Match reports

Brad Wilson made an impressive Northern League debut in the League Cup victory at Whickham. Photograph: Simon Mears.

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RCA goal scorers: Callen; Charlton; Cassidy; Larkin; Preston.

Following last Saturday’s abandoned match at Newcastle Benfield, Sunderland RCA made the trip to Whickham for a Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup Third Round tie. For RCA, this was a third Division Two side to be faced in this season’s League Cup - having beaten Esh Winning and Northallerton Town in previous rounds. Whickham, meanwhile, had a good win at Jarrow Roofing in the previous round.

RCA were looking to put in a much-improved performance from our last visit to The Glebe in February for a Durham County Challenge Cup match in which the team - clearly still reeling from an FA Vase Fifth Round exit just days earlier - were woeful and deservedly beaten 2-0 on the night by a very good Whickham side.

RCA made sweeping changes to the side that beat AFC Mansfield in the FA Vase 10 days ago. Neal Bussey returned in goal after nearly four months out with a broken ankle. Kevin Gordon replaced Clayton Davis at right back. The returning Nathan Cummings slotted in at centre back in place of Greg Swansbury - who took a place on the bench. Ross Preston was recalled and captained the side. Adam McGuinness, who was cup-tied at Mansfield, was in at left back. Kieron Martin returned on the right wing with Stephen Callen partnering Colin Larkin up front.

The two sides lined up as follows:

Whickham: Mordey, Lancaster, Hedley, Clasper, Soutar, Martin, Broadhead, Peareth (c), Aiston, Nicholson, Candlish.

RCA: Bussey, Gordon, McGuinness, Preston (c), Cummings, Armstrong, Cassidy, Charlton, Callen, Larkin, Martin.

Jonathan Carmichael kept a third clean sheet in four matches in the Ryhope derby victory on Boxing Day.

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RCA goal scorer: Callen (2).

The Ryhope derby - Sunderland RCA versus Ryhope Colliery Welfare. A High Noon shoot-out between the two highest ranked non-league clubs in Sunderland. Back on August Bank Holiday Monday it was honours even on a baking hot day at the Recreation Ground as RCA failed to capitalise on a host of first half chances and paid the price as RCW finished the match strongly.

Following a dismal run of results in October - seven straight league defeats and conceding a whopping 32 goals in the process - immediate relegation for RCW was looking like a distinct possibility. But the last couple of months have seen somewhat of a revival, with notable wins against the likes of Seaham Red Star, Marske United, Washington and most recently, and remarkably, a win at West Auckland Town in which three late goals saw RCW from 3-1 down to win 4-3 in one of the comebacks of the season. These results have propelled them to lower mid-table and given much-needed breathing space over the three teams currently in the relegation zone - who are now beginning to get cut adrift from the rest.

RCA are currently on their best run of the season - one defeat in eight now, winning the last four and playing some terrific stuff that’s great to watch.

Prior to the match a quick glance at the current form guide revealed that both RCA and RCW have accrued 10 points from their last six matches - with three wins and a draw apiece.

RCA made two changes to the side that won at Dunston in midweek. Ross Preston was fit to return to the centre of defence and Mark Robinson returned to the starting line-up after an impressive performance off the bench at Dunston.

The teams lined up as follows:

RCA: Carmichael, Davis, McGuinness, Preston, Swansbury ©, Robinson, Charlton, Hodgson, McBryde, Larkin, Callen.

RCW: Ball, Francis, Gordon, Bott, Ryan ©, Trewick, Chapman, Braithwaite, O’Neill, Weirs, Ellis.

Stephen Callen at full pelt on his way to opening the scoring against Whitley Bay.

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RCA goal scorers: Callen; Robinson.

Sunderland RCA welcomed Whitley Bay to Meadow Park for an important mid-table clash - with both sides looking for a win to push towards the upper echelons of the table. Last season RCA ‘did the double’ over Bay in the league, however, this season Bay took the points at Hillheads with a 3-2 win in the reverse fixture back in September.

RCA made two changes to the side that defeated Penrith last Saturday. Craig Hodgson returned to central midfield and Stephen Callen to the left wing, in place of James Armstrong and Kevin Gordon, who took a place on the bench.

The sides lined up like this:

RCA: Carmichael, Richardson, McGuinness, Preston, Swansbury ©, Hodgson, Cassidy, Larkin, McBryde, Charlton, Callen.

Whitley Bay: Flynn, Munro, McDonald ©, Hall, Anderson, Allen, Potter, Patton, Shanks, Brooks, Kempster.

RCA's hat-trick hero Colin Larkin in action at a foggy UTS Stadium.

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FA Vase day: a special day. Matchday anticipation - heightened. An extra spring in the step. For clubs at our level, the Vase offers a very real opportunity for Wembley glory. This isn’t fantasy football or Roy of the Rovers stuff; recent history shows that the last eight Vase finals contested have featured at least one Northern League club - with seven of those finals being victorious for our teams. And we need look no further than today’s hosts, Dunston UTS, to realise that dreams can become reality. Dunston lifted the Vase - at Wembley - as recently as May 2012 thanks to a 2-0 win over fellow Northern League side West Auckland Town in the final.

With the two sides reaching the Fifth Round of the Vase last season, both entered this year’s competition at the Second Round stage, which saw Dunston defeat Hemsworth MW 3-1 on Tuesday and RCA narrowly beat Stockton Town - courtesy of an extra-time penalty scored by Colin Larkin - to set up today’s Third Round match.

RCA made one change to the side that lost at West Auckland last Saturday. Clayton Davis returned at right back with Luke Richardson moving to left back, and James Armstrong slotted into central midfield. With RCA unable to call upon the services of Ross Preston and Adam McGuinness, who were both cup-tied after playing for Washington in the First Qualifying Round, Craig Hodgson was moved from central midfield to partner Greg Swansbury in the centre of defence.

The two teams lined up as follows:

Dunston: Holden, Pearson, Halliday, Slaughter, Capewell, Gilhespy, Smith, Burrell ©, Heslop, Luccock, Thear.

RCA: Carmichael, Davis, Richardson, Hodgson, Swansbury ©, Robinson, Charlton, Larkin, Butler, Armstrong, Callen.