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Reports 2015-16

Sunderland RCA 2 Whitley Bay 1

Submitted by Rob Jones on Sunday, 15 November 2015
Saturday, 14 November 2015 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1

RCA's first goal scorer Stephen Callen makes a surging run.

Goalscorers: SRCA: Callen, Larkin. Whitley Bay: Hughes

Please click here for more photos from the match.

The threatened overnight rainfall did not materialise and so the pitch was passed fit to play.

The RCA management’s selection problems for this match were very different to recent weeks, this week there was a full squad to choose from save for the two long term injuries to Davis and Armstrong, both of whom are progressing well.

Into the starting eleven came Harkess for Talbot (on international duty in Ireland), Noble returned in place of Hope and McNab came in for Lane.

Whitley Bay, who are an improving side, made a number of changes to the team that won at our neighbours RCW in mid-week.

Hemsworth MW 1 Sunderland RCA 5

Submitted by Rob Jones on Monday, 23 November 2015
Saturday, 21 November 2015 - 3:00pm
The Isuzu FA Vase

Colin Larkin scores his second goal in the first half of the match.

Goal Scorers: Hemsworth: Jones. SRCA: Larkin (3), Callen, Gordon.

Please click here for more photos from the match.

Please click here for the blog of the day from We All Stand Together.

RCA travelled to West Yorkshire for this FA Vase 2nd round match against Hemsworth Miners Welfare who are currently top of the Toolstation NCEL Division One with only one defeat all season.

After an early morning pitch inspection the game was declared on. There was little for the management team to think about in terms of team selection with only Davis and Hughes on the injury list and Pounder, Lane and Talbot cup tied, the squad was enhanced when Armstrong passed a late fitness test.

The talk in the clubhouse before the game revolved around Colin Larkin and the Wolverhampton pennant with his name on, there were also two Wolves supporters who had travelled up to see him play (He didn't disappoint).

West Auckland Town 2 Sunderland RCA 1

Submitted by Rob Jones on Monday, 30 November 2015
Saturday, 28 November 2015 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1

RCA captain Reece Noble is tracked by West's ex-RCA man Mark Hudson.

Goalscoreres:  West:  Oldfield, OG:   SRCA:  Proctor.

Please click here for more photos from the match.

RCA travelled to West Auckland Town for their EBAC Northern League match and looking to extend their unbeaten league run to 12.

After a torrential downpour the referee declared the pitch fit to play.

The management team made only one change to the starting eleven with James Talbot, back from International duty in Irelend, preferred in goal to James Harkess.

Sunderland RCA 4 Tadcaster Albion 0

Submitted by Rob Jones on Wednesday, 16 December 2015
Tuesday, 15 December 2015 - 7:45pm
The Isuzu FA Vase

Hat trick hit man Colin Larkin in early action.

Goalscorers: SRCA:  Larkin (3), Charlton.  Tadcaster: none.

Please click here for more photos from the match.

Please click here for Tadcaster Albon's match report.

After the disappointment of having the match postponed on Saturday due to the freak weather conditions which saw the pitch flooded inside 90 minutes and then a heavy snowfall compound the problems for the rest of the day it was left to the ground staff to try and get the pitch into a playable condition for tonight’s match.

They were rewarded when the match referee Mrs Lucy Oliver declared the game on.

The management team had a number of problems the main ones being the injury to Drysdale which will keep him out of the team for the rest of the season, the suspension of McNab and also the fact that both Pounder and Lane are cup-tied. The good news was the return of Club Captain Clayton Davis who passed a late fitness test and took his place at right back. Harkess replaced Talbot in goal, Hatch returned to take the place of Drysdale and Charlton also returning from injury to replaced Melvin.

Before the game the questions being asked were “How will the team respond to the defeat at West Auckland?”, “How would they play against a team in Tadcaster Albion who are riding on the crest of a wave at the moment table topping their league and beating their nearest rivals 4 – 1 in the last round of the Vase?” and “Will the rain hold off until full time?”

Sunderland RCA 0 West Allotment Celtic 0

Submitted by Rob Jones on Sunday, 20 December 2015
Saturday, 19 December 2015 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1

Liam Hatch in defensive action in the second half of the match.

Goal scorers: None

Please click here for more photos from the match.

After the splendid win on Tuesday in the FA Vase it was back to League action against a vastly improving West Allotment Celtic who in recent weeks have taken points off Bishop Auckland and beaten North Shields.

Injuries continue to beset the team and the news concerning SRCA keeper Jordan Harkess was a devastating blow to the team. A broken jaw sustained in a collision on Tuesday night will keep him out for about eight weeks. Further bad news before the kick off surrounded the sickness of Kev Gordon and the injury to Thomas Scott with captain Clayton Davis failing a late fitness test and starting on the bench. Into the team as replacements for those injured came Hunter in goal, Carr at right back and Pounder up front.

