Esh Winning 1 Sunderland RCA 3

skilltraining Northern League

24 January 2009

It was a sunny day but a heavy pitch which looked sure to cut up badly as Sunderland RCA took the field for their vital game at table toppers Esh Winning on Saturday. Hicker has been busy in the transfer market ready for the second half of the season and some new faces were on display. Scott Richards returned to the club and took his place in midfield alongside Buddy, Steve Stewart, signed from Chester-le-Street, started wide right, and Sean Joseph (Taz) made his full debut on the left wing, while Adam McGuinness took up his occasional role up front alongside Sparky Davison as we went with a 4-4-2 formation, with Lee, Reay, Henderson and Jones across the back in front of Hoggy. Wyn Fremlin dropped to the bench, as did Gaz Shields, and they were joined by Paul Wardle (Delta), who also returns from Chester. Dave Henderson and Anth Laidler completed the subs, while Glenn Moan, David Tait, Liam Gill and Gary Anderson failed to make the 16, to their clear disappointment.

The game started with RCA playing up the bank, and we should have taken the lead after only two minutes as Taz was brought down and Buddy's free kick reached an unmarked Wayne Henderson in the box who put his header wide. The new width given to us by Taz and Steve Stewart was immediately apparent as the game settled down into an open, attractive contest, but one in which RCA clearly had the upper hand. Another good run and cross from Taz was forced away with Sparky closing in, for the first of a number of corners which always looked dangerous although the Esh keeper was obviously in good form.

A good burst from Adsy after 20 minutes was wasted when he shot weakly and Taz continued to cause a lot of trouble with direct running and good crossing. Hoggy had to be alert as Esh also pushed forward, and nearly dropped one into his own net after 23 minutes before recovering well. A couple of minutes later he tipped a fine shot over, but by and large it was RCA asking the questions with Adsy again denied by a double save from the keeper after great work by Stewart set him free, a Taz corner leading to a goal being disallowed for a push on the keeper, and then as the half wore down a bad miss by Scott Richards after a good turn in the box, followed by a shot over from Taz after great work and a mazy dribble from Buddy Halliday.

As the half ended goalless some of us were worried that we had seen the best of our play and that RCA would pay for failing to take their chances. A 2-0 scoreline at half time would have fairly reflected the play.

The second half started in similar vein to the first however, with Scott Richards and Steve Stewart becoming more prominent as the game wore on. Early in the half Gaz Shields came on for Adam McGuinness and his understanding with Stewart was immediately obvious as we broke with speed on a number of occasions. Sparky and Stewy were both guilty of blazing over early on in the half and then the keeper and a defender combined to get in a couple of blocks when it seemed Richards must score. Esh continued to look dangerous on the break, but overall RCA were dominating without reward, including as a great move was finished by Sparky sliding in, only for the linesman to flag for offside. The deadlock was finally broken in the 73rd minute as Stewart showed great pace to burst past his man, feed Shieldsy, and the little man showed great composure to slide the cross in for Sparky who made no mistake from close range.

Justice at last. But now Esh were stung into action and enjoyed their best spell of the game, pushing us back and enjoying a couple of good chances, and probably should have equalised. Dave Henderson came on for Taz, who had a great first half but who had tired as the game wore on after several weeks out, and the partnership of Stewart and Shields continued to look dangerous on the right. And so it proved as again the swift surge from Stewart led to a Gaz cross and Sparky firing home. 2-0.

Esh pressed hard, and Delta came on for Sparky to shore up the back as we went one up front to protect our lead. At the death the Esh skipper fired home to give them a little hope, but deep into injury time Steve Stewart finished them off with a calm finish from another Gaz Shields cross. Three assists from Gaz in his half hour appearance in a performance of real quality which bodes well for the rest of the season.