Michael Annang-Colquhoun scores with a terrific strike for RCA's second goal.
More photos from the match are here.
RCA were on their travels again today, this time up the A1 to Newton Aycliffe’s Beaumont Landscapes Stadium, Moore Lane.
As both teams recorded mid week wins, RCA in a hard fought match at Bishop Auckland and Newton Aycliffe in an equally hard fought win against high flying Thornaby, the stage was set for a good afternoon of football
Both teams had selection problems prior to kick off with RCA’s Ben Errington and Newton Aycliffe’s Jack Naylor both pulling up in the pre-match warm up. They were replaced by Dane Burlace and Alexander Walker respectively.
The management team brought into the starting eleven Coghlan, Weirs, and Annang-Colquhoun to replace Errington, Watts and J Croft.
The teams lined up as follows:
Newton Aycliffe: Pickford, Petitjean, Wood, Green, Walker, Brown ©, Jarvie, Munro, Costello, Dibb-Fuller, Coleman. Subs: Ferguson, Walton, Ardelean, Ryder.
Sunderland RCA: Ball, Allen, Carr, Jakab, Burlace, Coghlan, Hawkins ©, Weirs, Davison, Annang-Colquhoun, Richardson. Subs: Watts, hunter, Hennis, Marrs, Lawrence.
RCA started brightly forcing the home side to defend deep and after five minutes good work on the right saw Burlace play the ball forward to Annang-Colquhoun who was fouled on the edge of the box, Coghlan took the freekick curling it onto the head of Davison but the RCA striker’s header went narrowly wide of the post.
A second foul in as many minutes on Annang-Colquhoun again on the edge of the box was taken by Coghlan but this time his effort crashed into the wall and was cleared by Brown.
Eventually Newton Aycliffe got into their stride passing the ball about across the back and in midfield and keeping possession without really causing any problems at the back for the RCA defence.
A break down the left with Carr and Richardson exchanging passes before Carr sent a great cross into the danger area but Pickford managed to pluck the ball off Davison’s head to deny and almost certain goal.
The visitors were building up a head of steam as they poured forward and good build up play on the left by Richardson caused panic in the Aycliffe defence as he skipped past two defenders before crossing into the box for Davison who laid the ball off to Weirs but his shot from the edge of the box went wide of the target.
Aycliffe’s next attack was broken up by Jakab who played the ball out to Burlace; he sent a long ball forward which was flicked on by Davison and Annang-Colquhoun shrugged off the challenge of two defenders to get in a shot which flew into the net to give RCA a deserved lead.
Shaken by this early set back Aycliffe went on the attack pushing players forward and pressing the RCA defence back. Costello, who looked to have a free role, was starting to influence the game and a good pass from him to Dibb-Fuller on the left produced their first shot on target but Ball was able to save low down to his left Coleman waiting for any slip ups by the RCA keeper.
Good passing by the Aycliffe midfield freed up Costello to shoot from distance but Allen got a foot to the ball to deflect it for a corner which was punched clear by Ball.
Back came RCA, a long free kick from Ball caught the Aycliffe defence by surprise and Richardson was able to get clear, control the ball and fired in a shot which Pickford did brilliantly to keep out.
A wonderful piece of dribbling skill on the right saw Burlace beat four players before sending a weighted pass into the path of Annang-Colquhoun but Green was able to get across to block the forwards run and clear the ball.
Aycliffe were starting to get a grip of the game and their passing and movement was at times causing problems for RCA. However they were sticking to their task well.
A crossfield pass from Costello found Dibb-Fuller who in turn clipped the ball into the path of Petitjean who hit a tremendous drive which just cleared the bar.
The home team continued to press, Wood in a rare foray forward crossed into the box where Jakab headed away but the ball fell to Costello whose shot was blocked by Allen, and picked up by Richardson but Jarvie was able to win the ball back and fortunately his shot hit the side netting.
Jarvie was starting to gain confidence down the right and when he broke past two defenders to the byline to cut the ball back the writing looked to be on the wall but with only the keeper to beat Coleman hit his shot wide of the upright.
The pressure was building on the RCA defence but they were not in any mood to concede.
Another run down the left by Wood ended with a lovely through ball to Coleman, but his shot was excellently blocked by Jakab and Allen was on hand to steer the ball away from the onrushing Munro.
In the 37 minute Aycliffe did get the ball in the net but it was ruled offside by the Assistant.
Aycliffe were running out of ideas as their attacking play was being met by some solid RCA defending.
In the final minute of the half Ball needed to be alert when a short back pass almost let in Brown but the RCA keeper managed to smother the ball but was injured in the process. After treatment he was able to resume.
A very good half of football with the play switching from end to end and both teams totally committed.
RCA started the second half in much the same vein as the first half attacking down the left through Richardson who picked up a ball from Carr but his cross into the box was over hit.
A minute later and Hawkins won the ball in midfield before sending the ball to Richardson, this time it took a great tackle by Brown at the expense of a corner to deny the RCA winger. The corner by Coghlan was headed away by Green as far as Annang-Colquhoun but his shot was easily saved by Pickford.
Aycliffe, as in the first half, picked up the pace of the game pressing forward. A good run by Jarvie saw his cross into the box cause problems for Ball as it drifted towards goal but he managed to tip it over the bar for a corner.
The home team then had a succession of corners all of which were well dealt with by an increasingly confident RCA defence.
As the game opened up both teams made substitutions.
In the 78 minute a freekick by Hawkins was headed just wide by Davison and from the goal kick Pickford sent the ball to Brown who in turn found Costello in acres of space but his shot from the edge of the box was brilliantly blocked by Jakab.
Aycliffe were pressing for the equaliser as the game entered the final 10 minutes of the game and when Ardelean forced a corner they sent all their defenders forward, the cross came in and was well headed by Ferguson but he couldn’t keep the ball down and it sailed over the bar.
RCA, slightly against the run of play, extended their lead. There didn’t seem to be any threat when Wood picked up a loose ball but Davison chasing down the full back was able to dispossess him and cross the ball into the box where a late surge by Annang-Colquhoun saw him stretch to get to the ball and flick it over Pickford and into the net.
A minute later and RCA, who were finishing the game strongly, almost had another when Weirs latched onto a through ball from Burlace but his shot was saved by Pickford.
The game was definitely settled in the 89 minute when Carr played the ball forward to Davison, he laid it off to Hennis who played the ball to Weirs who crossed into the box where Lawrence, with his first touch of the ball since coming on as a substitute for the injured Watts, broke through a tackle before slotting the ball home.
This was a truly excellent team performance, every player played their part and were committed to making sure that they out thought Newton Aycliffe. The energy and commitment put in by every player was superb.
Defensively we were solid and reliable mistakes were few and far between and everyone looked comfortable in their roles. We defended from the front and attacked from the back it was a very entertaining match to watch.
We now shift our attention to the next match away to Ashington on Tuesday, 19th October 2021, Kick off 7.30pm.