Dominic Moan competes for the ball during the first half of the match.
Sunderland RCA entertained high flying Ashington at the Sunderland LGV Park in this EBAC Northern League fixture.
Ashington, having won their last five matches and sitting in third place in the league with matches in hand, must have been confident meeting an RCA side who had lost their last eight matches.
The off field situation cannot be helping but it is a testament to the players and management resolve that they are sticking together through this difficult period for the club.
The management team made three changes to the team beaten by Stockton in mid week. Returning were Marrs and Charlton who replaced Ezard and Lawrence while they handed a home debut to recent signing Matthew Stephenson with Annang-Colquhoun on the bench.
The teams lined up as follows:
Sunderland RCA: Marrs, Nelson, Charlton ©, Allen, Stephenson, Trewick, Bennett, Moan, Davison, Hawkins, Fryatt. Subs: Morris, Annang-Colquhoun, Ene, Ezard, Richards.
Ashington: Dryden, Cartwright, Summerly, Smith, McKinnon, Lough ©, Spooner, Sampson, Johnson, Ross, Robinson. Subs: Salmon, Aziakonou, Mullen, Dale, Hanson.
The work put in to prepare the pitch for today’s match after the mid week match and the amount of rain in the last few days is fantastic. The pitch looked perfect well done Dave, George and Graham.
RCA took advantage of the slope in the first half with Ashington kicking off and maintaining possession for the opening minutes.
Clever interplay between Robinson and Johnson created the first opportunity for the visitors when the ball was laid into the path of Ross but he fired well over the bar from the edge of the box.
A few minutes later and Cartwright played a diagonal ball to Spooner who controlled the ball well before playing it square to Sampson but he also fired his shot over the bar.
RCA, having weathered the initial pressure of the “Colliers”, started to produce some good football of their own with Bennett and Fryatt combining on the left to set Davison up but his shot was charged down by Smith and picked up by Dryden.
Nelson did well to stop the advancing run of Robinson winning a throw in on the right, Allen took the throw which was headed on by Trewick, to Bennett who played the ball through to the advancing Fryatt who showed amazing composure to hold off the challenge of McKinnon and to chip the ball over the advancing Dryden and into the net to make it 1-0.
Six minutes later and it was 2-0 when a poor clearance by Dryden was pumped forward by Moan and picked up by Fryatt who skipped over the challenge of McKinnon before sliding the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
RCA with the bit between their teeth went forward immediately, a good ball forward by Stephenson is picked up by Bennett who crossed into the box, Davison laid the ball to Hawkins but he hooked the ball over the bar.
In the 40th minute RCA had a goal disallowed when Fryatt made another good run down the left before crossing to the far post where Bennett controlled the ball before smashing it into the roof of the net. However the referee adjudged that the RCA man had controlled the ball with his hand.
The second half started brightly for the “Colliers” as they pushed forward looking for an early goal in the 48th minute a long ball forward by Summerly was collected by Robinson who whipped in a dangerous looking cross which evaded everyone and went out for a goalkick .
As the half progressed it became a bit of a midfield battle which neither team seemed to be winning, a number of unsavory challenges resulted in bookings for Ashington players as they became frustrated.
The visitors should have scored in the 55th minute when a ball out to Ross was crossed into the box and Spooner connected with the ball at the far post only for the ball to smash off the upright and fly across the face of goal and Nelson cleared up field.
On the hour mark RCA had their first real attack of the half when Fryatt jinxed his way through two tackles before laying the ball to Bennett but he fired wide.
A minute later and a Stephenson made a good break out of defence by passing midfield and only the timely intervention of Cartwright stopped him passing the ball to an unmarked Davison inside the box.
Back came the “Colliers” and freak set of circumstances almost got them back in the game a clearance from Allen hit Moan and bounced down to substitute Hanson whose first time shot was deflected away from Marrs who managed to stick out a foot and kick the ball to safety.
Ashington were building up a head of steam now and in particular Johnson who was very lively cutting in from the right on a number of occasions but the RCA defence held strong.
Another mazy run by Johnson set up Sampson on the edge of the box but he fired his shot wide of the target.
RCA were finding it difficult to get out of their half as they tired, into the last ten minutes and a good run by Cartwright saw his cross blocked by Morris for a corner, Cartwright took the kick drilling it into the six yard area where Johnson met the ball with a glancing header which went straight to a relieved Marrs.
The final throw of Ashington’s dice came in the form of a goalmouth scramble with the ball bouncing about like a ping-pong with first Sampson hitting a shot which hit Nelson the rebound fell to Johnson whose shot hit both Stephenson and Allen and the ball was eventually smothered by Marrs.
RCA mounted their final attack through Annang-Colquhoun who gave the ball to Ene who won a corner. With time running out RCA were happy to keep the ball in the corner to run the clock down.
As Jimmy Greaves once said “It’s a funny old game”. Who would have believed that RCA with their recent record would come out on top against a team pushing for promotion who had won their last five matches?
The recent trials and tribulations put to one side for two hours while the lads on the park produced a scintillating first half display and a superb defensive second half display.
Next up we play Heaton Stannington at home on Saturday, 3 December 2022: Kick off 3.00pm