Saturday 5th December 2009
Durham County Lomax Under 18 League
Well a moderate crowd in attendance today, understandable in that the CW first team were in a semi final cup game at Redcar, with the RCA first team in a vital promotion battle at North Shields.
The game opened up at a frantic pace with Lee Andrews bringing out a great save from Daniel Douglas in the opening exchanges. A very young home side were really getting tested and did well delaying the breakthrough which came after 20 minutes. Crinson fed Mather down the right and in a 50/50 race with former RCA defender Anth Gamble, it was the midfielder who stretched to pull the ball back across the goal where left sider Kieran Stokoe raced in to tap home. Minutes later a further cross from the right was crossed in which Andrews connected with a raking volley that was kept out by the keeper with shouts that the ball had crossed the line. The referee, former SAFC player Peter Stronach who was having an excellent game, was well up with play and well positioned to see that the ball had not crossed over.
However RCA were not to be denied and on 35 minutes a corner was drilled in with perfection from full back Peter Deary and RCA captain Jonny Davis rose like a salmon, the perfect header into the top corner of the net. 0 - 2 at halftime.
The second half was clearly going to be a long one for the CW lads, after the first attack of the second half saw more good work from Crinson down the right, the ball crossed in again and Stokoe again found space to knock the ball home. CW to their credit raised their level and centre backs Moon and Dunn had to be alive to break away moves. Decent efforts were hit from distance but Graeme Pickering in the RCA goal was looking assured and dealing competently with good hands.
Jordan Cook in the centre of midfield began exchanging passes with Davis and Mather and half chances were being created. Eventually though it was a longer pass from the centre circle that cleared the heads of the CW centre halves and Andrews sprinted clear to slot home to make it four on the hour mark. The game was over as a contest and it was no surprise when Stokoe again got in down the left; he beat the full back and with options of getting his hat trick he pulled the ball back for team mate Crinson who slotted home the fifth. More goals were likely and Luke Olabode nearly extended the lead twice getting in, but agonisingly pulling the ball inches past the post.
The closing minutes though brought the goal of the match. Several passes were exchanged from the back through midfield to the front,
where the ball found centre half Dunn who had continued his run. Dummying to go right on the edge of the 18 yard box, he took three defenders out of the game; pushing the ball onto his left he then despatched the ball with aplomb into the top right corner of the net
(capping off a MoM performance from the management point of view). 6 - 0 was very harsh on the CW lads as overall this was a good display from some very willing young players.
RCA Seniors at the top of the Northern League Div 2, RCW Seniors at the top of the Wearside League. Never happened in history lets hope it's the same at the end of the season. The future is good with the young tadpoles of the youth sides certainly finding their feet and more than a few will be swimming in the big pond soon, creating very big ripples, trust me.