Match reports

The FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round and it’s a trip to Dunston’s UTS Stadium for the loyal RCA supporters.

Another ground that has seen a massive transformation during the close season with the addition of new perimeter fencing and dug outs. The pitch itself also looked in good condition.

As always we received a warm welcome from our hosts at Dunston and with a near 400 crowd the scene was set for a good game of football.

After naming the team RCA were struck by what is now being called the No:4 Jinx, Ross Preston originally down as No: 4 on the teamsheet pulled up in the warm up and was replaced by Sam Lilley he also pulled up with a recurrence of an old injury and he was replace by Dominic Moan, third selection change in 20 minutes all revolving around the No 4 shirt.

SRCA: Dean, Allen, McNab, Moan, Swansbury (c),K Davis, Leonard, Elliott, Davison, O’Neill, Callen. Subs: Ezard, Slack, Charlton, Dorward, C Davis.

Dunston: Dryden, Marrs, Halliday (C), Craig Scott, Capewell, Grant-Soulsby, Heslop, Page Fitzpatrick, Cedwyn Scott, Hall.Subs not used: Elliott, Ward, Lowther, Wright, Brooks,Thear.

Ross McNab on the attack during the first half of the match.

For more photos from the match please click here.

For Newcastle Benfield's match report please click here.

Newcastle Benfield were the visitors to “LGV Park” for this EBAC Northern League match. Both teams have had similar starts to the season having lost only one match and both progressing in the FA cup so a tight competitive match was expected.

The RCA management team had to make a late change when Ross Preston pulled up in the warm up and had to be replaced by Sam Lilley. Sam’s place on the bench was taken by Connor Slack who is on Work Experience from Sunderland AFC.

The teams lined up as follows:

SRCA: Dean, Allen, McNab, Lilley, Swansbury ©, Callen, Leonard, D Elliott, Davison, O’Neill, Moan. Subs: Slack, Ezard, Charlton, K Davis, Dorward.

Newcastle Benfield: Grainger, Glen-Ravenhill, Parker, M Turnbull, Slaughter, Kanda, Richardson, Haley, Brayson, Giraud, Knight. Subs: Russell, Baltazar, Bowey, J Turnbull, S Elliott.

An overcast evening in Northallerton with a few showers knocking about for tonight's game, everyone hoping they hold off, and a decent crowd in, including a good few from Sunderland. 

The teams lined up as follows:

Northallerton: T. Dawson; D. Hillerby, G. Shaw, S. Cheeseman, D. Jones; K. Hewitt, R. McKendry, A. Shepherd, J. Blackburn; C. Lowes, S. Hudson

Subs: N. Martin, J. Proctor, C. Smith, C. Short

Sundeerland RCA: R. Dean; M. Allen, L. Green, G. Swansbury, S. Lilley; R. Leonard, C. Hodgson, D. Elliott,  D. Moan; M. Davison, N. O'Neill 

Subs K. Davis, A. Croft,  M. Charlton, H. Dorward, T. McAloon.

RCA gave a starting debut to Ryan Leonard after his impressive cameo on Saturday, one of a number of changes forced on RCA. Steve Callen, Ross McNab and Clayton Davis were missing through injury from Saturday’s team, with Ross Preston also still sidelined. With Lewis Green and Dom Moan also coming into the starting line up it was a very young looking RCA team that started the match.

Ref Leo Howard got the game underway, after an immaculately observed minute’s silence for Andy Curtis who served Northallerton for many years and will be sadly missed,. The game began in an open manner and at a quick pace with RCA attacking immediately and forcing a corner. Northallerton looked lively and pressed hard, O'Neill would have scored, but for a marginal offside, and a good save by Dean saved RCA after Dom Moan was robbed. Northallerton forced a couple of corners in the first ten minutes but found captain Swansbury in fine form and marshalling his young defensive partners well, while Robbie Dean started, as he went on all night, with top class handling and anticipation.

Stephen Callen celebrates after scoring RCA's winning goal.

Please click here for match photos by Simon Mears.

After the emotionally charged match on Saturday there was a different feel about the replay as both teams realised that there had to be a result here tonight, bragging rights apart there was the matter of progressing in the FA Cup competition. RCA’s management team made one change to the line up with Mark Davison returning to replace Michael Charlton, they also made a change to their formation.

The opening minutes of the game were very tentative as both teams tried to settle into there respective game plans. The visitors were the first to have a chance as Callen latched onto a ball from Hodgson, dribbled past two defenders before   stabbing the ball towards goal where Winter managed to get a hand to it and the ball was eventually scrambled clear for a corner. Davison headed the resulting corner wide of the post. The Welfare responded quickly and a ball from Trewick was picked up by Rae who sent in a low drive which brought a good save from Dean in the RCA goal.