Thomas McAloon fends off the Wolviston tackler, with Michael Charlton on hand, in Tuesday night's 4-0 friendly win. Photograph: Simon Mears. More photos from the match are here.
Sunderland RCA: Robbie Dean; Clayton Davis, Ross McNab, Ross Preston, Greg Swansbury, Craig Hodgson, Michael Charlton, Dominic Moan, Steve Callen, Kyle Davis, Thomas McAloon;. Subs Lewis Green, Aaron Croft, Kylan Whitehead.
After the cancellation of the match against Barnoldwick Town on Saturday we welcomed Wolviston FC to Sunderland LGV Park for this hastily arranged pre-season friendly. The threatened rain kept away and the match kicked off on a lovely summers evening.
RCA got off to a dream start when Callen latched onto a perfect through ball, side stepped a challenge and smashed the ball into the bottom corner of the net to put the hosts 1 -0 up inside three minutes.
Wolviston tried to respond to this early setback but RCA relaxed into their passing game and the visitors found it difficult to retain possession for any period of time.
In the 23rd minute Steve Callen increased RCA's lead with a simple tap in after a good move saw Moan switch the ball out to Charlton and his cross into the six yard box was met by Callen to make it 2 -0
The home team were dictating the pace of the game but Wolviston never stopped trying and almost got into the game with a speculative effort which went narrowly wide of the upright.
A nasty tackle on Swansbury toward the end of the half ended in the first card of the evening.
RCA increased their lead within two minutes of the start of the second half. Callen forced a corner which was taken by McNab, the ball evaded a number of players before falling to Swansbury at the back post and he volleyed home.
Both teams made a number of substitutions which disrupted the flow of the game, but with RCA in command it was only a matter of time before they extended their lead and in the 62nd minute they completed the scoring when Kyle Davis beat two players before playing the ball back to McNab who thundered in a low shot which took a slight deflection on its way into the net.
Although Wolviston continued to harry and chase after every ball they could not compete with on fitness and in the end it was RCA's composure on the ball which won the day.
A massive thanks to all concerned with Wolviston for agreeing to this match at short notice and good luck for next season.