Sunderland RCA earned a second successive league draw as they kept a first clean sheet in 17 games away at Alnwick Town.
Both sides had their chances at St James’ Park, with Lewis Lukeman and Jackson Ward coming closest with first-half efforts for the visitors.
Alnwick almost won it at the death, but Michael Law’s close range header somehow evaded the goal and it ended all-square.
Mark Forrest made two changes from last week’s 1-1 result against Boldon CA. Jake Fowler’s suspension saw him replaced by Max Monaghan, while Ward returned to the starting XI in place of Logan Herron.
It took a while for each team to find a rhythm on a bitterly cold afternoon in Northumberland.
The first chance fell RCA’s way on 34 minutes as a delightful Callum Guy dummy saw Archie Dodds go through on goal.
Dodds’ was denied by a pair of Joshua Iley challenges as the ball went behind for a corner.
Perhaps Ryhope’s best chance of the afternoon arrived just two minutes later when Luke Richards drove forward from full-back into the area and picked out Lewis Lukeman.
The attacking midfielder was leaning back slightly as he took aim and his first-time effort flew just over the bar.
Another opportunity came and went just before the break as Dodds went down after being caught by a stray arm.
Everyone around the ball stopped, except for Christopher Thompson, and the ball was fed to Ward just inside the area.
Ward checked onto his left and fired across goal as the ball flew agonisingly wide of the far post.
Despite showing little attacking prowess in the first half, nearly every opportunity after half time went the way of the hosts.
Just before the hour Karl Dryden had to get down well to deny Jamie Clark from 18 yards.
Alnwick’s best opportunity so far came on 66 minutes when a deep in-swining corner was met by Iley’s head, rattling the RCA post.
A recycled set piece not long afterwards fell kindly for Town’s Max Anderson, but he could only drag his shot wide.
RCA’s best effort of the half came from an awkward Dodds free-kick two minutes before the end of normal time.
The effort bounced several times on its way towards goal and Benjamin Luke had to be alert to divert around the post.
The game’s best chance was fittingly its last. A left-sided cross in stoppage time was helped back across goal by George Hedley for fellow substitute Law, and home heads were in hands as the forward failed to nod home from inside the six yard box.
A draw was probably a fair result on balance, but Sunderland RCA will look to turn recent stalemates into wins as they welcome local rivals Sunderland West End to Meadow Park on Boxing Day for an 11:00AM kick-off.
Alnwick Town: Luke, Dobie, Bright, Baston, Iley, Wilkinson, Walker (Aziakanou 64), Smith (Hedley 81), Anderson (Hayes 88), Clark, Agostinho (Laws 64).
Sunderland RCA: Dryden, Richards, Monaghan, Charlton, Harwood, Thompson, Dodds, Moan, Lukeman, Guy, Ward (Richardson 64).