Monday, 29 August 2011
STL Northern League Division 1
Sunderland RCA have gone top of the STL Northern League after today's hard fought match at South Shields.
It was another entertaining Bank Holiday match between these two sides. It is always difficult to go to Filtrona Park and come away with anything and for 80 minutes of this game it looked likely that it would end in a draw. However a superb free kick by Mark Davison in the 82nd minute clinched it for RCA, gave Davison his hat trick and put us top of the league.
RCA were forced to make two changes for this Bank Holiday match. Halliday was brought in for the injured Cuthbertson and Butler returned after injury to replace the suspended Owens. On the bench Manager Hixon included Marc Ellison after his short spell at Whitby Town
RCA created the first chance of the game when a cross into the box was volleyed goalwards by Walton from close range, but the effort was saved by the feet of Cunningham. A minute later and Butler limped out of the game with what looked like a recurrence of his hamstring injury. Ellison replaced him on the left of midfield.
South Shields almost took the lead when a long ball was flicked on by Alex Benjamin to Barclay but he was unable to get control of the ball.
Moments later Shields did take the lead when a ball into the box was headed home by The Mariners number 9 Alex Benjamin to make it 1-0. Benjamin almost doubled the lead on 22 minutes when a cross from the right by Smith was flicked by Barclay and headed goalwards by Benjamin, but his attempt went over the bar.
RCA equalised on 24 minutes when Davison took full advantage of a mixup in the Shields defence to knick in and grab his first goal of the afternoon.
Shields came back at RCA and a strong run from Barrie Smith, who ran with the ball from his right back position before unleashing a 25 yard strike, but the shot was well saved by Hoggeth.
It was South Shields who were to retake the lead on 35 minutes when a good through ball from Barclay found Burnell, who held off two RCA defenders before firing past Hoggeth to make it 2-1.
The game flowed from end-to-end and on 34 minutes, an excellent delivery from Jones was met by Davison, but he headed over from 10 yards out
A minute later and a corner from Walton was hooked over by Barton and as RCA piled on the pressure another cross from Walton was met by Barton who steered his header onto the bar.
Sunderland RCA were to get their equaliser just before half time, when a free kick taken by Jones on the right was met by the head of Davison, who was head an shoulders above the defence to power the ball past Cunningham for his second goal of the game.
RCA looked the more likely to grab the spoils as they ran rampant in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, twice coming close and only some good keeping by Cunningham kept the score at 2-2.
Walton clean through on goal tried to chip the ball aover Cunningham, but the Mariners keeper pulled off a great save.
Shields had a penalty appeal turned down by the referee when Burnell passed the ball to McAvoy in the box, and he appeared to be brought down as he shot for goal.
It was RCA again pressurising the Shields defence five minutes later; this time Gavin Barton turned Duncan O'Brien on the edge of the box and fired in a curling shot that was again saved well by Cunningham.
RCA eventually got the winner and Davison claimed his hat-trick in the 82nd minutes with a perfectly struck free kick from 20 yards which gave Cunningham no chance.
Overall this was an entertaining match which RCA probably just deserved to win; it is however a mystery how South Shields have not picked up any points.