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Bishop Auckland 1 Sunderland RCA 2

Submitted by Colin Wilson on Monday, 8 October 2018
Saturday, 6 October 2018 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1
Colin Larkin

What a performance! Colin Larkin caused Bishops any amount of problems and set up both Nathan O’Neill’s goals.

Please click here for some photos from the match.

For Peter Jackson’s photos please click here.

Bishop Auckland’s match recap, including video, is here.

Bishop Auckland: Liversedge; Hoganson, Marshall, Gibbons; Kyle Patton, Fryatt, Callum Patton, Salmon, Richardson; Johnson, Winn. Subs Robinson, Hart, Twinn.

Sunderland RCA: Tsapalos; Jury, Preston, Swansbury, McNab; Charlton, Elliott, Hodgson, Larkin; O’Neill, Moan. Subs Davison, Kokoska, Page, K. Davis, Armstrong.

An interesting game this looked in prospect. We have had a bit of an Indian sign over Bishop Auckland over the past few seasons, but they looked likely to be a stronger proposition than recently for today’s game. The appointment of Ian Chandler and Brian Rowe as the management team looked a very sound move, and results so far have been much improved, certainly on last season, when for a while relegation looked a real threat.

A decent day if a bit chilly, a pitch which looked an absolute picture and a good crowd in promised well for the match. For RCA the only change saw Colin Larkin start at wide left midfield in place of Clayton Davis. The game started with both sides working hard, but mostly better at stopping the opposition than getting their own attacking game going. Having said that Bishops were clearly edging things in the first twenty minutes and had a number of good positions without finding much to bother Dimi Tsapalos in goal. Dimi dropped one effort early on which excited the crowd, but after that was flawless.

Sunderland RCA 3 Whitley Bay 2

Submitted by Simon Mears on Wednesday, 3 October 2018
Tuesday, 2 October 2018 - 7:30pm
Northern League 1

What a feeling! - the lads celebrate Dylan Elliott's brilliant winning goal.

For more photos from the match please click here.

For Connor Lamb's match report please click here.

Goal scorers - Sunderland RCA: Moan; O'Neill; Elliott. Whitley Bay: Foalle; Anderson.

Following successive defeats at Ryhope CW last midweek, and at home to Shildon on Saturday, Sunderland RCA went into tonight's Northern League match with Whitley Bay looking to get back to winning ways.

RCA made three changes to the side which lost to Shildon on Saturday - John Jury replaced Sam Lilley at right back, Dylan Elliott replaced the suspended Luke Page in central midfield, and Michael Charlton returned to play on the left wing in place of Mark Davison.

The two sides lined up as follows:

Sunderland RCA: Tsapalos; Jury; McNab; Preston; Swansbury (c); Hodgson; Clayton Davis; Elliott; O'Neill; Moan; Charlton. Subs: Armstrong; Larkin; Davison; Kokoska.

Whitley Bay: Bannon; Redford; Salmon; Anderson; Caines; Hassan; McFarlane; Glen-Ravenhill (c); Martin; Foalle; Carr. Subs: Brannen; Gillesphey; Richardson; Walton; Ramsey.

Sunderland RCA 0 Shildon 2

Submitted by Colin Wilson on Sunday, 30 September 2018
Saturday, 29 September 2018 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1
Craig Hodgson

Craig Hodgson clears under pressure. Photograph © Amanda Scaife - @ShildonAFCsup. Thanks very much to Amanda for permission to use her photograph.

Amanda Scaife's photo set from the match is here.

Martyn Tweddle's match photos are here.

Martin Emmerson's photos from the match can be seen here. This was Martin's daughter Astrid's first football match in the Northern League. Come again Astrid and see us win!

Sunderland RCA: Tsapalos; Lilley, McNab, Preston, Swansbury; Hodgson, C. Davis, Page, Moan; O’Neill, Davison; subs Elliott, Kokoska, K. Davis, Jury, Armstrong.

Shildon: Newbrook; Harwood, Curl, Moore, Hall; Carling, Duell, Trotter, Earl; Blackford, Robson; subs Turnbull, Wood, Hird, Hudson, Ellison.

This looked an interesting match up, Shildon are well up the league, but had been on a bad run, with only one win in their last nine games, and RCA were coming off the back of a disappointing and surprising defeat by our local rivals. Both sides with something to prove on the day.

