TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE
We have blogs from both of yesterday’s matches:
Sunderland RCA 1 Seaham Red Star 1 – Ebac Northern League Division One
It was points shared in an entertaining draw when Sunderland RCA and Seaham met in a bank holiday derby, with RCA reduced to 10 men in the closing stages of the game.
Red Star had the first chance of the game in the 12th minute, when Lee Kerr’s free kick was met by Mark Waite who guided his header onto the crossbar.
The visitors took the lead just four minutes later when Daniel Sayer laid the ball off to James Robinson, before the midfielder placed his effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the box – despite Jonathan Ball getting a hand to the strike.
RCA had a chance of their own in the 40th minute when Thomas Best’s cross fell into the path of Simon Jakab, who could only send his effort over the bar from close range.
The home side grew into the game in the second half and went close to levelling 67 minutes in, when Jonathan Carr fired just over from the edge of the area.
RCA were awarded a penalty in the 77th minute when Joseph Hailes tripped Michael Annang-Colqohiun in the area.
Mark Davison stepped up and slotted home the penalty in the bottom corner – sending Andrew Jennison the wrong way.
RCA were reduced to 10 in the 89th minute when Ball brought down Thomas Lawson just outside the area – resulting in a red card and free kick.
The resulting free kick from Kerr was tipped onto the bar by Jakab – who had taken the gloves since the home side had already made all three subs.
Both RCA and Seaham Red Star play in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round in their next games, as they travel to Northern Premier League Division East sides Stockton Town and Marske United respectively.
Adam Gill
Northallerton Town 2 Guisborough Town 2 – Ebac Northern League Division One
A flurry of goals just before half-time brightened what was a somewhat lacklustre game. For just over quarter of an hour it was stalemate, with both teams cancelling each other out. Games two days previously for both sides probably didn’t help with energy levels.
For almost half an hour all the shots were straight at, and were easy take for the keepers; although Guisborough were edging it when it came to possession and building moves and attacks.
The closest either came to scoring was in the 28th minute when a 50/50 ball in the Guisborough box spun Lewis Rees’ way and the Northallerton No. 11’s half-volley was punched away for a corner, with Guisborough keeper Robert Dean having to make another save from a follow-up shot.
Guisborough captain Callum Martin opened the scoring after Steven Roberts chipped the ball into Louis Johnson who was able to knock it to Martin with the No. 7 scoring from a couple of yards out, the ball going in off the legs of Northallerton keeper Thomas Dawson. From the re-start Northallerton levelled it up with their first attack in response, with Rees meeting a cross by Cieran Jackson putting a glancing header past Dean and into the net.
Referee Jack Hall turned down a penalty appeal by Guisborough after a tackle on Roberts. Opinion was divided (* – see below) among a group of us about when it was a foul or whether the defender had got the ball before contact. Two minutes later Northallerton took the lead, with Jackson turning provider again. After regaining control of the ball close to the edge of the Guisborough area, he passed it to Andrew Shepherd who was able to hit it across Dean to make it 2-1.
There weren’t too many highlights in the second half.
Northallerton did a containing job on Guisborough, while the visitors lacked a creative spark to convert their attacks. Halfway through the half Northallerton No. 10 Nathan Stephenson had a shot from about 20 yards out that Dean got a hand to, pushing it out for a corner.
And then, with four minutes left, Guisborough got a deserved equaliser when Northallerton failed to clear the ball and a Harry Ord strike drew them level.
(* Opinion was also divided about the merits of Guisborough’s green away kit, and there was also a colour clash involved the keepers, with both wearing the same luminescent orange kit.)
Mike Snowdon
