Saturday, 23 April 2011
STL Nothern League Division 1
The final match of the season for Sunderland RCA FC saw them paired with Stokesley FC, who were also promoted last year. Both teams can be proud that they have retained first division status for next season. RCA started the game without Joe Walton who pulled a hamstring in the warm up and his place in the team was taken by another youngster Liam Dunn.
RCA took advantage of the slope in the first half and could have been 3 - 0 up inside the first 15 minutes as Carling fired wide in the first minute, a Tymon layoff was blocked by Close before Graydon had a shot saved by Dean. It was one way traffic as a shot from Carling was saved by Dean and the rebound was fired over the bar by Richards. In the 18th minute a cross from Shields found Tymon free at the back post, but he powered his header into the side netting. Two minutes later and Tymon turned his defender, but as he started to head towards the box he was fouled by Close who, harshly in my opinion, was shown a straight red card. The game seemed to settle down and Stokesley had their first attempt at goal in the 29th minute, when Turner fired over the bar. Dunn was guillty of the miss of the half when a cross from Jones found him unmarked four yards out, but he mishit the shot and it went wide of the far post with both Tymon and Graydon bearing down on goal behind Dunn.
Stokesley immediately took advantage of this and a long ball from Dean found Wells 25 yards out from goal and he needed no second chance, blasting the ball first time past the helpless Hoggeth. Totally against the run of play Stokesley found themselves in front.
The second half opened in emphatic style with a long ball from Jones looking to be easily collected by Dean, but he spilled the ball into the path of Tymon who proceeded to fire wide from eight yards out. In the 49th minute RCA were awarded a penalty when Graydon was fouled in the box and Beasley converted past Dean.
A cross from Stewart found Decosemo who shot wide. Tymon at the other end had three chances in quick sucession, all fired straight at Dean.
A cross from Graydon was met at the far post by McGuinness and his header back into the path of Beasley was tapped into the net from two yards out to give RCA the lead. Stokesley struck back with a goal from substitute Yalcin when he converted a Stewart shot.
Both teams had chances to settle the match, but it was left to Shields to come up with the goods in the 87th minute when a long crossfield ball from Dunn found him inside the box and he cleverly chipped the ball past Dean. In the end it was a well deserved if hard fought three points. 51 points in our first season back in this division is more than anyone at the club could have hoped for.