Durham City 0 Sunderland RCA 2

Submitted by Rob Jones on Wednesday, 23 December 2015
Tuesday, 22 December 2015 - 7:30pm
Durham County FA Frank Pattison Challenge Cup

Supermac: the photographer’s man of the match, Ross McNab, fires in a shot.

Please click here for more photos from the match.

The Durham Challenge Cup tie against Durham City FC at Belle View, Consett was the only game to survive the weather last night.

The RCA management team made a number of forced changes due to injuries and work commitments; into the starting eleven came Davis replacing the cup tied Pounder, In central midfield and making his debut for the club was Lee Cresswell who replaced the injured Proctor, McNab replaced Hatch and Gordon returned to replace the injured Callen.

There was also three unfamiliar names (this season) on the bench, New signing James Cook, back after injury Joe Hughes and the returning Stephen Bogie alongside Armstrong and Proctor.

Sunderland RCA 3 Sleaford Town 2

Submitted by Rob Jones on Sunday, 24 January 2016
Saturday, 23 January 2016 - 3:00pm
The Isuzu FA Vase

RCA’s Liam Hatch rises highest to score from a towering header.

Please click here for more photos from the match.

Please click here for North Shields FC TV's video of the match. Thanks very much lads - your work is much appreciated.

Please click here for agency photographer Steven Hadlow's photos from the match.

Goalscorers: SRCA: Charlton (2), Hatch: Sleaford: Pemberton, Hockin.

RCA were without Reece Noble through suspension so the management team brought in Lee Cresswell to replace him, there was also a place in the starting line up for Liam Hatch and the welcome return from injury of Stephen Callen.

Without a competitive game since 22 December 2015, the RCA management team had arranged a mid week friendly at Billingham Town, unfortunately this caused a selection problem for today when James Armstrong picked up a thigh injury and was ruled out of today’s important FA vase clash against Sleaford Town.

A special mention should once again go to the ground staff, who have worked wonders just to get the pitch in a playable condition.

Sunderland RCA 2 Bristol Manor Farm 3

Submitted by Rob Jones on Monday, 1 February 2016
Saturday, 30 January 2016 - 3:00pm
The Isuzu FA Vase

No way through for RCA's Michael Charlton in the second half of the match.

Goal Scorers: SRCA: Buchanan (2), BMF: Stamp (2), Sheppard.

Please click here for more photos from the match.

RCA welcomed Bristol Manor Farm FC to Meadow Park for this historic 5th Round FA Vase tie.

The billing for this game was fantastic, two teams on amazing runs, RCA one defeat in 21 games and Bristol Manor Farm unbeaten since 7 November last year and riding high on top of the Toolstation Western Football league.

Martin Swales and his backroom staff had a team selection problem when both Liam Hatch and James Armstrong declared themselves unavailable due to injury problems and Lee Cresswell was unavailable due to work commitments. The selection was further exacebated when the only central defender on the bench pulled up in the warm up. The good news was the availability of Clifford Byrne who was slotted straight in at No 5. Reece Noble returned to midfield after his suspension as the two changes to the starting eleven who performed so well last week against Sleaford Town.

There was also a welcome return to the squad for Joe Hughes and Andrew Brown after long spells of injury.

The blustery conditions were always going to be a factor in this match as the wind blew straight down the pitch.

Whickham 2 Sunderland RCA 0

Submitted by Rob Jones on Thursday, 4 February 2016
Wednesday, 3 February 2016 - 7:30pm
Durham County FA Frank Pattison Challenge Cup

New RCA signing Nathan Cummings who came on in the second half of the match.

Please click here for more photos from the match.

Goalscoreres: Whickham: Aiston, M Fitzpatrick:

After the FA Vase exit at the weekend the management team switched their attention to the Durham Challenge Cup and were no doubt be looking for a positive reaction to that defeat.

Due to work commitments and injuries there were a number of changes implemented. Cook, Brown, Cresswell and Hughes replaced McNab, Byrne, Proctor and Charlton in a reshuffled team.

Sunderland RCA 1 Newton Aycliffe 2

Submitted by Rob Jones on Monday, 15 February 2016
Saturday, 13 February 2016 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1

Wayne Buchanan in defensive action.

Goal scorers: SRCA: Larkin Aycliffe: Campbell (2)

Please click here for more photos from the match.

RCA returned to league action today after eight weeks of cup matches and postponements. Our last league match on 19th December 2015 was against West Allotment Celtic. Today, we welcomed a revitalised Newton Aycliffe team to Meadow Park, who, like ourselves, are undergoing a period of transition and are pushing for a top six finish to the season.

The management team at RCA made three changes to the team beaten by Whickham in the Durham Challenge Cup with Richardson replacing Cook, Hatch replacing Cresswell and Charlton returning in place of Hughes.

Tremendous work by the groundsmen to get the pitch in a playable condition was rewarded with an entertaining match, although the constant rain / snow during the game did little to help the underfoot conditions and the pitch started to cut up badly towards the end of the game.

RCA took advantage of the slope in the first half, but faced a stiff head wind which was unusually blowing off the North Sea.

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