FA Vase: Ryton & Crawcrook Albion 5-1 RCA – Match Report
Sunderland RCA exited the FA Vase in the first qualifying round following a heavy defeat at fellow Northern League Division Two side Ryton & Crawcrook Albion. Jack Elliott’s seventh minute…
Sunderland RCA progressed to the second round of the Ernest Armstrong 2nd Division Cup via a penalty shootout against Park View AFC at Meadow Park on Tuesday night.
RCA went two ahead in normal time thanks to two Aiden Stanton goals either side of half time, and looked relatively comfortable as the game progressed.
The visitors were back in contention with just over 20 minutes to play after Joseph Sykes’ finish and would find an equaliser late on as Jacob Mallinson’s corner flew straight into the top corner.
Despite the comeback, Park View ended the game on the back foot as Ethan Connelly was given his marching orders for a second bookable offense in injury time.
Two excellent saves from Karl Dryden alongside expert penalties from all four home takers saw RCA win the shootout and progress to the second round.
Mark Forrest named an unchanged side from the last league outing against Ryton & Crawcrook Albion. Logan Herron was named on the bench following his arrival from Farringdon Detached.
Not much separated the sides in the first half, although Park View had the better opportunities.
Lively winger Charlie Loveday beat the offside trap two minutes in but couldn’t convert when in on goal.
Their next opening came 20 minutes later when Sam Beattie saw his shot saved and Bradley Hughes failed to finish the rebound, blazing over the bar from close range.
Dryden’s saves and Park View’s poor finishing came back to haunt them on 42 minutes as Stanton wriggled his way through the backline and finished smartly inside the area following good work from Callum Guy and Chris Thompson.
Just two minutes after half-time the forward had his second. Stanton rose highest to meet Archie Dodds’ right-sided corner at the near post and double the advantage.
The next 20 minutes went by without much incident, but slightly disappointing defending allowed Sykes to pounce and bring the visitors back within one on 69 minutes.
Park View were applying late pressure from thereon in, and it told in unlikely fashion. Mallinson’s looping corner from the left went over everyone’s heads and dropped in the far top corner on 88 minutes.
The visitors were looking to capitalise on the momentum, but a foul in the middle of the pitch a few moments later saw them redacted to 10. Second half substitute Connelly was booked for a second time and sent for an ever so slightly early bath.
Neither side could find a winner in stoppage time, so the tie went to penalties.
Jake Fowler got RCA off to the perfect start before Hughes levelled.
Stanton found the net for a third time with the next kick and RCA maintained the advantage as Dryden stuck out a leg to deny Ben Gallagher.
Jamie Harwood hammered his penalty home and another Dryden save, this time from Dylan Wilkinson, awarded debutant Herron the chance to seal the tie.
Herron’s kick proved decisive and booked RCA’s place in the next round where we will travel to Jarrow. Date and kick-off time will be confirmed in due course.
It’s back to league action for the lads on Saturday as we make the trip to Durham to face Esh Winning for a 3:00pm kick-off.
Sunderland RCA: Dryden, Patterson (Richards 66), Charlton, Moan (Tchounga 50), Fowler, Harwood, Lukeman (Monaghan 74), Thompson, Stanton, Dodds (Herron 66), Guy.
Park View AFC: Hughes, Grimaud, Frizzel (White 59), Hughes, Wilkinson, Robson (Sykes 58), Mallinson, Taylor (Gallagher 64), Beattie (Armstrong 59), Young (Connelly 65), Loveday.