Sunderland RCA made it back-to-back wins in the EBAC Northern League Division 2 in dramatic fashion away to Tow Law on Saturday afternoon.
Tow Law took the lead through Matty Ashworth midway through the first half, but RCA came out after the break determined to get a result and Aiden Stanton equalised with over 20 minutes to play.
Both sides pushed for a winner, and it was Calvin McCarthy who was quickest to a forward ball deep in stoppage time to send the travelling contingent wild at the Ironworks Road Ground.
Various absences meant Mark Forrest and his management team had to make five changes from the side that beat Grangetown Boys Club last weekend.
Kieran Ezard made his first appearance since rejoining the club in goal, while Jackson Ward, Luke Richards, Matt Soulsby and Nathan Simpson were also awarded starts.
It was a lively start in County Durham with Stanton going close from an early corner before Ezard was called into action to get behind a strong effort from distance.
On eight minutes, Ward almost found an opener as Stanton teed the winger up with his chest. Ward arguably struck it too cleanly as it rocketed straight into Leo Strange in the Tow Law goal.
While both teams entered this game near the bottom end of the table, they had each picked up victories in their last outings.
That confidence was on full display in an entertaining opening quarter of the game as Joe Alderson flicked a half-volley onto the bar for the hosts.
An engaging contest had its first goal on 24 minutes as Ashworh picked up the ball on the left and showed great footwork to beat both Simpson and Luke Richards before curling into the far corner.
RCA were behind and it looked like going from bad to worse when it was clear that Ezard’s knock from an early challenge was seriously impacting his mobility.
With no goalkeeper on the bench to call upon, Ezard bravely continued after half time when the game swung back in the visitor’s favour.
An energetic start to the second half from RCA saw Lewis Lukeman have an effort blocked, Stanton’s dangerous ball turned just over the bar by Lawyers defender Norton Tomlinson, and Strange making an excellent flying save to deny a Simpson header.
Pressure was building and RCA continued to occupy Tow Law territory as Simpson and Kieran Charlton both saw shots saved just after the hour.
If a team was ever due a bit of fortune, it was the lads from Ryhope, and it came on 68 minutes.
Stanton received the ball from Ward on the right, picked his head up, and struck the ball over the ‘keeper and into the far corner for an extraordinary leveller.
That’s two in two and eight for the season for the young striker. Given his goal record, we’ll be generous and say he meant it.
He almost had another immediately afterwards, but his strike was well saved by Strange.
The next 20 or so minutes were open without producing many chances as both sides were clearly pushing for a winner while remaining cautious about throwing away a point.
Strange in the Tow Law goal had been excellent at sprinting from his line to collect any forward ball that threatened his area throughout the game.
However, six minutes into stoppage time, the stopper made a decision fit for his surname.
Archie Dodds played a teasing ball forward that Strange nor the closest defender was willing to claim, allowing substitute McCarthy to nip between them, poke the ball through, and tap into an empty net for an incredible winner right at the last.
A result that RCA’s second half thoroughly warranted sees them go 12 points clear of their opposition and only three from the top half.
RCA will look to make it three wins on the bounce as we welcome high-flying FC Hartlepool to Meadow Park next Saturday for a 3:00pm kick-off.
Tow Law Town: Strange, Tomlinson, J. Alderson, Wymer, Shelves, McWaters (K. Alderson 74), Whitfield, Bennett (Berry 46), Ashworth (Prudhoe 64), Mitchell (Dominic 64), Wilson.
Sunderland RCA: Ezard, Richards, Charlton, Fowler, Soulsby, Tchounga, Ward (McCarthy 72), Dodds, Stanton (Thomas 90+7), Lukeman, Simpson (Clark 87).
Attendance: 50