5 February 2013
Durham Challenge Cup 2nd Round
Goalscores: SRCA Clarke: Bishops: Johnson 2 Jardine
The long awaited Durham Challenge Cup match eventually took place after 4 postponements and on a very heavy pitch both teams produced some decent football in the first half.
However, RCA decided not to turn up for the second half and were totally over run by a rampant Bishop outfit. The second half was a defensive nightmare, from tha moment that Kane was replaced by Monson RCA struggled to get to grips with Bishops as they stormed forward at will.
What a transformation from the first half when RCA were in command for 40 minutes and were deservedly in the lead 1-0 and it could have been 3-0.
Bishops took advantage of the slope in the first half but it was RCA who created the first opening when Kane found Guerin-Lokonga his slick pass set up clarke inside the six yard area but the usually deadly strikers shot was easily saved by Jeffries.
Guerin-Lokonga was causing a lot of problem in the Bishop defence and was unlucky not to set up Clarke as he shrugged of a challenge from Riatt but his pull back was cleared by Megran.
However two minutes later and Guerin-Lokonga was brought down in the box and a penalty was awarded, Clarke slotted the spot kick home to make it 1-0.
Bishops tried to rally and the ever dangerous Johnson came close with a great effort which went narrowly wide of the target.
RCA thought they had scored a second when a clipped freekick from Sullivan fell to Guerin-Lokonga inside the box, the RCA striker slipped the ball over the sprawling body of Jeffries and into the net but was adjudged to have been off-side.
This seemed to spur bishops on and they bombarded the RCA goal for the rest of the half, a cross from Megran found Harwood but his header was chested down by G Shields on the line and cleared.
Within a minute the same player cleared the ball off the line from a similar header by Riatt.
The second period was dominated by Bishops, Harwood found Johnson 20 yards out and the Bishop frontman crossed toward the far post where Jardine was on hand to slot home from close range.
Within a few minutes it was 2-1 to Bishops as a good run from Harwood went unchallenged and the winger floated a cross into the box, Johnson rose highest and deftly headed the ball wide of the despairing dive of C Shields.
RCA tried in vain to respond but were lacking any cutting edge in the final third and it was no surprise that Bishops went further ahead this time Johnson converting a penalty after Harwood had been upended in the box.
As the game pettered out it was clear that Bishops wanted the game more than RCA and the scoreline could have been a lot worse.
Bishops will now meet Norton and Stockton next week with the winner away to Gateshead in the Semi-final.