Another trip down the A19 to Sunderland saw Newcastle Benfield face Sunderland R.C.A. with the hosts getting off to the perfect start by taking the lead in the 3rd minute. It came with a flowing passing move involving Daniel Hawkins who played a pass into team mate JORDAN LAVERY who after controlling the ball advanced forward to place the ball confidently into the back of the Benfield net making the score 1-0 to R.C.A. Benfield came close to an equaliser in the 10th minute after a swift passing move saw Ben Dibb-Fuller end up with a shooting opportunity but he hit it straight at the R.C.A. goalkeeper. A minute later another smart move by R.C.A. saw Jordan Lavery hit an opportunity over the Benfield crossbar when he should at least hit the target.
Lavery was again involved for Sunderland when he saw his well struck drive go just wide of the Benfield upright. Play by both teams wasn’t of the highest quality with both teams being guilty of giving the ball away to the opposition. Forty minutes had passed by when a good move between Benfield’s Aiden Hayley and Layton Watts ended with R.C.A. keeper tipping the ball over the bar.
Within a minute later Benfield should have had an equaliser when a corner into the near post gave Liam McNamara an easy scoring chance, but he missed the target. The first half was coming close to ending with a smart move seeing Cameron Gascoigne play a pass to Paul Brayson, who hit his effort over the cross bar leaving the score @ 1-0 to R.C.A, which was the halftime score.
Only two minutes of the second half had passed when another chance went the way of Liam McNamara from a corner, but he fluffed his lines by heading the ball over the cross bar despite having a free head at the R.C.A. goal.
Benfield must have had a good talking to by manger Colin Stromsoy as they looked a complete team at the start of the second half with Cameron Gascoigne finding Layton Watts who saw his effort clear the R.C.A. cross bar. Benfield then had another scoring opportunity in the 48th minute with a shot by Kyle Errington taken by R.C.A. keeper Keaton Marrs.
Benfield were playing better in the early stages of the second half with a shooting chance falling to Paul Brayson after a good build up but he didn’t make the best of contacts, and R.C.A. keeper Keaton Marrs made an easy save. Benfield then made three substitutions within a five minute period, firstly Gazza was replaced by Archie Leonard then Aiden Haley moved out to be replaced by Gerrard Richardson.
The 73rd minute saw a terrific pass find R.C.A. Kyle Fryatt who saw his effort go just wide of the Benfield goal. Two more substitutes for Benfield came when Brayson was replaced by Dennis Knight and Errington was replaced by Ryan McGorrigan. Knight was soon in the action finding team mate Dibb-Fuller who had his effort easily saved by Keaton Marrs.
The 75th minute saw R.C.A. reduced to ten men when Jordan Lavery was sent off for a foul on Benfield’s Gerard Richardson. Time was running out for Benfield in their search for an equaliser which came in the 80th minute when a great cross from Layton Watts found team mate LEWIS LEECH at the far post who then finished well to make the score 1-1. Within a minute of equalising a fine pass from Benfield’s Brad Varga found team mate Dennis Knight giving him a great scoring opportunity, but he shot wide of the goal to his despair.
Eighty three minutes had elapsed when Benfield substitute Sam Read saw his well struck shot tipped for a corner by R.C.A. keeper Keaton Marrs. It was the turn then of Benfield keeper Andrew Grainger to come to his teams rescue when he saved from R.C.A. striker Dan Hawkins after he received a pass after a swift run and pass from team mate Kieron Charlton. R.C.A. were doing their best to waste time with their goalkeeper Keaton Marrs being the worst culprit and he was made to rue this policy. Three minutes of added time had passed when a long shot by Lewis Leech looked like a bread & butter take for the R.C.A. goalkeeper, but he tried to chest it 6 yards from his goal, but the ever alert DENNIS KNIGHT pounced to divert the ball into the R.C.A. goal making the score 2-1 to Newcastle Benfield which was the final score.
