Sunday, 11 September 2011
Sunderland Sunday League Premier Division
An entertaining game played in difficult conditions, saw both sides gain a point in a definite case of a game of ‘two halves’.
RCA won the toss and decided to face a strong wind kicking up the slope in the first half. For the first 15 to 20 minutes there was little to choose between the sides as they tested each other out. However beyond 20 minutes Myers began to take control with young Johny Evans and Liam McBride being to the fore. The first chance fell to McBride when he burst through the middle, but RCA keeper Stoker advanced quickly and blocked the shot at McBride's feet when perhaps the forward should have done better. After further sustained pressure Myers took the lead when a delightful left wing cross took out the keeper and Steven Thompson rose at the far post, challenged by Jordan, and a ricochet of headers ended up in the net with the last touch coming off Thompson. Myers should then have added to this lead when Thompson broke through the centre and his attempted chip was finger tipped to safety by Stoker. Further chances went begging and RCA were grateful to go in at half time only one goal down.
The second half however was more or less a complete reversal of the first, other than when McBride had an early headed chance, which he should have scored with after 50 minutes. Beyond this RCA began to dominate and create chances, the first of which fell to Paul Brooke who was fed a cut back from Lee McMahon. He saw his shot blocked on the line and from the rebound Andy Place blazed over the bar. Place then found himself with a clear shooting chance from 15 yards, but Myers keeper Rowan produced what was to be the first of many good saves as he tipped the shot onto the post and to safety.
RCA then brought on substitutes Curtis, Tyzack and Crew to replace Lawrence, Brooke and Place. Within minutes Tyzack produced a great cross that Martin Metcalfe should have converted with his head, but put it past the post. RCA eventually equalised in the 75th minute through a Callum Charlton penalty, rather harshly awarded for an innocuous challenge trying to prevent a shot. However this was no more than RCA deserved and perhaps they should have gone on to win when Willie Crew had two great chances to score: the first a one-on-one with the keeper who saved with his feet and then another free header that he failed to connect with. To round it off the Myers keeper then produced a tremendous save from a Metcalfe volley that had winner written all over it.
So 1-1 it was and both sides could feel that that was probably the correct result overall.