Monday, 3 January 2011
Allan Thompson Memorial Cup
Click here for a slideshow of photos from the match
After an enforced lay off for both Ryhope clubs due to the seasonal weather contentions over the course of the last month Sunderland RCA opened 2011 with a local derby against Ryhope CW in the Alan Thompson Memorial Cup at Meadow Park.
It was cold when the sides took the field for the early afternoon kick off. After the heavy snowfall the pitch looked in good condition and both sides looked to pass the ball with consistency when building up attacks.
The game took a while to spark into life with both sides understandably struggling for match fitness. RCA’s first opening came as Harrison Davies was slipped inside the full back after a give-and-go. With time to look up Davies drove into the box and picked out a trialist forward who’s fine effort was tipped over the bar by the Ryhope CW goalkeeper. Ryhope CW were equally posing pressure to RCA but for all their endeavour in front of the defence they could not find an opening.
The first goal of the game came on the half hour mark when, with some quick thinking at the dead ball, the freekick was bent low around the wall and into the bottom corner with the Ryhope CW keeper still arranging his wall. Cue a wave of protest from the keeper and his teammates over the lack of a whistle but the referee refused to relent and the goal stood.
RCA had the better of the remaining 15 minutes of the half with Joe Walton terrorising the Ryhope CW left back. Walton’s pace and technique had opened up the Ryhope CW defence on a number of occasions but the RCA frontline failed to convert any of the opportunities.
RCA manager Neil Hixon made eight changes at the half introducing a debutant goalkeeper and John Ryan at the forefront of the RCA attack. Ryan quickly made an impact. Firstly, some good hold up play allowed Davies to make a run in behind the Ryhope CW defence. The ball fed through was perfect but with only the keeper to beat Davies got his effort all wrong, attempting to chip the keeper he sent the ball harmlessly wide. Then, minutes later, a simple piece of movement in the box freed Ryan from his marker and a typical strikers finish doubled RCA’s lead.
Ryan could have bagged a hat-trick in the next five minutes going though on goal twice only to be denied by the keeper. He got his second on 57 minutes with another good finish from inside the box.
From the kick off Ryhope CW hit back. A long range effort from Martin Metcalfe looked to be heading over the bar but a late dip saw the debutant RCA keeper peddling back to excellently tip over for a corner. The spell of Ryhope CW pressure continued and an unnecessary challenge on the edge of the area from the cleared corner gave Ryhope CW a freekick. David Newby stepped up to take it and his effort took a wicked deflection from the jumping wall that sent the ball looping into the air giving the RCA keeper no chance.
The game was now end to end. Davies was again worked into the box but his finish fail to match the excellent build up play. Ryan was also put through on goal and had looked to have secured his hat-trick beating the keeper with a well placed shot. The ball however, clipped the inside of the post and rolled gently across the line for the keeper to pick it up with everyone in the ground, bar those behind the goal, watching and expecting the officials to call it a goal.
Ryhope CW pulled a second back when Davies, failing to track the runner, left Paul Talbot facing a two-on-one situation. The cross into the box was poor but some bad footing meant Leon Carling was unable to deal with it and Metcalfe was able to turn and finish smartly.
Ryan finally completed his hat-trick in the 75 minute. Davies used a clever piece of skill to tempt the defender on the left flank into a tackle. The defender obliged and Davies shifted the ball past him and was brought down for the free kick. The free kick was played into the box for Ryan to get a touch and the ball almost apologetically crawled over the line into the bottom corner.
Ryhope CW continued to battle and pressure the RCA defence. In the 79 minute Chris Trewick picked up their third of the day giving them a lifeline back into the game. RCA however, were able to hold on the remaining 10 minutes of the match to regain the Cup to mark a successful day with the proceeds going to charity.