Sunderland RCA ended an eight game wait for a Northern League Division Two win whilst simultaneously extending their unbeaten run to six with an emphatic 3-0 win away at Billingham Town.
Lewis Lukeman put RCA ahead early on at Bedford Terrace and then doubled the lead shortly after half time with one of the goals of the season.
The visitors held their shape excellently and were rewarded when Shay Pye registered his first RCA goal from the bench with two minutes to play.
Billingham Town ended the game with 10 men as Charlie Watt was given a sin bin just prior to RCA’s third goal.
Mark Forrest and his management team made two changes to last week’s team at the same ground as Simmi Tchabo-Tchounga returned to replace the injured Jamie Harwood, while Taylor Richardson started up top after a positive cameo last time out.
The hosts were on the front foot early on, but found themselves behind after just eight minutes when Lukeman finished into the bottom corner after Chris Thompson was denied by George Briggs.
Billy Town were close to finding an immediate equaliser, but skipper Matt Robinson couldn’t find the target with his header from a corner.
Much like the game against Yarm & Eaglescliffe last week, RCA were resilient and difficult to break down. The host’s next chance came when Joel White controlled the ball well in the area but blazed over following another set-piece.
RCA could’ve doubled their lead a few minutes before the break as an almighty scramble ensued inside the Town penalty area. Jackson Ward had a couple of efforts blocked and Thompson couldn’t quite divert towards goal as the ball went behind for a corner.
Town will have wondered how they didn’t go into half time level, though. In stoppage time, Charlie Watt was through on goal following a quick break and aimed for the top left corner. To the relief of everyone in red and white, the ball flew just over.
It wouldn’t be long before the hosts were rueing that missed opportunity as Lukeman doubled his tally for the evening on 49 minutes with a belter.
The midfielder won the ball brilliantly in midfield before chasing to keep it in play on the left touchline. He then worked back inside, taking on two opposition players on the way, and fired into the far top corner with a truly magnificent strike that will no doubt be played time and time again for the remainder of the season.
Lukeman’s excellent brace gave an already solid RCA defense a great platform for the remainder of the game.
Dom Moan had to be replaced at half time which meant another tactical tweak was required.
Captain Thompson moved into midfield, Jack Patterson moved into the back three, and substitute Alberto Dumba came on to play right wing-back.
Each player did brilliantly in their required roles as home chances were kept to a minimum.
Karl Dyrden collected crosses well and made a good save to preserve consecutive clean sheets, while Kyle Harrison and Pye were introduced to form a strike partnership with a combined age of just 34.
Despite their teenage status, both forwards did excellently to provide an outlet after coming on.
Pye looked to bend into the far corner on 85 minutes as the ball went narrowly wide, but he wouldn’t have to wait long for his stellar work to be rewarded.
Shortly after Charlie Watt was sin-binned for dissent, Archie Dodds sent Pye away on the break. The 16-year-old showed composure well beyond his years as he beat his man on multiple occasions to open his body up and find the bottom corner to round-off an excellent away performance.
Sunderland RCA will hope to follow-up the victory as they travel to Chester-le-Street Town on Saturday 14th February for a 3:00pm kick-off.
Billingham Town: Briggs, White, Hogan (Butler 75), Littlefair, Barry (Snow 86), Southall, Robinson, Stiff (J. Watt 64), Mitchell (Myers 63), Stephenson, C. Watt.
Sunderland RCA: Dryden, Thompson, Dodds, Moan (Dumba 45), Tchounga (Newall 88), Charlton, Nicholas, Patterson, Ward (Harrison 68), Lukeman, Richardson (Pye 74).
Attendance: 142