Thornaby 0 Sunderland RCA 1
George Pinder on the attack during the second half of the match.
RCA travelled down the A19 to take on fellow strugglers Thornaby in this crucial bottom of the table clash at Teesdale Park. “The proverbial 6 pointer at stake”.
The unrelenting rain which was forecast materialised mid afternoon and continued up to kick off time.
The RCA management team made several changes to the team so comprehensibly beaten on Saturday at Newton Aycliffe. Returning to the starting line-up were Wilkinson, Goundry, Hodgson, Swansbury, Trewick, Fenton, Callen and Bruton.
Thornaby, for their part, fielded two ex RCA players in Dean and Croft.
The teams lined up as follows:
Thornaby: Dean, Zachariou, Hindson, Petterson, Booth, Proctor, Croft, Webb, Mitchell, Jackson, Clarkson. Subs: Verity, Flounders, Rowe, Boucher, Williams.
Sunderland RCA: Wilkinson, Goundry, Turns, Hodgson, Swansbury ©, Trewick, Ene, Fenton, Callen, Bruton, Pinder. Subs: Bowmaker, Chappell, Younis, Robinson (Foster), Brightwell.
A controlled start by the visitors saw the ball laid back to Goundry in the second minute; he played the ball out to Ene who slipped past two defenders before forcing a corner. The resulting kick was easily dealt with.
The hosts were playing the ball about quite well inside their own half while RCA were quite happy for them to have the early possession while making sure that they had men behind the ball.
Thornaby created their first chance of the half after four minutes when Croft played the ball forward to Clarkson but he blazed his shot well over the bar from outside of the box.
RCA picked up the pace and a through ball from Trewick picked out Fenton, he dribbled his way forward before firing in a shot which was blocked by Petterson and fell to Pinder who did well to win a corner on the left. Ene took the corner which was punched clear by Dean.
The home team started to look to get forward a bit more after this and a ball forward from Hindson was picked up by Mitchell who controlled the ball well before firing in a low shot well wide of the target.
Three minutes later and Croft picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box but he also fired across goal and wide of the far post.
With half an hour gone RCA were awarded a freekick on the left, RCA sent up Swansbury and Trewick, Bruton took the kick floating the ball onto the head of Swansbury whose downward header was hooked clear by Hindson.
The visitors were starting to put pressure on the home team's defence with both Ene and Callen causing major problems on the right. A good run by Turns on the left saw him send in a wicked cross which fell to Ene on the right edge of the box and he laid the ball off to Callen whose shot was blocked.
RCA were enjoying their best spell of the game so far and when Pinder won a corner on the right. Ene drilled in the kick which was met by Fenton but he could only direct his header well over the bar.
The visitor’s dominance in the air at set pieces paid dividends in the 42nd minute. Another excellent corner by Ene found Swansbury who headed the ball down and Callen was in the right place at the right time to steer the ball into the net from close range.
Only a brilliant save by Dean from a 25 yard Ene freekick kept the scoreline 1 -0 to RCA at half time.
A bright start to the second half by the home team as Croft broke down the right wing before crossing the ball to Mitchell, but he dragged his first time effort wide of the far post.
From the goalkick Wilkinson sent a long ball forward which was flicked on by Fenton into the path of Callen but the usually composed striker fire his shot wide of the post.
The game was flowing from end to end now and when Hodgson fouled Clarkson the winger got up but hit his shot well over the bar.
The game was getting frustratingly bogged down in midfield, Bruton and Trewick getting through a lot of graft as they restricted the attacking prowess of the home team.
In the 65th minute Pinder was sent to the Sin-Bin for something he said to the Assistant after a throw in was awarded to Thornaby.
The visitors shut up shop for the next ten minutes with Callen dropping into midfield and Fenton chasing down the Thornaby defence.
Fenton, having run himself into the ground chasing lost causes, was replaced by Robinson who almost had an immediate impact winning the ball in midfield he sent out to Ene who cut inside but his final shot was weak and Dean made an easy save.
Thornaby recorded their first shot on target in the 85th minute when a flowing move down the left by Jackson who crossed into the box for Boucher, but his effort was straight down the throat of Wilkinson.
RCA managed to see out the final minutes of the game with no major problem giving a debut in injury time to Lancelot Brightwell.
This was a fantastic win for the lads away from home on a bleak, dreary night. Three well deserved points gained which will help alleviate if not eradicate the possibility of relegation. Chickens not counted yet.
For 90 minutes they battled hard, each and everyone of them putting a massive shift in. Defensively the two full backs will have learned a great deal from playing alongside their more mature central defenders. The midfield battled for every ball and never gave the opposition time to settle, while up front the two front men put pressure on the Thornaby back line time and time again.
Massive thanks once again to the small but always cheerful supporters, we look forward to seeing you on Saturday, 8 April 2023, when we take on bottom club Pickering Town at home. Kick off 3.00pm.