Match reports

Kevin Gordon clears the ball late in the match.

Goalscorers: SRCA: None Guisboroug: Earl (3), Roddam

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The last home game of the season against Guisborough Town saw RCA make the almost obligatory changes to the team due to injuries and work commitments. In came McCulloch, Hope, Buchanan and Charlton, replacing Woud (heading home to New Zealand for a well-earned rest), Lane, McNab and Larkin (work commitments). A number of these players were carrying knocks and showed great character in pulling on a shirt for the club.

After their shock 1 - 0 defeat against Durham earlier in the week, Guisborough fielded what looked, on paper, like a strong side. The inclusion of two ex RCA players Wood and Carling injected a bit more competitiveness to the match.

Kieran Graham in second half action.

Goalscorers: SRCA: Wightman, Hughes. Morpeth: None

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Sunderland RCA were at home to FA Vase finalists Morpeth Town. This was Morpeth’s third match this week having already played on Monday (won against Washington) and Wednesday (lost against West Auckland) while we had already played against Marske on Tuesday, so both teams fielded changed teams for tonight’s match.

At 5:30pm this match was in doubt as torrential rain and sleet poured down on Meadow Park. The match referee, Mr Barry Gordon arrived to inspect the pitch at 5:45pm and declared it playable. The ground staff are to be applauded for the efforts they made in getting this game on.

The RCA management team had a dilemma defensively with the suspension of Buchanan and the injuries to Richardson and Armstrong and so Byrne was drafted in with Larkin moving from striker to central defence and two wingers, Lane and Gordon taking up defensive full back positions. Hughes and Wightman and McCulloch returned to the team which was as follows: McCulloch, Gordon, Lane, Byrne, Larkin, Noble, Graham, Charlton, Wightman, Hughes and Callen, subs: Butler, Woud and Proctor.

Midfield class from Thomas Butler. 

Goal scorers: Bay: Kempster SRCA: Larkin, Hope.

RCA’s injury ravished team travelled through the Tyne Tunnel to play Whitley Bay, and the injury crisis went from bad to worse as first Kevin Gordon declared himself unfit with a neck injury and then James Armstrong was injured in the warm up and replaced by Luke Richardson.

The good news was the return to the starting eleven of Michael Charlton after a lengthy absence with an ankle injury. Thomas Butler and Ross McNab were also recalled by the management team.

Whitley Bay were also suffering with injuries and had a number of players were nursing little knocks. The Bay team also included ex RCA players Callum Patton and Ashley Davis.

Both teams still required points to ensure first division survival for next season and with the fixture backlog it was becoming impossible to forecast what sort of team clubs would be able to field.

A well-timed interception stops this Consett attack.

Goal scorers: Consett: Sweet (2), Smith, Craggs and Gray SRCA: Larkin.

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RCA faced another trip to the new Belle View Stadium this time to play Consett who, unlike ourselves, have shown signs of improvement in the last few weeks.

The jubilation and excitement of a few months ago have all but disappeared at RCA as we struggled to muster a team for this match and morale is very low at the moment. We need to get the spring back into our step after another disappointing performance.

The team, as usual, was much changed from the side that lost last Thursday at Ashington: McCulloch, Noble, Richardson, Buchanan, Byrne, Butler, Lane, Hope, Larkin, Hatch, Gordon: Subs: Charlton, Woud, Graham and Wightman.