Wednesday, 10 February 2010
skilltrainingltd Northern League Division 2
Sunderland RCA kept their title dreams alive with a wonderful second half display which netted a hat trick for leading scorer Mark Davison.
Bottom of the table Birtley Town started the game well kicking down the slope and soon had RCA in trouble with a well worked move between Moat and Peterson resulted in the latter firing wide.
In the fifth minute RCA were awarded a corner and the resulting kick saw Hall power a header over the bar.
Birtley came back and were awarded a freekick on the edge of the box after a strong challenge from Hall. Peterson's shot was deflected for a corner. From this corner RCA countered and a through ball from Ascherl found Kokes inside the box; he looked to have gone round Hunter, the Birtley keeper, but somehow as Kokes fired in his shot Hunter managed to grab the ball - a brilliant save keeping the score level.
RCA mounted a bit of pressure and within the space of two minutes had great opportunities to score. First, Davis skipped past two defenders but his cross was too good for everyone and then Jones burst into the box only to be denied by a late lunge from Scott.
Birtley had a penalty appeal turned down when Roseby was brought down on the edge of the box, but the referee only awarded a freekick which was poorly taken.
RCA finished the half strongly and Ascherl was unlucky with a snap shot from a Davis cross which went over the bar.
The second half saw RCA start with more purpose, Coghlan firing over as early as the third minute. RCA took the lead after 50 minutes when a cross from Davies found Davison free inside the box and he was able to lob Hunter from 12 yards out.
Within five minutes it was 2 - 0 when Davis went on a mazy run before passing to Kokes who crossed the ball into the path of Davison who guided it past Hunter for his second.
Both teams continued to attack and had chances to score but failed to make either keeper make a save until the 75th minute when a screamer from Nugent looked to be heading into the top corner, however Hoggeth somehow managed to get a hand on the ball and turn it over the bar for a corner. Birtley, sensing a goal piled forward, but RCA managed to scramble the ball clear.
McBryde was unlucky when a header from a Davis corner went narrowly over the bar.
In the 82nd minute a surging run by Ascherl was abruptly ended when he was fouled 25 yards from goal. Up stepped Davison to rifle the ball home for his hat trick to make it 3-0.
Within a minute it really should have been 4-0 when McBryde squared the ball to Taylor inside the six yard box and he somehow blasted the ball over the bar.
Don't be surprised to see Steve Bruce at our next match with six clean sheet in a row in the league and unbeaten since November, he might need some tips from Mr Hixon.
