Daryll Hall clears the ball during the first half of the match.
RCA faced another stiff challenge, after their excellent win against League leaders Newton Aycliffe on Saturday, returning to the First Mortgage Glebe sports ground 16 days after exiting the Emirates FA Cup at the hands of our hosts Whickham.
After late fitness tests to Charlton (Knee) and Fryatt (Thigh) the management team, for the first time this season, were able to name an unchanged 16 for this Ebac Northern League fixture
The teams lined up as follows:
Whickham: Harker, Howard, Moody, Garside, Agnew, Below, Richardson, Peareth, Robson, S Hall, Smith. Subs: Lizinde, Bannon, Maughan, Gibson, Dunn.
Sunderland RCA: Marrs, Allen, Charlton, Jakab, D Hall, Patton, Morris, Moan, Annang-Colquhoun, Fryatt, Charmey. Subs: Bennett, Lavery, Ene, Nelson, Richards.
The heavy afternoon rain had left the pitch quite soft but the thankfully it had stopped and it was a fairly mild summers evening that greeted the players.
RCA went on the attack from the start and were awarded a freekick on the right in the opening minutes when Annang-Colquhoun was brought down. Charlton whipped in a left foot cross which was met by Jakab but his downward header was well held by Harker.
The “Lang Jacks” first attack came within a minute when Peareth sent a searching ball forward which was picked up by Robson in space inside the penalty area but Jakab was on hand to make a fantastic saving challenge to put the ball out for a corner.
The resulting corner was headed over the bar by Robson.
RCA were starting to put some good moves together and had a great chance when Allen found Annang-Colquhoun on the right he in turn laid the ball back to Morris who drilled in a low cross which was well held by Harker under pressure from Patton.
The game settled down after the initial end to end play and it wasn’t until the quarter hour mark that any meaningful attack took place when Moan won the ball in midfield and played the ball into Fryatt who drifted inside before hitting a low shot which Harker saved diving to his right.
Back up the other end as the game opened up and Whickham started playing the direct style of football, a long ball forward was headed down by Smith into the path of Below who fired in a shot which flew wide of the target.
A minute later and the home side should have taken the lead when a good interception by Garside on his own 18 yard line freed the ball for Peareth to send a ball forward beyond the RCA defence for Robson who broke through with only the keeper beat but his shot hit the foot of the advancing Marrs and slipped narrowly wide of the upright.
RCA took the lead in the 22nd minute when a Charlton corner caused panic in the Whickham defence the ball fell to Moan whose shot was block and Charmey had his rebound shot blocked before Fryatt forced the ball over the line and the referee / assistant had no hesitation in awarding the goal.
Within minutes RCA almost took a two-goal lead when another freekick was awarded on the left this time Patton stepped up and whipped in a shot which hit the inside of the post skidded across the goal line and was eventually hacked away by Howard.
The home team pushed forward now looking for an equaliser and a good move down the right by Richardson ended when Charlton blocked the cross meant for Robson and the resulting corner was cleared by Allen under pressure from Below.
RCA, having weathered the persistent attacks of Whickham, hit back with a right sided move which had Charmey and Allen combining to free Annang-Colquhoun inside the box but he was well marshaled by Agnew who conceded a corner.
Charlton took the corner which was headed away by Garside but Moan picked up the loose ball on the edge of the box but hit his shot over the bar.
The game was starting to get a bit physical with some rash challenges going in from both teams. Jakab was penalized for one which resulted in a freekick on the right which was curled in towards Agnew but Allen somehow managed to get his head to the ball and clear up field.
As the game moved into the last five minutes of a pulsating first half RCA almost double their lead when Allen picked the ball up from Marrs and set off on a forward run before slipping the ball to Morris, he crossed into the box where Fryatt sent in a bullet header which Harker did well to save.
RCA were awarded yet another freekick on the right, this time Charlton sent in a well directed cross onto the head of Moan but his header went over the bar.
Back up the other end and a clumsy challenge on the edge of the box resulted in a freekick, Robson struck the ball which flicked off the wall and forced a superb one handed save from Marrs tipping the ball over the bar for a corner.
The second half started in much the same vein as the first half with RCA the first to make an attacking move Charmey making a run down the right pulled the ball back to Patton who struck the ball well but it went straight into the hands of Harker.
A minute later and Fryatt forceed a corner off Howard, Charlton’s cross into the box was met by D Hall who powered his header a foot over the bar.
The response from the home team was started by Howard on the right who found Richardson in space wide on the right, he whipped in a near post cross which was met by Smith but his shot went wide of the upright.
Marrs was called into action for the first time in the half when Robson found space inside the box and hit a rising shot which the RCA keeper tipped over the bar, the resulting corner from Howard was met by Garside who headed wide.
Whickham were starting to turn the screw with RCA retreating deeper into their half. A freekick taken by Smith found the head of Agnew who couldn't direct it on target.
Whickham made a number of substitutions which had the effect of disrupting the flow of the game and gave RCA time to regroup.
A poor shot by Robson was picked up by Marrs who launched a long ball forward which bounced kindly for Annang-Colquhoun who scrambled between two defenders before scooping the ball forward but Howard was able to clear the danger.
Within minutes RCA were back on the attack a good ball out of defence by Jakab set Fryatt free on the left, his cross into the box was palmed away by Harker onto Annang-Colquhoun knee / chest and the ball bounced away and was cleared by Moody but only as far as Patton who found Annang-Colquhoun inside the area on the right, as he turned inside he was tripped but the referee waved away RCA’s appeals for a penalty.
The RCA management team made a number of substitutions as players tired inside the final 15 minutes of the game.
Whickham once again started to build up pressure on the RCA defence. A corner taken by Lizinde found Garside at the far post but he was tackled by Allen and the ball was cleared up field.
With five minutes of the 90 left and RCA defending valiantly Whickham were almost gifted a goal when Lizinde completely free inside the six yard area but he completely missed the target.
RCA started to wind the clock down and in injury time Morris picked up the ball on the right, cut inside the penalty area before hitting a terrific shot which forceed a great save from Harker who parried it round the post for a corner.
RCA kept the ball in the corner forcing another corner before the referee brought the game to a conclusion.
Another fantastic performance from the lads and fully deserved the victory. Everyone contributed to a very entertaining if sometimes physical match. While RCA take the plaudits in this victory both teams played their part in a thoroughly absorbing match.
Or next match is at Home to Heaton Stannington FC on Saturday, 10 September 2022. Kick off 3.00pm.