Alex Nelson hooks the ball clear during the first half of the match.
RCA returned to Sunderland LGV Park for their first EBAC Northern League Division I fixture of 2023. We trust everyone had an enjoyable festive season and ready for whatever the New Year holds.
After the abandoned match at Seaham Red Star, RCA faced a stiff challenge against Whickham, like RCA have had a mixed bag of results lately, so a tight game was envisaged.
The management team made a number of changes to the squad for this match, with Richardson and Jakab returning from holiday to replace Bennett and Annang-Colquhoun.
The teams lined up as follows:
Sunderland RCA: Marrs, Allen, Charlton, Nelson, Jakab, Lawrence, Morris, Moan, Davison, Richardson, Fryatt. Subs: Annang-Colquhoun, Richards, Hunter, Ene Herdman.
Whickham: Harker, Howard, Agnew, Burrell ©, Garside, S Richardson, Young, McGeorge, Dunn, Greenwood, Davis. Subs: Peareth, Smith, Robson, Bada, Dibb-Fuller.
The ground staff had worked miracles again this week to prepare the pitch and despite the persistent drizzle during the morning the ground was in near perfect condition come the kick off time.
RCA took advantage of the wind in the first half kicking towards the Beechbrooke end of the ground.
A fairly even first 10 minutes saw neither team create any chances as the defences looked to be well on top.
A quick break by Whickham caused the first real problem for RCA when a long ball out of defence by Agnes was picked up by Young who turned away from Charlton and into the box but his shot flew across the face of the goal and out for a goalkick.
In the 20th minute Moan won the ball in midfield before playing it to Morris, he played a quick one-two with Allen before crossing to the far post where Richardson, at full stretch, could only hook the ball into the arms of Harker.
Within minutes RCA won the ball back again in midfield, this time Lawrence threaded the ball out to Fryatt on the left, he twisted and turned his marker before crossing into the box where Harker was again on hand to pluck the ball out of the air ahead of the onrushing Davison.
Whickham’s first real chance of the game came in the 24th minute when a clever ball forward from Howard was picked up by McGeorge who chipped the ball toward the far post for Dunn but the Whickham striker was inches away from connecting and opening the scoring.
RCA were forced into a change with the struggling Charlton replaced by Hunter whose first contribution to the game was a well timed challenge to stop the advance of Davis.
A long goal kick from Marrs was controlled by Morris who laid the ball off to Allen, he sent the ball into the box where Davison chested the ball into the path of Morris, but he fired well over the bar from the edge of the box.
The game burst into life in the 38th minute when Moan, for the umpteenth time, won the ball in midfield and Lawrence picked up the loose ball before firing in a long range effort which struck Morris in the chest and flew past Harker into the net.
The remainder of the half passed without incident and the hosts lead 1-0 at half time.
The second half started with Whickham pressing forward down the slope. A good run by Robson down the right was halted by a terrific tackle by Jakab. The quickly taken throw in was picked up by Howard who swept the ball into the box but Jakab was again on hand to hook the ball clear.
RCA almost doubled their lead in the 57th minute when Nelson moved forward with purpose and played the ball to Richardson, who played the ball to Lawrence who in turn played the ball to Davison but his shot was deflected out for a corner.
The corner was taken by Fryatt who drilled the ball into the box, the ball fell to Davison but again his shot was blocked and from the rebound Whickham went on the attack through Garside and Moan was happy to concede a throw in to stop the attack.
The pressure was building on RCA’s makeshift defence, a good move by Young and Dunn resulted in RCA conceding a corner on the left, Young whipped the corner toward the near post where in deflected off Lawrence’s head and flashed into the net.
Whickham’s substitute Robson was causing all sorts of problems down the right and was unlucky with an effort which skimmed the crossbar after some good work between him and Dunn.
In the 70th minute a ball forward from Garside was collected by Robson on the edge of the RCA penalty area, he cut inside and unleashed a low drive which Marrs saved magnificently diving to his right to turn the ball round the post.
Young’s corner was met by Dunn and Marrs made another good save this time palming the ball away before collecting at the second attempt.
Both sides looked to press forward for a winning goal but both defences held firm. With forwards guilty of straying offside on numerous occasions.
The last chance of the game fell to the home side in the 86th minute when Nelson played a great ball forward into the path of Richardson who in turn slipped the ball past his marker before trying to flick the ball past Harker however the visitor’s keeper managed to get a hand to the ball and deflect it wide of the post.
On balance a draw was probably a fair result although Whickham did have more of the game in the second half. RCA once again proved that when they play for each other they are a very difficult team to beat.
Hopefully this performance will bode well for the remainder of the season and we can move forward together as a club.
Next up we play Newcastle Benfield away on Tuesday, 10 January 2023: Kick off 7.30pm.