Tuesday, 25 January 2011
STL Northern League Division 1
It promised to be a difficult away trip. Dunston UTS were on a high after reaching the last-16 of the FA Vase when they overcame Runcorn Town with a 3-1 victory away to the North West County’s First Division side. Sunderland RCA manager Neil Hixon made two changes from the side that lost to Shildon at the weekend. The unavailable Steve Jones was replaced by Scott Richards with James Oates dropped back to fill in at right back and Chris Smith replacing Harrison Davies on the left side of midfield.
RCA started quickly. Keith Graydon fed the ball into Richie Logan who had dropped deep off the defence. Logan turned and ran at the Dunston centre back pairing of Michael Robson and Ben Cattanach. Easing passed the first defender Logan looked up and weighted a perfect threaded pass through for the inside run of Joe Walton. Dunston keeper Liam Connell advanced from his line as Walton took one touch to set himself before striking a clean shot that beat Connell and clipped the top of the upright.
RCA were putting heavy pressure on the Dunston goal and the breakthrough looked inevitable. Controlling the ball on the right Richards was fouled by a clumsy tackle 30-yards from goal. Graydon casually went over to take the freekick and placed the ball perfectly onto the head of Leon Carling on the edge of the 6-yard box for the defender to score.
RCA were passing the ball around Dunston and looking comfortable in possession but after 15 minutes Dunston found a way back into the match. In their first attack of the game Dunston caught RCA with an incisive break away. Picking the ball up on the left Lee McAndrew ran Oates down the flank, outpacing the RCA defender before cutting back onto his right and floating a ball in between Carling and Carl Beasley. Andrew Bulford had pulled off his man and found himself in the space in between the two defenders and stooped to direct the ball into the corner of the net.
The goal gave Dunston more emphasis and they began to exert their presence on the game. Playing to their strengths, the pace on the flanks and the physicality of their play, Dunston began to utilise their wide men and make RCA defend balls into the box. It was from this tactic that Dunston nearly took the lead Bulford again getting his head on a ball into the box. His effort beat Gary Hoggeth in the RCA goal but some good positioning from Carl Beasley aloud him to clear the ball away from the line.
Just before half time Logan picked the ball up deep and turned to attack the Dunston defence. Working his way past the first challenge from Robson with a clever one-two with Martin Smith Logan found space between the centre half’s and with Robson now trailing Logan burst passed Cattanach and into the box. Bearing down on goal Loagn was about to pull the trigger when Cattanach ran across the back of him making contact. Logan went down but Referee Mr. Neil Sharp waved away RCA’s adamant claims.
After the interval Graydon really began to orchestrate play in the centre of the park. RCA had begun the second half in the same manner as they had started the first passing the ball well and putting pressure on the Dunston goal.
It would be Duntson who would take the lead though. McAndrew, again, broke away down the left after latching onto a long ball out of defence and with men up RCA were looking exposed. Taking Oates to the byline McAndrew cut back onto his right and crossed into the box. Beasley attempt to win the header leaving space in the area but misjudged the flight of the ball. The cross went over his head and hit off the back of Carling falling perfectly for Steven Pickering to fire home.
The feeling was perhaps RCA would struggle after conceding against this tough Dunston side, the same way as they did in the first half. RCA, however, looked strong after the goal though and continued playing in the same manner as before. The game was end to end for a five minute spell. Hoggeth was forced to make two excellent saves to stop Dunston increasing their lead and Logan’s running across the line was causing all sort of problems for the Dunston defence.
Walton, also, was becoming a menace down the right flank with the Dunston defence struggling to get near him. After outpacing Terry Galbraith Walton fed the ball inside to Martin Smith. With quick feet Smith stepped out of the way of the first challenge on the edge of the area and, with the shot inviting, elected to look square to Logan. With defenders quickly on him Logan was forced to check away from the shot and play the ball into the box for Richards. Richards’s eventual strike was blocked and the ball ran tamely into the hands of Connell.
Minutes later Walton earned a foul on the right after turning Galbraith. Graydon again stepped up to take it and the delivery, curling to the back post, was inviting for Beasley who aimed his header down to beat Connell.
Knowing Walton had the beating of the Dunston left back Graydon and Richards were picking him out with a ball to feet at every opportunity. Walton created the chance that should have put RCA into the lead. Beating Galbraith Walton pulled the ball back to Martin Smith who with his first touch squared it to Logan. Six-yards from goal Logan struck a tame shot, which was comfortably pushed away by Connell.
RCA got the winner with around with around ten minutes remaining. Awarded for an infraction about 20-yards from goal, Chris and Martin Smith worked a simple freekick rolling the ball to Graydon who fired the ball low into the back of the net.
With Dunston committing men forward RCA were finding gaps in behind. Richards threaded a through ball into the channel for Walton to chase. Getting there easily before the defender Walton drove on before squaring the ball to substitute Paul Taylor. Unmarked Taylor took it first time but his effort hit the top of the crossbar and went over before the forward realised he had been flagged for offside.
Dunston hit the bar late on but an equaliser would have been cruel on RCA who, after an eternity of stoppage time, welcomed all three points in lieu of a fixture against league leaders Consett at the weekend.
