Inside Out, shirts inside out in support of Suicide Prevention Day, 10th September 2019

7th September 2019

Goalless draws can often be drab and uneventful affairs, this game was no exception to that rule. Neither side particularly done enough in the game to gain an upper hand in what was a battle of attrition. The fixture must now be settled in a replay this coming Wednesday. Dunston were without the services of Michael Pearson as Luke Page lined up against his former team mates. Page had the first significant effort of the game, drilling a low shot narrowly wide of the upright as Cedwyn Scott had done well to hold up the ball against two defenders and create the chance. The opening 10 minutes were scrappy as the ball spent most of it ’ s time collecting air miles.

The home side had half chances through Fitzpatrick and Marrs but The RCA defence had yet to be seriously tested. The same could be said of the home sides defence also. RCA looked destined to score on 22 minutes through Ryan Leonard. The pacy winger had jinked and shimmied his way into the Dunston the box, preparing to pull the trigger and fire into the top corner, Dunston defender Craig Scott performed a sublime sliding tackle to prevent the ball from leaving the wingers boot. A Mark Davison header for the visitors flashed wide of Dunston ’s goal as Leonard fired a powerful cross into the danger area. Michael Hall went close to breaking the dead lock, his effort wide of the upright, Cedwyn Scott creating the chance in what had been Dunston best move of the game.

Scott Heslop and Cedwyn Scott had efforts shortly after, Heslop with a half volley from distance, which went narrowly wide of the away sides post, following an effort from Cedwyn Scott who had seen his curling effort blocked by an RCA defender. In the closing stages of an uninspiring first half, Dylan Elliott blazed an effort over Drydens goal from a Ryan Leonard cross. Dan Halliday had burst down the right hand side for Dunston to deliver a superb cross from the byline for Liam Marrs, his effort did little to trouble Robert Dean ’ s goal as the referee brought a close to a first half which had gone by without either side gaining any superiority in the game.

In the opening stages of the second half it was Dunston who looked the more likely to open the scoring. Fitzpatrick had an effort from close range saved by Dean, Dunston were looking to knock balls into runs and started to show greater composure on the ball. Luke Page tried to assert himself in the middle of the park but too many times found himself without an option or held onto the ball for too long as RCA coped well with Dunston ’s attempts to carve out opportunities. Fitzpatrick was denied a goal by Dean with an overhead volley, the forward picked out by Dan Capewell from a delivery out wide. Luke Page lashed an effort over the frame of the RCA goal as Fitzpatrick and Marrs had combined well on the edge of the box. Dan Capewell rose well at the back post from a Liam Marrs corner, Capewells headed effort fizzing over the crossbar as the game remained goalless.

Cedwyn Scott squandered a good chance to break the dead lock for Dunston, with the ball fortuitously falling to him, he snatched at his effort and hit the resulting shot over the bar as keeper Robert Dean struggled to get back to his goal line. With 20 minutes remaining Mark Fitzpatrick was to take no further part in the game. Seemingly in on goal the forward was brought down by RCA captain Greg Swansbury. Some may call it a professional foul, if such a thing exists, or a cynical tackle to prevent the home side with a clear effort on goal.

Regardless, Dunston s top scorer was to be replaced by Liam Brooks with Swansbury earning a yellow card for his nefarious efforts. Liam Marrs stepped up to bend his free kick around the RCA wall, his set piece was collected easily by Dean as the effort, although accurate, lacked significant power. RCA’ s Stephen Callen rode a series of challenges as he burst through the middle of the park, his shot from the edge of the box was gathered comfortably by Dunston keeper Karl Dryden.

The visitors had a decent chance to open the scoring in the last 15 minutes of the game, Kyle Davies heading from over a Nathan O ’ Neill delivery. Davies saw another chance go begging a few minutes later, curling a free kick narrowly over Dunston ’ s goal having been fouled by Scott Heslop. Robert Dean ensured he finished the game with a clean sheet, denying Cedwyn Scott with a superb save in the closing stages, the youngster having been picked out with a fantastic ball from Luke Page. Nathan O ’Neill could ’ve ended Dunston ’s FA Cup journey right at the death, however the tall forward was just unable to connect with a delivery from a wide position. The game was eventually brought to a close, with neither side able to break the other down.

RCA maybe the happier of the two sides, forcing a replay back at their place midweek against a side one level up from them in the non-league pyramid. For the third consecutive round Dunston must go to a replay.

The result was a fair one as moments of quality and entertainment were few and far between in a game that lacked genuine inspiration for the near 400 crowd who had attended.

Final score: Dunston FC - 0. Sunderland RCA - 0.

Dunston line up: Dryden, Marrs, Halliday (C), Craig Scott, Capewell, Grant-Soulsby, Heslop, Page Fitzpatrick (Brooks), Cedwyn Scott, Hall.Subs not used: Elliott, Ward, Lowther, Wright, Thear.

Dunston UTS Supporters Club Man of the Match award: Craig Scott.
Craig Scott is kindly sponsored by:
Home kit - Mr Billy Montague.
Away kit - Billy Irwin - Painter and Decorator.
Recovery equipment - McDonald Divine Sorbets

Match report by Dan Whalen