RCA keeper Neal Atkinson catches the last of the winter sun as he clears down field in the first half of the match.
Saturday, 17 November 2012
FA Vase 2nd Round
Please click here for photos from the match.
Sunderland RCA failed in their bid to progress to the next round of the FA Vase when they were defeated by a very well organised Ashington team.
Although the result and the match itself was a lot tighter than the preceding fixture a week ago when Ashington thumped RCA 6-0, the writing was on the wall as early as the 11th minute when a free kick from Johnson struck Close and flew into the top corner of the net.
Ashington followed this up in 36th minute when an innocuous looking corner was allowed to travel to the back post where Grieve side footed home.
RCA fans had to wait until the 80th minute for any joy when Southern converted a penalty.
On balance RCA maybe could have forced a draw, but they could so easily have been three or four down at half time.
The Colliers started well and inside two minutes, Taylor found Walton free on the right and he drove in a shot across the face of goal which Atkinson was pleased to see go wide.
Within five minutes the Colliers almost scored when a through pass from Gray was smothered by Atkinson at the feet of Lough.
Ashington took the lead in the 11th minute. Johnson's free-kick from the edge of the area took a wicked deflection off Close to fly into the top corner of the net.
RCA replied with some good controlled football. Close found Guerin-Lokonga on the left wing and he produced a quality cross to the far post where Halliday was unlucky with his first time effort which went narrowly wide.
O’Dea had the next effort on goal, but he lifted his shot over the bar. Within a minute the same player played in Johnson on the right and he fired in a shot which flew wide of the far upright. In the 25th minute Johnson, who was causing RCA major problems, was again put through by O'Dea, but his shot was brilliantly saved by Atkinson.
RCA once again got a foothold on the game enjoying some good possession and when Guerin-Lokonga was fouled on the edge of the box, Home-Jackson curled in a free kick to the far post where Gilbert headed the ball over the bar with Guerin-Lokonga possibly in a better position.
A minute later and some good attacking play was rewarded with a corner to RCA. Home-Jackson took the corner and Guerin-Lokonga ghosting in at the far post glanced his header wide of the target.
RCA where punished for these two misses when a corner taken by Johnson, was flicked on at the near post by O'Dea and Grieve, unmarked at the back post was able to steer the ball into the net.
Shocked and disappointed by this RCA tried to regroup before half time, but although they maintained possession well they were not able to cause Ashington any defensive problems.
The second half saw RCA in a much more positive mood and this was displayed when the first effort of the half fell to Gilbert who cut inside the full back before unleashing a shot which went narrowly wide.
Johnson continued to be a thorn in the side of RCA and in the 49th minute he had directed an effort straight down the throat of Atkinson.
Back came RCA and Shields found space down the right, beat two players before cutting the ball back only to see Drayden block the shot and Atkin reacted quickly to clear the ball with Home-Jackson breathing down his neck.
RCA were going all out to get a goal back and efforts by Home-Jackson and Gilbert both went wide as RCA cranked up the pressure.
Henderson came on and with his first touch of the game almost scored when given a free header from a corner by Josh Home-Jackson, which he directed just wide of the goal.
Ashington's response was to pile forward and in the 74th minute produced a great move between, Antony, and Johnson before releasing Walton who passed two defenders across the edge of the box before blasting in a shot which looked destined for the top corner, but Atkinson was able to produce a great save, tipping the ball over the bar for a corner.
In the 80th minute, RCA were thrown a lifeline when Henderson was upended inside the area by Taylor and Southern, who had only been on the field two minutes, stepped forward to send Dryden the wrong way.
With ten minutes to go this set up a tense finale to a competitive match and when Southern played in Guerin-Lokonga it could so easily have been 2-2, but a great defensive challenge by Grieve robbed the RCA striker of the opportunity.
RCA were pouring forward at every opportunity put were leaving gaps in the defence, which Ashington were exploiting and they had two chances to extend their lead through Lough and Walton who should have done better from a good position.
The final whistle blew to the relief of the Ashington contingent and the dismay of the RCA supporters.