Match reports

Mark Davison's sublime free-kick flies into the net.

More photos from the match are here.

Connor Lamb's match report is here.

'A Life of Pie', the Northern League Blog is here.

At the third time of asking, the previous two called off due to bad weather, Sunderland RCA welcomed Ashington to Sunderland LGV Park for this Ebac Northern Legue Div. I fixture.

RCA were unbeaten in their last four matches while Ashington had won only one of their last four. However matches between these two sides have always been very competitive so an entertaining night was in prospect.

With no new injury worries the RCA management team were able to name an unchanged side for the third game in a row.

The teams lined up as follows:

SRCA:  Dean, Allen, McNab, Preston, Swansbury ©, Best, Elliott, O’Neill, Davison, K Davis Lawson. Subs: C Davis, Ezard, Leonard, Hennis, Moan.

Ashington: McHugh, Gibson, Gaffney, Edwards, Coppen, Bramley, Luke, Ross, Johnston, Brannen, Slater. Subs: Robson, Williamson, Kalthubber, Biwer, Scott.

Goal scorer Mark Davison on the attack during the second half of the match.

More photos from the match are here.

Sunderland RCA welcomed local rivals Ryhope CW to Sunderland LGV Park for the last match of 2019 for yet another Ryhope Derby, the fifth this season.

Injuries continue to blight RCA with the latest news that Stephen Callen is likely to miss the remainder if the season with ankle ligaments damage.

The RCA management team made a tactical change for this match in an effort to win the mid-field battle which, in previous encounters between the two teams, had been largely dominated by Hotchkiss and Co. Sacrificing two wide players for a more compact central midfield playing a 4-3-1-2 formation.

There were number of changes from the last match played against Northallerton Town with Dorward, Lilley, Hennis, Ramshaw, Callen and Leonard replaced by Allen, Swansbury, Elliott, Davison, K Davis and making his debut for RCA Tom Best on Work Experience from Hull City.

The teams lined up as follows:

SRCA:  Dean, Allen, McNab, Preston, Swansbury ©, Best, Elliott, O’Neill, Davison, K Davis Lawson Subs: Lilley, Ezard, Leonard, Dorward, Moan.

Ryhope CW: Winter, Braithwaite, Walker, Riding ©, Lay, Trewick, Weirs, Hotchkiss, Rae, Bird, Judson, Subs: Harkess, Wallace, Vincent, Ellis, Jones.

RCA travelled to Spennymoor Town for this Durham Challenge Cup 2nd round match after knocking out Dunston in the previous round.

A number of injuries caused selection problems for the RCA management team with Swansbury, Hodgson, Elliott and C Davis all ruled out and Hennis and Leonard both cup-tied. To compound the problem Spennymoor were fielding a strong team which included 10 first team players, three of them regulars.

The teams lined up as follows:

Spennymoor Town: Gould, Wilkinson, Brown, Ward, Magmay, Mason ©, Hall, Anderson, Boyes, Cogdon, Johnson. Subs: Webb, Nicholson, Mitchell, Hindson, Harker.

SRCA:  Dean, Allen, McNab, Lilley, Preston ©, O’Neill, Dorward, Moan, Davison, Callen, Lawson. Subs: Charlton, Ezard, Green, Elliott, Swansbury.

Craig Hodgson retains possession during the second half of the match.

For more photos from the match please click here.

Sunderland RCA travelled to Bishopton Road West, home of high flying Stockton Town in this EBAC Northern league clash.

Almost a month has gone by since RCA’s last match against Bishop Auckland which ended in a 2 – 1 defeat.

A number of enforced changes due to work commitments saw Dorward, Preston and Leonard replaced McNab, Callen and Lilley in the starting eleven.

The teams lined up as follows:

Stockton Town: L Roberts, King, McWilliams, Portas,  Nicholson(c); Coulthard, Hayes, Robinson, Mulligan, Owens, M Roberts.

Subs: Craggs, Bulmer, Steele, Risborough, Jackson.

Sunderland RCA:  Dean, Allen, Dorward, Preston, Swansbury ©, Hodgson, C Davis, Elliott, Davison, Hennis, Leonard.

Subs: Moan, Ezard, Lilley, O’Neill, Lawson.