The game started in good conditions, bright sunshine and a decent, but not unmanageable breeze, and at a frantic pace that hardly let throughout the game. RCA were soon on top, but finding it difficult to create good chances. A couple of headers from corners and a decent shout for a penalty for a push on Nathan O’Neill were the highlights of the first 30 minutes, with the game played mainly in midfield and RCA finding the big and strong Shildon back line determined to stand firm. On the break Shildon were always dangerous, with Dan Earl running hard into the corners.

Ryhope CW 3 Sunderland RCA 1

Submitted by Simon Mears on Wednesday, 26 September 2018
Tuesday, 25 September 2018 - 7:30pm
Northern League 1

Dylan Elliott competes for the ball during the second half of the match.

For more photos from the match please click here.

For Connor Lamb's match report please click here.

Since the disappointment of being knocked out of the Emirates FA Cup at the hands of Clitheroe at the beginning of the month, Sunderland RCA have responded magnificently, recording three successive victories in the league (and five in total) away at West Auckland Town and Newcastle Benfield, as well as Saturday's excellent 4-0 home win over Hebburn Town, which earned RCA the Northern League Division One ‘team of the week’ award with a whopping 51% share of the vote.

For tonight's match, RCA made the short journey up the bank to take on neighbours Ryhope CW in the second derby of the season.

RCA named an unchanged side from Saturday's impressive win over Hebburn Town.

The two sides lined up as follows:

Ryhope CW: Atkinson; Nicholson; Cocks; Kane; Lay; Ryan (c); Bird; Winship; Ellison; Weirs; Ellis.

Sunderland RCA: Tsapalos; Lilley; McNab; Preston; Swansbury (c); Elliott; Clayton Davis; Page; O'Neill; Moan; Ramshaw. Subs: Hodgson; Armstrong; Kyle Davis; Kokoska; Richardson.

Sunderland RCA 4 Hebburn Town 0

Submitted by Colin Wilson on Monday, 24 September 2018
Saturday, 22 September 2018 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1
Alex Ramshaw

Alex Ramshaw readies himself to shoot late in the second half of the match.

Sunderland RCA: Tsapalos; Lilley, Swansbury, Preston, McNab; C. Davis, Elliott, Page, Ramshaw; O’Neill, Moan. Subs Armstrong, K. Davis, Robinson, Richardson, Kokoska

Hebburn Town: Hubery; Groves, Wallace, Kerr, Storey; Tumilty, Fairley, Stephenson, Dibb-Fuller; Armstrong, Richardson. Subs Spence, Jennison (GK), Sullivan, Gilhespy, Shaw

This looked like a real good game in prospect, as the resurgent Hebburn Town, just off the top of the table at this early stage in their first season back in the First Division, came to Meadow Park to meet an in form, but still a bit disrupted RCA, who had secured two top notch away wins in the last ten days. RCA went into the fixture with Craig Hodgson serving the last game of his suspension, Michael Charlton missing with a injury picked up last week, Mark Davison, Scott Pocklington, Jonny Davis and John Jury unavailable, and Steve Callen now looking like a long term absentee with his stomach muscle problem. On the positive side, Nathan O’Neill, Dylan Elliott, and James Armstrong were back and available as was young Sam Robinson and new signings Kyle Davis and goalkeeper Dimitrios Tsapalos. So a number of changes in the team and on the bench were to be expected, and RCA fans were entitled to be a little nervous as to how things would work out, on a beautiful day in sunny Ryhope.

Newcastle Benfield 1 Sunderland RCA 3

Submitted by Simon Mears on Sunday, 16 September 2018
Saturday, 15 September 2018 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1

Double scorer Dominic Moan chases a through ball during the second half of the match.

For more photos from the match please click here.

For Newcastle Benfield's match report please click here.

Goal scorers - Newcastle Benfield: Scott. RCA: Ramshaw; Moan (2).

After good wins at West Auckland Town in the Northern League on Tuesday and the friendly at home to Carlisle United under 19s on Thursday, Sunderland RCA travelled to Newcastle Benfield this afternoon looking for a third victory of the week.

RCA made four changes to the side that won at West Auckland Town on Tuesday - in came Clayton Davis, Ross McNab, John Jury and Alex Ramshaw, for Sam Lilley, Jordan Watson (who had returned to Blyth Spartans after an excellent month on loan), Nathan O'Neill and Colin Larkin.

The two sides lined up as follows:

Newcastle Benfield: Grainger; Evans; Martin; Slaughter; Turnbull (c); Grieve; Orrell; Robson; Knight; Robinson; Scott.

