Sunderland RCA suffered a third defeat in as many games as they fell to a second half comeback away to Chester-le-Street Town on Tuesday evening.
The visitors started the game excellently and deservedly took the lead through James McGeorge five minutes before the break.
However, a nine minute spell that saw Scott Robson score twice and Brad Forster receive his marching orders for a second bookable offence saw RCA walk away from Moor Park empty handed.
Mark Forrest made three changes from the weekend’s defeat to Tow Law Town. Chris Thompson, Forster, and McGeorge came into the XI replacing Owen Imeson, Archie Dodds, and Dom Moan.
Ryhope were quick out of the traps as McGeorge and Thompson had a number of efforts saved or blocked inside the first two minutes.
RCA’s counter-attacking play continued to cause the Cestrians problems and it was Kyle Fryatt who was this time denied by a strong Max Campbell save.
The hosts enjoyed the majority of possession, but failed to create anything substantial from open play. Chester-le-Street thought their luck had changed when a whipped free-kick from the right was flicked on and headed in at the back post, but the offside flag was up.
Lewis Lukeman was next to take aim for RCA as he cut inside from the right and fired just wide from distance with his left foot.
The closest RCA came in this spell was from a dead ball. Andre Bennett took aim with a free-kick from 30 yards, Campbell was stranded, and the ball bounced off the post and away.
Forrest and his coaching staff will have been wondering how his side weren’t ahead, but they weren’t scratching their heads for much longer as Fryatt chased a ball over from Bennett and made his way into the area.
He cut back and stood up a brilliant cross for McGeorge to meet at the back post and head RCA into the lead.
Chester almost levelled shortly after, but Lewis Charlton did well to deny James Fairley.
It was more of the same after the break for the first 15 minutes, RCA looked dangerous on the break and CLS Town struggled to create. On 63 minutes, a long range shot changed everything.
Seemingly frustrated with the lack of options available to him, Tyler Brownsword let fly from 40 yards with a fierce strike that Charlton needed to push beyond the post.
Mark Anderson’s resulting corner was met by the elite goalscorer Robson and out of nowhere the hosts were back on terms.
The game’s defining moment came just three minutes later. Charlton went down in the area following a collision, the referee decided to play on and Cestrians were able to find a cross that Robson once again diverted on target and Town were suddenly in the lead.
Protests from the bench earned coach Paul Wilkinson a yellow card, but many of an RCA persuasion were baffled at how play was allowed to continue.
Things went from bad to worse on 73 minutes as Brad Forster upended Robson on the edge of the area and was shown a second yellow card. Charlton did well to push the resulting free-kick wide.
Chester-le-Street controlled proceedings from there on out and missed good chances through substitutes Liam Arthur and Aaron Zamor.
RCA looked to get the ball forward where possible, but nothing was doing for the 10 men as the hosts claimed the win.
Chester-le-Street: Campbell, Little, Nicholson, Anderson, Brownsword, Munro, Hindson, Payne (Zamor 46), Robson (Arthur 77), Fairley, Barber (Beattie 46).
Sunderland RCA: L. Charlton, Richards, Patterson, Bennett, Fowler, Forster, Guy (Imeson 78), Thompson (Dodds 82), Fryatt, Lukeman, McGeorge (Moan 73).
