Saturday, 6 February 2010
skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2
Sunderland RCA were made to work hard today by a well organised and very spirited Thornaby side. A goal from man of the match Darren Kokes in the 44th minutes settled the match and gave RCA all three points.
A minutes silence for the late Mr Gordon Nicholson was impeccably observed prior to the match.
Thornaby took advantage of the slope in the first half and immediately showed their intention with some slick attacking moves which had the RCA defence rocking. Gibson was the first with a shot which went narrowly wide before Fox mishit a shot from 12 yards out which went yards wide. RCA weathered the early pressure and responded with a shot from Kokes, which the keeper was pleased to see go wide. This was end-to-end football with both teams looking to go forward at every opportunity. Whilst the quality was not always evident you could not question the commitment of both teams.
RCA should have taken the lead when a a great run from Ascherl ended with a lovely cross into the path of McBryde, but his effort, with only the keeper to beat, was well wide of the upright. Thornaby went down the other end and a cross from Moore found Gibson unmarked in the box, but his downward header from two yards out was cleared off the line by Henderson. A minute later and a run and shot from Fox, who could have put Crossen through on goal had he looked up, went well wide. Five minutes later and Kokes rattled the bar after some excellent work on the left by Mcbryde.
Only a great last gasp tackle from Pearson stopped a certain RCA goal when Kokes was sent clear by Ascherl. Within a minute Davis went on a surging 40 yard run which ended in him crossing for Davison who headed over. RCA were, at this point, starting to get on top of the game and Thornaby were forced to defend.
In the final minute of the half Ascherl again sent Kokes clear of the Thornaby defence and this time he made no mistake with a beautiful lob over the keeper.
The second half saw RCA pressuring the Thornaby defence for long periods. A cross from McBryde was headed goalward by Davison but was cleared off the line by Pearson. Kokes, who was showing his class, was a constant thorn in the side of a well organised Thornaby defence. He was unlucky with a shot that was deflected wide and from the resulting corner Ascherl’s shot went narrowly wide.
Thornaby responded with a quick counter attack and Gibson forced a corner which was headed over.
Pearson and Bishop for Thornaby were performing heroics in keeping the RCA attack at bay and were pleased to see a surging run by Kokes end with a shot which struck the post.
Thornaby had only their second real chance of the second half when substitute Abdullah played in Gibson and from inside the box; he blasted his shot across goal but wide of the post.
For all their domination in the second half RCA could not break down the Thornaby defence and the match ended 1-0.
