RCA 4-5 Ryton & Crawcrook Albion – Match Report

Sunderland RCA exited the Brooks Mileson League Cup in the first round despite an Aiden Stanton hat-trick in a nine goal thriller against Ryton & Crawcrook Albion at Meadow Park.

Ryton took the lead after three minutes with a corker from Morgan Dart, but by the 10 minute mark RCA had turned it around through Lewis Lukeman and Stanton’s first.

A flurry of attacks saw the visitors take a commanding 4-2 lead as Louis Calvert, Nathan Beesley, and Louis Anderson all finished in the span of seven minutes.

The hosts found a route back into the game as Lukeman won a penalty on 73 minutes that was converted by Stanton, but the two goal cushion was restored through an impressive Callum Johnston strike six minutes later.

It was blink and you’ll miss it stuff as Stanton completed his hat-trick with a close range header less than 60 seconds after the restart, but RCA couldn’t find an equaliser.

Mark Forrest and his management team made just one change from Saturday’s win over Prudhoe YC. Young defender Jack Patterson replaced unavailable skipper Christopher Thompson, with Jake Fowler wearing the armband for Tuesday’s tie.

An electric opening spell began with one of the goals of the season so far as Dart gained possession in his own half, drove forward, and arrowed a shot into the far top corner from range to give the visitors the lead.

It was a swift response just a couple of minutes later, though, as Nathan Simpson’s cross was headed out to Lukeman who found the bottom corner with a precise half-volley.

The punters were certainly getting their money’s worth as 10 minutes in, the third goal of the evening arrived.

Archie Dodds received the ball on halfway and picked out Stanton with a superb ball over the top. The forward finished like a man in form low past goalkeeper Thomas White.

RCA had several opportunities to extend the lead in the opening quarter of the game, the two best both falling to Callum Guy.

First, Guy picked up on a loose defensive pass from Ryton and saw his shot tipped just beyond the post by White before being denied again by the visiting stopper, this time with a close-range volley following Fowler’s looped pass.

After weathering the storm on a rainy night in SR2, Ryton began to apply some pressure and forced a good save from Karl Dryden via Rhys McLeod.

Just after the half hour mark it seemed certain that Albion had found an equaliser when Calvert squared for Anderson, but Dom Moan’s timely sliding tackle preserved his side’s lead.

The resistance only lasted so long, however. Calvert flicked in on the line following Beesley’s downward header to level things once again.

Three minutes later and Ryton were back ahead, this time Beesley’s header required no help on its way in. 

And on 40 minutes Albion were at it again as Anderson rose highest to meet Fergus Lynch’s dangerous right-sided delivery.

A whirlwind first half was followed by a slightly more subdued second as RCA changed shape in an attempt to work their way back into the game for a second time.

It seemed like all the game’s excitement had been used up in the first 45 until the 73rd minute when Lukeman was brought down in the area by Lynch for a penalty.

Stanton stepped up and converted confidently to bring the hosts back within one.

The gap was widened yet again, though, six minutes later as Callum Johnston cut inside on his right foot and curled brilliantly into the far top corner.

That surely put the result beyond doubt… for about 30 seconds.

Jackson Ward charged down the left before delivering an excellent cross for Stanton to head home for his seventh goal in his last five games.

RCA huffed and puffed for the remaining 10 minutes, but couldn’t force a shootout as Ryton progressed to the second round.

Sunderland RCA: Dryden, Richards (Davis 75), Charlton (Tchounga 46), Moan, Fowler (Monaghan 46), Patterson, Simpson (Knight 74), Dodds, Stanton, Lukeman, Guy (Ward 74).

Ryton & Crawcrook Albion: White, Beesley, Dart, Lynch (Fletcher 84), Hayton, Dodds, Groves-Forbes, Hyde (Parker 60), Anderson (Skivington 80), McLeod, Calvert (Johnston 67).

Attendance: 84