaite's well struck spot kick.

This seemed to lift RCA and they went on the offensive, a cross from Stewart was headed inches wide by Kokes and when a shot from McBryde came back off the keeper Kokes was there to stab home from close range.

The home side then took control and it was difficult to see who was playing with a man short. they were were passing the ball really well and when McBryde turned and shot it took a great save from Thompson to put it round the post. His relief was short lived as Stewart swung in the corner and Hall rose at the back post to power a header home.

RCA continued to put some good moves together and it took a smart save from Thompson just before half time to deny McBryde once again.
The early exchanges in the second half were won by Northallerton Town and only a great save from Hoggeth from Allison kept the scoreline at 2-0. Minutes later and Chillingworth fired high over the bar when he should have done better. At the other end Stewart fired well over the bar when in a decent position.

In the 55th minute Northallerton must have realised it wasn't going to be their day when a Bowman shot from 35 yards out struck the bar and then Butterworth fired a shot inches wide of the goal.

As RCA weakened Joe Fairish started to pull some strings in the centre of midfield and he was unlucky with a shot that went wide. With Winter and Smurthwaite playing well for Northallerton at the back RCA created little going forward but to their credit the 10 men worked hard to ensure that they kept a clean sheet.

Given the circumstances surrounding the first 15 minutes of this game RCA proved that they are force to be reckoned with and ran out deserved 2-0 winners in the end. However it must be said that our discipline could be the key factor in the final push for promotion. We need to keep 10 men on the park and stop the silly booking.

Wednesday, 14 April 2010

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2

RCA failed to take their chances in an entertaining match against Newton Aycliffe and left empty handed despite having the lion's share of the match.

Newton Aycliffe scored just before half time and despite being reduced to 10 men, when Riatt was dismissed for a second bookable offence, held on for the win.

RCA started slowly and allowed Newton Aycliffe to get on top in the opening 10 minutes and only some desperate defending stopped Gardner from opening the scoring when he was sent clear by Raitt.

Hoggeth was called into action to stop a shot from Woodhouse just before a splendid ball from Jones found O'Riordan in the box, but instead of taking his time he lashed the ball well wide of the target. RCA started to get into the game more after this and Aycliffe were forced to defend deep and break quickly. A cross from Stewart found Davison unmarked but his header went straight to Richardson in the Aycliffe goal.

Within a minute RCA should have been 1 - 0 up when an exquisite ball into the box from Stewart found Taylor inside the six yard box with an open goal but he mis-hit the ball wide of the target. A succession of poor corners followed and set the tone for the rest of the night.

Taylor was guilty of another glaring miss as the game neared half time and the pendulum swung in Aycliffes direction on the stroke of half time when they were awarded a freekick on the edge of the area. After a delay while the referee spoke to Richards, Riatt fired the ball into the top corner giving Hoggeth no chance.

RCA started the second half by upping the pace of the game and almost equalised when Aycliffe failed to clear their lines and a shot from O'Riordan went narrowly over the bar.

A mistimed tackle saw the dismissal of Riatt for a second bookable offence and hearalded the start of an avalanche of chances for RCA. However the luck was obviously with Aycliffe as time after time their defenders cleared dangerous crosses into the box. Both Close and Stout were outstanding.

With time ticking away a cross from Stewart found Davis at the far post but he fired against the post.
Davison had the ball in the net with 5 minutes to go but was adjudged to have used his hand to control the ball.

Richardson was called upon to pull off the save of the game in the last minute hurling himself at a shot from McLeod and tipping it away for a corner.

RCA probably deserved something out of this game, but at the end of the day their finishing let them down.

Four points from three games: looks like it is going down to the wire unless Marske get beaten.

Saturday, 17 April 2010

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2

Sunderland RCA FC are promoted after winning today as Marske United FC were beaten by Seaham Red Star FC.

A great day in the history of Sunderland RCA and the second half performance by the players today was at times breathtaking. North Shields, to their credit, did not come to Meadow Park to defend and for periods in the game did well but in the end the result could have been 4 or 5 - 1.

The manager brought in experienced defender Matthew Hysen for his first start at Meadow Park to replace Daryll Hall.

