Match reports

Kieran Graham in second half action.

Goalscorers: SRCA: Wightman, Hughes. Morpeth: None

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Sunderland RCA were at home to FA Vase finalists Morpeth Town. This was Morpeth’s third match this week having already played on Monday (won against Washington) and Wednesday (lost against West Auckland) while we had already played against Marske on Tuesday, so both teams fielded changed teams for tonight’s match.

At 5:30pm this match was in doubt as torrential rain and sleet poured down on Meadow Park. The match referee, Mr Barry Gordon arrived to inspect the pitch at 5:45pm and declared it playable. The ground staff are to be applauded for the efforts they made in getting this game on.

The RCA management team had a dilemma defensively with the suspension of Buchanan and the injuries to Richardson and Armstrong and so Byrne was drafted in with Larkin moving from striker to central defence and two wingers, Lane and Gordon taking up defensive full back positions. Hughes and Wightman and McCulloch returned to the team which was as follows: McCulloch, Gordon, Lane, Byrne, Larkin, Noble, Graham, Charlton, Wightman, Hughes and Callen, subs: Butler, Woud and Proctor.

Midfield class from Thomas Butler. 

Goal scorers: Bay: Kempster SRCA: Larkin, Hope.

RCA’s injury ravished team travelled through the Tyne Tunnel to play Whitley Bay, and the injury crisis went from bad to worse as first Kevin Gordon declared himself unfit with a neck injury and then James Armstrong was injured in the warm up and replaced by Luke Richardson.

The good news was the return to the starting eleven of Michael Charlton after a lengthy absence with an ankle injury. Thomas Butler and Ross McNab were also recalled by the management team.

Whitley Bay were also suffering with injuries and had a number of players were nursing little knocks. The Bay team also included ex RCA players Callum Patton and Ashley Davis.

Both teams still required points to ensure first division survival for next season and with the fixture backlog it was becoming impossible to forecast what sort of team clubs would be able to field.

A well-timed interception stops this Consett attack.

Goal scorers: Consett: Sweet (2), Smith, Craggs and Gray SRCA: Larkin.

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RCA faced another trip to the new Belle View Stadium this time to play Consett who, unlike ourselves, have shown signs of improvement in the last few weeks.

The jubilation and excitement of a few months ago have all but disappeared at RCA as we struggled to muster a team for this match and morale is very low at the moment. We need to get the spring back into our step after another disappointing performance.

The team, as usual, was much changed from the side that lost last Thursday at Ashington: McCulloch, Noble, Richardson, Buchanan, Byrne, Butler, Lane, Hope, Larkin, Hatch, Gordon: Subs: Charlton, Woud, Graham and Wightman.

RCA’s Kevin Gordon gets in an athletic interception in the second half of the match.

Goalscorers: Shildon: Greulich-Smith, Wood, Connor SRCA: None.

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Please click here for Tom Clegg's photos.

Please click here for Shildon AFC TV's video from the match.

Please click here for post match audio from Shildon manager, Gary Forrest.

We travelled to table topping Shildon, 18 points clear with nine games in hand, for today’s league match.

With 10 games to play in the final month of the season we look to have secured enough points to make us safe although it would be better if we could get another two or three points on the board.

Before the start of the game we were informed that regular first team keeper, Jordan Harkess had been rushed to hospital with a broken jaw and possible fractured skull and we wish him a speedy recovery.

The return of Gordon from injury was the only plus at the management team looked at the selection of the team today; side-lined, are Armstrong (suspension) Charlton, Cummings, Davis and Larkin (injuries) and Hatch and Cresswell (working).

The final selection was Woud, Richardson, McNab, Buchanan, Graham, Butler, Lane, Hope, Callen, Jennings, Gordon: Subs: Proctor, Davis, Hughes, Cummings, Larkin.