Saturday, 15 October 2011
STL Northern League Division 1
Man of the match, Marc Ellison carries the ball forward to mount another SRCA attack.
Click here for a slideshow of photos from the match.
Sunderland RCA stayed at the top of the league after staging a tremendous comeback against Whitley Bay at Hillheads. Undeservedly 2-0 down with 20 minutes to go they secured the win with a scintillating display of attacking play that had the 600+ crowd mesmerised. Goals by Lee Owens (2) and Bryan Stewart in a 10 minute period rescued all three points. The overall team performance was breathtaking.
The question on everyones lips was how RCA would respond to their first league defeat at the hands of West Auckland last week. The response by the players was emphatic in this superb display.
The manager made two changes to the side beaten last week, bringing in Ellison and Owens for Richards and Jennings.
RCA almost had a dream start as Stewart dribbled past two defenders before crossing into the box where Davison forced a save from Hayes. The resulting corner, taken by Stewart, found Davison free at the back post, but he could only direct his header over the bar. With RCA making the best start to a match for a number of weeks, Whitley Bay were forced to defend very deep and in the eighth minute Stewart cut in from the left wing before unleashing a terrific drive which brought yet another save from the young keeper.
Whitley Bay were finding it extremely difficult to get the ball out of their half as RCA continued with their relentless forward play. Stewart was having a field day on the left wing and when he dribbled past three players and squared the ball into the path of Close it should have been 1-0, but Close mishit his shot wide of the goal.
A through ball by Ellison found Davison inside the area and he turned and fired goalwards, but once again Hayes was there to make an important save. It was 15 minutes before Whitley Bay contributed in an attacking sense when Reid crossed into the box looking for Chow but Hoggeth was alert to the danger and collected easily. A minute later and that man Stewart once again crossed into the area and Owens headed just over the bar from 8yards out. RCA were building up the pressure and when Ellison won the ball in midfield he clipped in a delightful cross which Davison met with a great header by Hayes pulled off a truely amazing save turning the ball round the post.
Whitley Bay, relatively quiet up until the 23 minute suddenly burst into life and it was Kerr who orchestrated from midfield as he first fired in a shot which Hoggath did well to turn for a corner, which Maddison was forced to head behind for a second corner. When the ball came into the area Bell rose highest and his downward header was deflected goalwards by Kerr, but Jones cleared off the line.
The momentum looked to have swung Whitley Bay's way as they won yet another corner and this time Hoggeth elected to punch clear, the ball fell to Kerr who's shot was blocked by Ellison and the ball ran loose to Chow who also had his shot charged down by Maddison.
In the 33rd minute Whitley Bay took the lead when Reid fed the ball to Kerr and the Bay striker hit a screamer of a shot from 35 yards out which hit the bar and rebounded into the path of Scroggins who made no mistake firing into an empty net from eight yards. RCA, although stunned by this goal, mounted another assault on the Whitley Bay goal, but were unable to really penetrate a well organised defence, Owens was unlucky with a good run but his final shot lacked any power and was comfortably saved by Hayes.
The closest RCA came in the final five minutes of the half was when Stewart cleverly turned the full back before cutting the ball back for McGuinness but his curling effort was always going just wide of the far post.
Whitley Bay came out of the dressing room on fire and only a superb save by Hoggeth from Robson kept the score at 1-0. Within a minute Williams, on a rare excursion forward, fired in a shot which went wide of the upright.
In the 50th minute Bell fired over from 20 yards out and a minute later a long clearance from Hayes saw Bell challenge for the ball with Hoggeth and the Bay forward won the duel to nick the ball past the keeper before squaring the ball to Scroggins for a simple tap in from two yards. Game over one would have thought, but RCA showed their character and reacted in the only way that they know how, by attacking.
Ellison sent Stewart away down the left wing and his low cross was mis-judged by Hayes who could only parry the ball into the path of Owens who made no mistake from 10 yards out. Game back on. RCA threw caution to the wind and Cuthbertson forced a corner which Stewart crossed towards the far post and, with no apparent danger, a Whitley Bay player punched the ball away. Up strode Owens to tuck away the penalty.
A minute later and the comeback was complete when man of the match Ellison once again made a slide rule pass to Davison inside the area. Davison looked to be fouled by Timmons, but the ball broke to Stewart who capped a great display by firing in from eight yards.
RCA looked back in control and started to pass the ball about trying to dishearten the Bay players, but to their credit they never gave up chasing and Scoggins and Bell both had chances to equalise, but their respective effort went wide of the target. In the closing minutes Jennings had a chance to kill the game off but he fired narrowly over the bar.
The game finished as it had started with RCA on the attack. Overall a very good performance and a well deserved three points.