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Reports 2016-17

Sunderland RCA 1 South Shields 2

Submitted by Simon Mears on Friday, 31 March 2017
Thursday, 30 March 2017 - 7:30pm
Northern League 1

Stephen Callen on the ball in front of a bumper crowd at Meadow Park. Photograph: Simon Mears.

For more photos from the match please click here.

Video highlights from the game from South Shields.

Interview with Julio Arca.

SportsByte match report.

Goal scorers - RCA: Preston. South Shields: Arca; Cogdon.

Sunderland RCA welcomed FA Vase finalists South Shields to Meadow Park for this rearranged Northern League Division One match.

The rags to riches story of Shields is well-documented: just a couple of years ago they were playing at Peterlee in front of a few dozen fans. And now - rightly back in the town - Shields have been regularly pulling in crowds in excess of one thousand all season, including a magnificent sell-out crowd of 3,161 as they demolished Newport Pagnell Town in the FA Vase Quarter Final - an irony not lost on all at RCA as we were beaten by Newport in the Fifth Round after missing a whole host of chances to finish off the tie, losing in extra-time, and missing out on a bumper pay day and setting up a potentially fascinating all-Northern League Quarter Final. Since then, Shields have, of course, gone on to reach the final at Wembley and are still, incredibly, chasing an unprecedented quadruple - with finals also to come in the Durham County Challenge and League Cups. Furthermore, after Shildon’s victory over North Shields last Saturday, the League title is also now back in South Shields’ hands - North and South Shields meet on April 8th in what may well turn out to be a title-decider.

RCA had a very good win at Seaham Red Star last Saturday and have recovered well since the immense disappointment of going out of the Vase - notwithstanding the odd blip at Newcastle Benfield.

Shields took their incredible winning run to 27 matches on Tuesday evening with a 4-0 victory over Newton Aycliffe.

Back in October, in the reverse fixture, RCA took a deserved 2-0 lead at Mariners Park as Shields were reduced to 10-men after a foul lead to RCA’s second goal - with only 20 minutes of the match remaining. Shields, however, threw everything at RCA in the latter stages and grabbed a late equaliser through a brilliant Julio Arca strike.

RCA had the rare opportunity to name the same XI that started the previous match at Seaham Red Star.

The two sides lined up as follows:

RCA: Carmichael; Richardson; McGuinness; Preston; Swansbury (c); Armstrong; Charlton; Larkin; Butler; Callen; Cassidy.

South Shields: Jameson; Baxter; Lough; Storey; Morse; Shaw (c); Nicholson; Phillips; Cogdon; Stephenson; Finnigan.

Washington 1 Sunderland RCA 10

Submitted by Simon Mears on Sunday, 2 April 2017
Saturday, 1 April 2017 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1

John Butler returned to Washington and scored two of RCA's ten goals. Photograph: Simon Mears.

For more photos from the match please click here.

Goal scorers: Washington: Laws. RCA: Armstrong; Butler (2); Callen (2); Charlton (2); Larkin; Stewart; Swansbury.

Less than 48 hours after the epic encounter with South Shields on Thursday evening, and Sunderland RCA were back in action with a trip to Washington.

Having looked comfortable in the table a couple of months ago, Washington will now be nervously looking over their shoulders after losing their last four matches and Guisborough recording back-to-back victories.

RCA made two changes to the side that lost to South Shields on Thursday. Jonathan Carmichael and Luke Richardson - who were both injured on Thursday - were replaced by Neal Bussey and Reece Noble.

The sides lined up as follows:

Washington: Gladstone; Evans; Weldon; Day; Bramley; White; Fowler; Laws; Waters (c); Pickard; Williamson.

RCA: Bussey; Noble; McGuinness; Preston; Swansbury (c); Armstrong; Charlton; Larkin; Butler; Callen; Cassidy.

Marske United 3 Sunderland RCA 2

Submitted by Simon Mears on Sunday, 9 April 2017
Saturday, 8 April 2017 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1

RCA substitute Craig Hubbard fires in a shot during the second half of the match. Photograph: Simon Mears.

For more photos from the match please click here.

Goal scorers - Marske: Aaron Ramsbottom; Kelly; Earl. RCA: Butler; Swansbury.

Sunderland RCA were back on the road today with a trip to Marske United. This was the third occasion that the sides had met this season, with Marske winning the previous two encounters at Meadow Park by the same scoreline, 4-2. Going into the match, Marske have a good, but by no means invincible, record at home - winning ten and losing seven of their 19 home games played.

RCA, meanwhile, enjoyed a remarkable club-record win, 10-1, at Washington last Saturday and would be looking to keep the momentum going as the season draws to a close.

RCA made one change to the side that thrashed Washington last Saturday, with Jonathan Carmichael replacing Neal Bussey in goal.

