Swales says rare RCA win is for club and community
Sunderland RCA manager Martin Swales dedicated Saturday’s dramatic win at Tow Law Town to his squad and the local community for their support during a testing time for the club.
After suffering a 6-0 home defeatagainstRedcarAthletic in the first game of his second spell as manager last weekend, Swales looked on his way to another loss as first-half goals from RCA old boy Luke PageandDanielCraggsputthe Lawyers in control.
A Colin Larkin penalty reduced the arrears just a minute after the latter of those strikes before the veteran striker grabbed an equaliser asthehour-markapproached.
That set the stage for Stephen Callen to mark his comeback by firing a dramatic winning goal five minutes from time to leave Swales to hail his players for a truly memorable show of spirit.
He told The Echo: “We were absolutely buzzing with the performance and character shown.
“Evenat2-0down,wewere thebettersideandtheladsdug in, Colin Larkin, Andy Brown and Clayton Davis all outstanding, but it’s full credit to the young lads, who were brave and honest on the ball.
“It’s a great win for the club and hopefully it keeps us up. It’s now on to Tuesday night against my old foe and good pal Nicky Gray and his Whitley Bay side.
“For now, we are just over the moon for all of the lads and the community who have come out to help us when the chips were down.”
Elsewhere on Saturday, Newton Aycliffe boosted their title hopes as Jack Naylor, Liam Adamson, Jack Clarkson
and Ethan Wood all scored in their4-1homewinagainstsecond-placed Ashington.
Marcus Giles, Louis Johnson and Dean Thexton netted to help Bishop Auckland comeoutontopagainstWhitley Bay, and Jacob Forster and MikelThompsongoalsgaveinform
West Allotment Celtic a 2-0 home win against struggling Thornaby. Dan Turner and Scott Robson scored either side of a Robbie Hebson equaliser in Whickham’s 2-1 homewinagainstPenrithand CraigMoody’sbraceputCrook Town on their way to a 3-1 victory
against Northallerton Town. Brandon Holdsworth got the decisive goal as Redcar Athletic edged to a 2-1 win at Carlisle City and Paul Brayson and Dennis Knight were among the scorers in NewcastleBenfield’s4-1winatPickering Town.