Sunday Team

Rawdon FC 3 Sunderland RCA 3 AET - Rawdon went through 3 - 0 on penalties

Carlsberg All England Sunday FA Cup First Round

Sunday, 14 October 2007, played at Pool FC, in Wharfdale

RCA travelled to Yorkshire for their first try at the All England Sunday FA Cup and came home feeling slightly agrieved, having lost on penalties after a 3-3 draw at 90 minutes and no further scoring during extra time.

The first half was pretty much even, with both sides creating openings only to waste the chances or have both keepers making decent saves, but RCA went ahead on 40 minutes, thanks to an own goal 1-0 up at half time.

In the second half Rawdon started to exert more pressure but the RCA back line held firm and Willie Crew increased the lead on 60 minutes scoring after a mix up in Rawdon's defence let him in to walk the ball into an empty net. Rawdon pulled a goal back after putting two subs on and catching out the RCA defence with a well known 'dummy' corner routine that allowed a free run into the box, a cross to the far post and a free header. Rawdon then equalised with a deflected strike to set up a cracking last 10 minutes. RCA then re-took the lead when Andy Gilbert tucked a low shot into the net and it looked like RCA were about to go through to the second round, but a quick throw in again caught us napping and a cross into the box found a Rawdon sub, who had no trouble volleying home in the 93rd minute, with the last action of the game.

Extra time produced no further scoring and RCA then proceeded to miss all three of their penalties taken and Rawdon scoring all three of theirs, despite goalkeeper Chris Errington going the correct way every time, but just not getting enough to prevent the goals.

All in all, a very good game that has whetted all our appetites for next year's competition and we should be rightly proud of the club and the supporters who tavelled and represented Sunderland RCA. This can be confirmed by club chairman Owen Haley who travelled down with us. Roll on next year.