SHILDON 2 SUNDERLAND RCA 3

play from Billy Greulich-Smith and Marc Ellison.

RCA had been largely anonymous as an attacking threat and had to wait until just before half-time to create anything of note.

Again Swales was left frustrated as Dylan Elliott and Nathan O’Neill both missed the target with free-kicks. The latter had the better of the two chances when he sent his effort well over the crossbar from the edge of the area and that miss ensured that the host took a deserved lead into half-time.

Whatever Swales said in the away dressing room at the interval clearly made an impact.

His side made a positive start to the second half, looking relaxed on the ball and a world away from the disjointed performance they showed

Sunderland RCA players celebrate a goal during yesterday’s FA Vase clash away at Shildon, which the visitors won 3-2 thanks to a late goal from substitute Kyle Davis before the interval.

Their improvement paid instant dividends as Greg Swansbury’s intricate through ball sent Luke Page in on goal.

The former Easington Colliery midfielder calmly rounded the advancing Newbrook and stroked the ball into the empty net.

The equaliser visibly lifted RCA but they were lucky not to fall behind once again on the hour mark as Page showed he can be just as effective at the other end of the pitch.

Shildon full-back Aidan Heywood broke through three challenges and rolled the ball past Tsapalos but Page was on hand to clear his shot from the line.

RCA went in front for the first time in the game with 15 minutes remaining as Dom Moan’s deep cross found O’Neill at the far-post.

His first touch was inch-perfect and allowed the striker to fire the ball past Newbrook to put his side ahead.

Their lead would last barely seven minutes as Shildon got back on level terms with a powerful 25-yard volley from Aaron Duell.

There was to be a winner and it was to be the visitors that would get it as their much-improved second-half performance was given a rich – if not late – reward.

With the game heading into injury time, Elliott swung a free-kick into the Shildon area.

It caused havoc for the hosts’ defender and the loose ball ran to Davis, who wasted little time in lashing the ball into the far corner of Newbrook’s net.

The goal set off wild celebrations in the away dugout and they were repeated just two minutes later when the fulltime whistle was blown.

The poor run was over, RCA had finally beaten Shildon and a place in the last 32 of the FA Vase is their prize.