The game started in dramatic fashion when, after 30 seconds, a bad bounce evaded Shields captain Smith and let in McBryde but his first time effort was easily saved by Robinson.

RCA were intent on attacking and a cross from O'Riordan found Kokes, but his effort was blocked by Elliott. A corner from Stewart was not cleared by the Shields defence and the ball fell to McBryde who stabbed the ball through a crowd of players, but straight at Robinson.

Within a minute Akinbolu thought he had opened the scoring when he brushed aside Jones to fire past Hoggeth, but the officials deemed that he had fouled Jones in the process.

The game was held up for five minutes when Livermore landed awkwardly and was unable to continue, he was taken to hospital to have his arm checked over. Substitute Harris almost made an instant impact when he fired narrowly wide with his first tough of the ball.

A long ball was headed out of defence by Smith, but was picked up on the half way line by Wardle who strode forward with the ball before unleashing a tremendous shot which dipped under the crossbar, giving Robinson no chance. 1-0 at half time and although RCA had not played that well they probably just deserved to be in front.

The start of the second half saw RCA make defensive changes a reshuffle in the back four meant that Jones went to his more customary right back slot and Ash Davis was introduced at left back.

RCA got into gear straight away with Stewart forcing a save from Robinson and soon after McBryde fired narrowly over after some good build up play between Stewart and Halliday. Shields came back into the game with Hay shooting narrowly wide from 20 yards out and then catastrophe as Wardle, the hero of the first half, handled inside the penalty area when the ball looked to be going for a goal kick. Hay stepped up and scored from the spot.

It was that man Hay again who almost doubled his tally when he beat the offside trap but fire well over the bar.

RCA were finding it difficult to live with Shields and in particular Hay in this 10 minute spell. Weather the storm they did and when Kokes fired home it looked all over, unfortunately the assistant disallowed the goal. The reprieve was short lived as within five minutes Kokes pounced on a misunderstanding between Robinson and Smith to steer the ball into an empty net. It was all RCA now as they went to kill the game off a shot from Halliday went narrowly wide and Davison's brilliant strike rebounded off the post.

In the 87th minute RCA went 3-1 up when McLeod stabbed the ball home after a goal mouth scramble. By then news had drifted through that near neighbours Seaham Red Star FC had beaten Marske United and the promotion celebrations were underway.

Saturday, 24 April 2010

skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2

Sunderland RCA were blitzed by a 20 minute hat trick at the start of the second half from substitute Mark McCutcheon who was then himself subsutituted (Job Done). RCA never looked likely to score after Davison's early header was saved by Jennison.

Second place in the table is still possible as Jarrow Roofing lost. However, congratulations go to Stokesley who secured the League Championship with a win against North Shields.

The game started slowly with neither team looking to move the ball forward although they did play some good football it was mainly in defence and midfield. The first chance came after 10 minutes when a cross from Davis found Davison unmarked inside the six yard box but his header struck the leg of Jennison and rebounded to safety. Marwood then set Fenwick up, but with only Hoggwth to beat he fired straight at the RCA Keeper.

The rest of the half saw a half chance fall to Davison who fired wide and McLeod shot high over the bar from 18 yards out.

Marwood had a speculative effort that needed to be palmed over the bar by Hoggeth.

Team Northumbria played the Ace when they brought on McCutcheon at half time.

After 50 minutes Carrick rattled the inside of the post with an excellent freekick and Jones was forced to clear the rebound off the line. Two minutes later and Carrick again was unlucky with a shot that went narrowly wide.

Within two minutes of Davis going off with an injury Team Northumbria took the lead, a cross from Marwood was met at the back psot by McCutcheon and he steered his header well wide of Hoggeth.

Five minutes later and it was 2 - 0 this time Donoghue skipped past Jones, before crossing for McCutcheon to slot home from five yards out.

RCA were all over the place, but were able to muster a semblance of an attack when Davison shot but Jennison was equal to it. Worse was to come for RCA when once again they could not stop a cross from the right, this time it was Petts who found McCutcheon and he headed home.

With the job done McCutcheon was substituted. RCA then conceded in the 88th minute when Cairns fired across a crowded area and his shot found the far corner. This was one that RCA will want to forget. They did not win one battle throughout the team.