Callum Guy has a shot blocked by Bishop Auckland goalkeeper Nick Liversedge.
'A Life of Pie', the Northern League blog is here.
RCA welcomed Bishop Auckland to Sunderland LGV Park for the second time this season having been defeated 3-2 in the FA Vase earlier in the season. Both teams have started the season well with Bishop at the top of the table while RCA are in a very creditable fourth so a strongly contested match was anticipated.
A late fitness test declared Hall fit enough to start, RCA’s management team made two changes to the starting eleven who took all three points away to Crook Town bringing in Lavery and Morris to replace Nelson and Guy.
The teams lined up as follows:
Sunderland RCA: Marrs, Allen, Lavery, Hall, Jakab, Moan, Morris, Charlton (c), Annang-Colquhoun, Fryatt, Bennett. Subs: Trewick, Davison, Guy, Charmey, Nelson.
Bishop Auckland: Liversedge, Burlace, Risborough, McGoldrick, Errington, Daley, Weirs, Gott ©, Giles, Fairley, Whitfield. Subs: Elgie, Carling, Milburn, Banks, Croft.
Prior to the game there was a minutes silence held in honour of David Hall, former RCA & RCW Chairman and long time supporter of both clubs, who sadly passed away on Friday. His infectious smile will be sadly missed around the Northern League grounds.
The match kicked off with Bishops playing into the wind toward to cemetery end of the ground.
It was a cagey start to the game with both sets of players well aware of their opponent’s capabilities.
A poor clearance by Liversedge fell to Bennett just inside the Bishops half of the pitch and he attempted an audacious lob over the visitor’s keeper but it drifted a foot wide of the upright.
Bishop’s first real strike on target came in the 15th minute when McGoldrick won the ball inside the centre circle and played the ball forward to Gott who cut inside to bring the ball onto his right foot before unleashing a terrific drive which force a magnificent diving save from Marrs to palm the ball out for a corner. The corner was drilled across the box to the far edge of the box where Fairley hit a great volley which flew well wide of the target.
RCA moved quickly down the other end with Marrs' goalkick finding Morris on the right he dribbled across the edge of the penalty area before firing in a low shot which went just wide.
As the teams settled down they started to play some attractive attacking football as the game swung from box to box but it was evident that the defences of both teams were on top with neither keeper forced to make any sort of save.
With the advantage that the slope gave them RCA pushed forward and should have taken the lead when an Allen throw in was picked up by Morris he slipped past his marker before crossing to the far post where Fryatt, totally unmarked and with only the keeper to beat headed wide from inside the six yard area.
Although this was an entertaining top of the table clash there was little by way of goal mouth action. Annang-Colquhoun and Morris for RCA threatened at times but were well marshaled by Errington and Risborough, while Giles and Fairley were the main dangers to the home team with Jakab and Hall restricting them to long range efforts.
The game was finely balanced at half time.
The opening minutes of the second half and in the torrential rain neither team settled, both teams were guilty of a number of niggly challenges and the game lacked the flow of the first half.
Just past the hour mark and a flare up on the half way line between Morris and Burlace resulted in Morris receiving a straight red card for retaliating to a push while Burlace was shown a yellow card.
The dismissal changed the complexion of the game almost immediately. Two minutes after the dismissal Bishops were awarded a freekick on the edge of the box. Gott stepped up and thundered a shot off the underside of the bar and in the goalmouth scramble that ensued McGoldrick bundled the ball forward and Jakab, in trying to clear, struck the ball against the post and into the net.
The effect that the goal had on the RCA players was evident as they lost their forward impetus and were forced to defend in numbers as Bishop’s went in search of a second goal.
As they had done all game the RCA defence where excellent repelling the attacks of the visitors.
With nothing to lose in the final minutes of the game the RCA team found some extra energy and pushed forward looking for an equaliser. A good run on the right by Bennett assisted by Allen resulted in a cross from the Full back being plucked of the head of Davison.
A quick break by Burlace on the right was spotted by Liversedge who threw the ball into his path and the Ex- RCA player ran 30 yards with the ball before hitting a low drive which flew wide of the target.
A minute later a RCA were almost level, Charlton played the ball forward to Bennett who controlled the ball at pace before striking a low shot which hit the inside of the post and rebounded toward Davison who was bundled off the ball by McGoldrick, appeals for a penalty waved away by the referee.
As is the case when these things happen late in the game the ball was switched out to the right to Burlace who again made great strides down the right before hitting a low shot toward goal which took a deflection before nestling in the net to make it 2-0.
Bishops saw out the remainder of the match to take the three points.
The red card proved to be pivotal in the outcome of this game. A competitive, sometimes physical game that saw both teams fully committed to the cause. They produced some excellent entertaining football and up until the 63rd minute had largely cancelled each other out. The dismissal of Morris gave Bishops the advantage that they fully exploited.
Next up for RCA is an away trip to Pickering Town next Saturday, 22nd October 2022. Kick off 3.00pm