Wednesday, 8 September 2010
STL Northern League Division I
Sunderland RCA gave débuts to new signings, Joe Walton and ex-Sunderland AFC player Martin Smith, against Shildon.
This turned out once again to be a pulsating match and it is beyond my comprehension and most of the assembled crowd, how RCA remain without a win this season. Until the 83rd minute this match had a draw written all over it. On this form we should be fighting for a top five spot and not for survival.
Shildon AFC went top of the newly named STL Northern Football League after tonight's 3-1 win. On a night of few clear cut chances RCA can count themselves very unlucky not to have come away with at least a draw.
RCA started well enough with Parkin unlucky not to connect with a cross from Walton after three minutes and Smith combining well with Tate before the latter fired a shot wide. Shildons's first effort fell to Richmond, but his speculative effort went well wide after ten minutes. However three minutes later Shildon took the lead when a 40 yard pass from Johnson found Garvie free on the edge of the box and he made no mistake with a thunderbolt of a shot which gave Naisbett no chance.
RCA's defence looked very shaky against the pace of Garvie, but managed to stop any real efforts on goal. At the other end Smith was causing problems and was unlucky with an attempted overhead kick, but Shildon cleared the danger.
It was end-to-end stuff and the neutrals in the crowd were being thouroughly entertained.
In the 40th minute Naisbett was forced to palm a shot from Johnson away and the RCA defence cleared the ball. In the final minute of the half Sam Garvie went on a mazy run which was abrubtly halted on the edge of the box, but Shildon could not take advantage of the free kick Garvie firing straight at Naisbett.
At the start of the second half both teams were trying to pass the ball on the ground and the game was played predominantly in midfield. With no team posing any real threat both keepers were only called upon to deliver clearances.
In the 65th minute, after a spell of concerted pressure, RCA equalised with probably their first real effort on target in the second half. From 20 yards out Smith fired a low drive which nestled in the bottom corner of the net giving Finch no chance. RCA were unlucky not to add to there score when Parkin crossed for Tate and Keegan was forced to concede a corner. From the resulting kick Wardle headed over.
This was RCA's best spell of the game and they would have taken the lead had it not been for the outstanding close range stop of Finch from McCleod in the 82nd minute. Within a minute Shildon regained the lead when a long ball found Garvie in acres of space and once again he punished the slack marking with a well taken goal.
In the 87th minute Shildon made sure of all three points when Hawkins challenged Naisbett for a high ball and the keeper, under pressure and possibly fouled, lost possession and impeded Hawkins. The referee who had an excellent game had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Garvie completed his hat-trick with a well-taken penalty.