The two sides lined up as follows:

Marske: Dean; Bell; O’Sullivan; Butterworth; Andrew Ramsbottom; Wheatley; Bulmer; Gott; Earl; Aaron Ramsbottom; Kelly.

RCA: Carmichael; Noble; McGuinness; Preston; Swansbury (c); Armstrong; Charlton; Larkin; Butler; Callen; Cassidy.

Sunderland RCA 1 Jarrow Roofing BCA 3

Submitted by Simon Mears on Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Tuesday, 11 April 2017 - 7:30pm
Northern League 1

Michael Charlton keeps up the pressure during the second half of the match. Photograph: Simon Mears.

For more photos from the match please click here.

Goal scorers - RCA: Callen. Jarrow Roofing: Knight; MacKay (2).

Sunderland RCA welcomed Jarrow Roofing BCA to Meadow Park for our penultimate home game of the season.

RCA are currently on a five-match lose-win sequence after narrowly losing to Marske United on Saturday after an excellent second half showing.

Jarrow - currently sitting in 15th place in the table with 45 points - played their final home match of the season on Saturday and earned an excellent 1-1 draw with Shildon.

Back in September, the reverse fixture was settled by a single Paul Chow goal late in the match, despite RCA playing the majority of the second half with nine men - after two straight red cards for violent conduct.

RCA named the same side that lost to Marske United on Saturday.

The two sides lined up as follows:

RCA: Carmichael; Noble; McGuinness; Preston; Swansbury (c); Armstrong; Charlton; Larkin; Butler; Callen; Cassidy.

Jarrow: Brass; Varga; Burton; Marshall; Toward; Smith; Kerr; Vipond (c); Winn; Knight; Chow.

Consett 0 Sunderland RCA 5

Submitted by Simon Mears on Sunday, 23 April 2017
Saturday, 22 April 2017 - 3:00pm
Northern League 1

RCA's hat-trick hero John Butler in acrobatic action. Photograph: Simon Mears.

For more photos from the match please click here.

Goal scorers - RCA: Callen (2); Butler (3).

Sunderland RCA travelled to Consett today for our final away fixture of the season. Consett - currently sitting in 7th position in the table with 65 points - had a good win 4-0 at home to Penrith on Easter Monday, but lost 6-3 at Shildon last Saturday.

After an 11 day break, RCA were looking to bounce back from successive defeats to Marske United and Jarrow Roofing.

Interestingly, for fellow statisticians, in RCA’s 40 matches in the league so far this season, the points total of 54 is equally split, with 27 points gained both at home and on the road.

The reverse fixture, back in November at Meadow Park, was an epic 3-3 draw in a match that swung back and forth.

RCA made one change to the side that lost to Jarrow Roofing - Craig Hubbard replaced Ross Preston, with Colin Larkin moving into the centre of defence to partner Greg Swansbury.

The two sides lined up as follows:

Consett: Coombe; Knowles; Lavery; McKinnon; Kay; Ryder; Teasdale; Craggs (c); Sweet; Sullivan; Slocombe.

RCA: Carmichael; Noble; McGuinness; Larkin; Swansbury (c); Hubbard; Charlton; Armstrong; Butler; Callen; Cassidy.

Sunderland RCA 1 Penrith 2

Submitted by Simon Mears on Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Tuesday, 25 April 2017 - 7:45pm
Northern League 1

RCA's assistant manager Steven Stewart on the ball in the second half of the match. Photograph: Simon Mears.

For more photos from the match please click here.

Goal scorers - RCA: Callen. Penrith: Coleman; Read.

Sunderland RCA’s final match of the season was a home game against Penrith.

Following successive defeats, RCA bounced back emphatically on Saturday with a superb 5-0 victory at Consett. Penrith, meanwhile, were beaten 4-1 at home to Whitley Bay on Saturday, but had a 2-1 win over Dunston UTS in midweek.

Tonight was the third time that the two sides had met this season: Penrith won the FA Cup Extra Preliminary round match on the opening day of the season courtesy of a single goal. But in December, again at Frenchfields, RCA won 2-0 in the league thanks to an own goal and a Liam McBryde strike.

RCA made four changes to the side that won at Consett on Saturday - Neal Bussey returned in goal with Jonathan Carmichael on the bench, Ross McNab replaced the injured Greg Swansbury, and Jonathan Davis and Brad Wilson replaced Craig Hubbard and James Armstrong in midfield.

The two sides lined up as follows:

RCA: Bussey; Noble; McNab; Larkin (c); McGuinness; Davis; Charlton; Wilson; Butler; Callen; Cassidy.

Penrith: McCombie; Faustino; N Davidson; G Davidson; Bowman; Street; Lawson; Read; Coleman; Gardner; Veitch.

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