Sunday, 15 November 2009
Durham FA Sunday County Cup, First Round Proper
RCA The Barnes won through to the second round with a comfortable 6-2 victory over a spirited Ferryhill White Horse team who gave their all for the full 90minutes, but were outgunned in the last 20 by a dominant RCA outfit.
Only able to field 13 fit players, RCA nevertheless started with a strong first 11 and after withstanding a strong opening five minutes from White Horse proceeded to play some great passing football, with the midfield quartet of Charlton, Hartley, Metcalfe and especially the outstanding Jonathan Davis keeping possession and creating numerous good openings, resulting in an opening goal for Martin Metcalfe, who latched on to through ball to hit a left foot shot wide of the keeper's left. Further chances came and went and RCA were made to pay when a needless free kick was given away for handball and White Horse took it quickly, getting a lucky deflection to leave keeper Atkinson stranded to give the half time score of 1-1 a decidedly unjust look.
RCA started the second half in similar vein to the first and continued to dominate. They retook the lead when Liam Dunn rose unchallenged to head home a corner in the 55th minute. However you got the feeling a two goal lead would finish off White Horse, but it was they who got the next goal on 65 minutes when RCA keeper Atkinson let a harmless cross-come-shot slip through his hands to allow the forward to head home from on the line.
The next ten minutes were pretty scrappy until a fine move down the right wing after 75 minutes saw Hartley release Charlton who took the ball to the goal line and pulled it back to Willie Crew who made no mistake from 10 yards out. This was quickly followed by another ball over the top into the inside left channel which saw Jonathan Davis get there just before the home keeper to round him and slot home for 4-2.
RCA were now completely in charge and could have scored further goals at any time, but settled for another two, both despatched by Andy Place: one a tap in after a goal line clearance and the other a clinical right foot finish after yet another fine through ball to give a final scoreline of 6-2.
All in all a fine team performance, with the back four of McVay, Curtis, Hall and Dunn again looking very solid giving the confidence for the midfield and forwards to dominate the opposition.