SUNDERLAND RCA FC v DUNSTON FC
Report by Billy Montague
Wednesday 11th September 2019
Emirates FA Cup – 1 st Round Qualifying Replay
Dunston manager Chris Swailes had to cope with the absence of Craig Scott and the injured Mark Fitzpatrick for what looked like a very tricky FA Cup Replay at the home of Sunderland RCA who had turned in a gritty performance at the UTS Stadium in the 0-0 stalemate at the weekend. The visitors began in determined style and took the game to RCA in the early exchanges.
In the 3rd minute Scott Heslop made a great run into the box and teed up Luke Page who appeared to be bundled to the ground but the referee waved away the loud penalty appeals and the ball was scrambled away for a corner. The flag-kick was only partially cleared to Cedwyn Scott who set up Liam Brooks and his powerful low shot scraped narrowly past the far post with nobody able to apply a final touch. On five minutes Scott Heslop slipped Cedwyn Scott through on goal and as keeper Robert Dean rushed from his goal, the Dunston striker scooped his effort just past the angle.
Dunston grabbed a deserved lead on 11 minutes when Michael Hall lofted a superb pass to the unmarked Dan Wright on the right of the RCA box and he strode on to hammer low into Dean’s net. 0 – 1 . Just ninety seconds later, the lead was doubled as Scott Heslop got on the end of a brilliant pass by Luke Page to race through before unselfishly setting up Cedwyn Scott to slot home from close range. 0 – 2 . Very little had been seen of the RCA team in an attacking sense and Dunston were rampant at this stage. They almost scored again on 14 minutes when Dan Wright skipped past two reckless tackles before setting up Michael Pearson to shoot just beyond the far post. The third goal arrived on 17 minutes when more fine work by Scott Heslop saw him release Cedwyn Scott in the left channel. He sprinted clear before smashing a superb effort past the shell-shocked Robert Dean. 0 – 3 . Dunston went close again in the 20 th minute when a brilliant Dan Halliday cross reached Dan Wright at the far post but his goal-bound shot was blocked on the line. Liam Brooks almost got in on the act but his headers flew just over the bar on 22 and 23 minutes.
The pattern of play continued with Wright, Heslop and Scott going close around the half-hour mark but RCA finally mounted a phase of attacking play through Nathan O’Neill and Dylan Elliott who forced a couple of corners. From the first on 37 minutes, captain Greg Swansbury headed over and then two minutes later Dunston’s Karl Dryden relieved the pressure by making a safe catch. Another flowing move by the visitors on 42 minutes freed Dan Wright and when keeper Robert Dean made a fine save, the ball fell nicely for Cedwyn Scott to slot home at the far post. 0 – 4 . Dunston kept up the pressure and almost made it five when another determined run by Michael Pearson saw him square to Cedwyn Scott who just failed to turn home.
Half-Time Score: Sunderland RCA 0 Dunston FC 4
Sunderland RCA started the second-half in a more resolute fashion and seemed deter- mined to restore some pride to their performance. Dunston were equally dogged in repelling the home side’s attacks as a flurry of early corner-kicks ended with Michael Hall clearing a Mark Davison shot away from the Dunston goal-line. Dunston weathered the early storm and mounted a devastating attack of the their own in the 55 th minute when a great pass by Luke Page sent Scott Heslop away and he passed to Dan Wright who advanced to the edge of the RCA box. Clever play between Wright and Cedwyn Scott resulted in a clear foul on the hat-trick man and he picked himself up to hammer home the resulting spot-kick sending Dean the wrong way. 0 – 5 .
Four minutes later, Luke Page initiated another excellent attacking move when he set Liam Marrs away to link up with Dan Wright whose cross just evaded Scott Heslop at the far post. On 61 minutes, RCA almost got a goal back when Dylan Elliott fed a good through-ball to Nathan O’Neill and his firm shot drew a great save from Karl Dryden and Liam Marrs hacked off the line as Mark Davison closed in on the loose ball. Dunston made a double substitution on 62 minutes with Callum Elliott replacing Dan Wright and Liam Thear making a welcome return after a ten-month layoff, replacing Liam Brooks. RCA’s Nathan O’Neill went close again on 69 minutes when his soaring header flew narrowly over from a Dylan Elliott corner. The home side hadn’t thrown the towel in and they went close again in the 75 th minute when Kyle Davis cut in from the right but his rising cross-cum-shot cleared the bar.
On 83 minutes Karl Dryden made a brave save at the feet of the dangerous Nathan O’Neill and then a minute later substitute Connor Slack burst through but his shot went wide of the post. As play swung from end-to-end Dunston were a little unlucky in the 85 th minute as Michael Pearson tore through the RCA defence and his wicked cross almost put Cedwyn Scott in for his 5 th goal of the game.
As the game drew to a close, Nathan O’Neill almost grabbed a consolation for the hosts as his powerful shot from 25-yards just cleared the angle. The visitors were to have the last say in the 89 th minute as Liam Thear drew a super save from Robert Dean when he somehow went full length to parry away a power drive from the edge of the box.
Final Score: Sunderland RCA FC 0 Dunston FC 5
Dunston FC: Dryden, Marrs, Halliday, Pearson, Capewell, Hall, Wright (Elliott), Page (Lowther), Cedwyn Scott, Heslop, Brooks (Thear). Subs not used: Harrison, Grant-Soulsby.
Dunston UTS FC Supporters Club Joint Men of the Match: Cedwyn Scott and Dan Capewell.
Cedwyn Scott is sponsored by:
Recovery equipment – Dunston UTS Supporters Club
Dan Capewell is sponsored by: Home shirt – Jimmy Souley Away shirt – Dunston UTS FA Vase Winning Team
Recovery equipment – Ian Black