Sunderland RCA: Pocklington; Clayton Davis; McNab; Preston; Swansbury (c); Jury; Charlton; Page; Davison; Moan; Ramshaw. Subs: Lilley; Kokoska; Richardson; Limbo; Robinson.

Sunderland RCA 2 Carlisle United U19s 0

Submitted by Simon Mears on Thursday, 13 September 2018
Thursday, 13 September 2018 - 7:30pm
Friendly

Dimitri Limbo gave RCA an early lead with a good finish.

For more photos from the match please click here.

Sunderland RCA welcomed Carlisle United under 19s to Meadow Park for tonight's friendly.

RCA lined up as follows: Kokoska; Richardson; McNab; Preston; Lilley; Larkin; Clayton Davis; O'Neill; Robinson; Kyle Davis; Limbo.

West Auckland Town 1 Sunderland RCA 2

Submitted by Simon Mears on Wednesday, 12 September 2018
Tuesday, 11 September 2018 - 7:30pm
Northern League 1

Mark Davison scores the winner for RCA from the penalty spot.

For more photos from the match please click here.

Goal scorers - West Auckland Town: Price. Sunderland RCA: Charlton; Davison.

The relatively short journey from Silksworth to West Auckland Town is one of my favourites of the season - a ground that is as quaint as it is quirky, with pleasant views over the County Durham countryside, proper floodlight pylons in all four corners, and a remarkably uneven pitch all adding up to a memorable experience, as day gradually turned to night, and the lights began to take effect. Sunderland RCA, meanwhile, were looking to emulate last season's emphatic 3-0 victory and continue to climb the league table.

RCA made three changes to the side which lost the second epic encounter with Clitheroe last Tuesday - Ross Preston returned in place of the suspended Craig Hodgson, Jordan Watson replaced John Jury, and Colin Larkin returned up front in place of Jonathan Davis, with Nathan O'Neill moving into central midfield.

The two sides lined up as follows:

West Auckland Town: Bland; Hegarty; Price; Snaith; Colquhoun; Cobain; Mitchell; Portas; Fisher (c); Purewal; Dodds.

Sunderland RCA: Pocklington; Lilley; Watson; Preston; Swansbury (c); O'Neill; Charlton; Page; Davison; Larkin; Moan. Subs: Jury; Clayton Davis; Ramshaw; Armstrong; McNab.

Sunderland RCA 2 Clitheroe 3

Submitted by Simon Mears on Wednesday, 5 September 2018
Tuesday, 4 September 2018 - 7:45pm
The Emirates FA Cup

Craig Hodgson shields the ball late in the match.

For more photos from the match please click here.

For Connor Lamb's match report please click here.

Goal scorers - RCA: O'Neill; Page. Clitheroe: Racizac; Matthews; Jacob Gregory.

After back-to-back league wins over Seaham Red Star and Ashington, Sunderland RCA welcomed Clitheroe to Meadow Park for tonight's Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round replay.

The two sides lined up as follows:

Sunderland RCA: Pocklington; Jury; Lilley; Hodgson; Swansbury (c); Davis; Charlton; Page; O'Neill; Davison; Moan. Subs: Larkin; McNab; Preston; Ramshaw; Elliott; Kokoska.

Clitheroe: Wilczynski; Harwood; Matthews; Bianca; Jeffries; Thompson (c); Jacob Gregory; Joshua Gregory; Wood; Hazeldine; Gosling.

Sunderland RCA 3 Ashington 1

Submitted by Colin Wilson on Monday, 3 September 2018
Saturday, 1 September 2018 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1

 

Sunderland RCA
Kokoska, Jury, Swansbury, Lilley, Watson; J. Davis, Hodgon, Armstrong, Charlton; Moan Davison.

 

Ashington
Grant; King, Armstrong, Vipond, Caygill; Bell, Morris, Downey, Frances; Stephenson, Humphries.

A bit of a strange one this, a largely anonymous game with one big and surprising incident, but overall a comfortable win for RCA, with one major downside.

In light of the Clitheroe replay on Tuesday, Swaz left out anybody who wasn’t absolutely 100% so the team had a bit of an unusual look to it, but RCA fans will have been delighted to see captain Greg Swansbury back in the line up after missing a few games. A calculated risk to play Swanna, but clearly he needs game time to get back to his best. In the event he was excellent throughout and must have been very close to being Man of the Match for RCA. Welcome back.

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