RCA HOPING FOR BLACK CATS BOOST IN THE VASE
Sunderland RCA assistant manager Mark Cowan has urged football supporters on Wearside to back his side’s bid to reach the last 16 of the FA Vase.
West Auckland Town are the visitors to Meadow Park tomorrow as RCA continue their quest to become Wearside’s first-ever Vase winners.
Cowan believes that the all-Northern League tie will be played out in front of a bumper crowd and is hopeful that the club can take advantage of Sunderland’s away game at Charlton Athletic to boost their attendance.
He told The Echo: “We are having a strong push to get a big crowd through the gates.
“Obviously we know Sunderland are away at Charlton and hopefully that means a few of their supporters will come down and back us.
“I know West Auckland will bring a few because it’s a big competition for them and it’s a cracking game between two top Northern League sides.
“As we keep saying, it’s about time a Sunderland club won the Vase, and there is no reason it can’t be us.
“Everything at the club is based on a team ethic, everyone at the club is in it together.
“I am sure that will resonate with Sunderland supporters and hopefully they will see that if they come down for the game.”
Cowan believes that RCA have battled through a psychological barrier to reach the fourth round of the competition. The Meadow Park club have seen off Bridlington Town, Garstang and Shildon to reach the last 32 and Cowan pointed to the win at the latter as a reason to go into tomorrow’s game with belief that they can extend their run ever further.
“We have had to get over a mental block in the cups,” explained the RCA No2.
“The Vase has been a big part of that and you could sense something had changed at Shildon.
“We were awful in the first half, but the lads responded to a few harsh words at halftime. They came out and dominated the second half and deserved the win.
“The Vase is massively important for us and we know we have a really tough game against West Auckland, but with this squad, we will never have a better chance to win something.”
RCA have received a double boost ahead of the game with the news that key midfielder Luke Page and goalkeeper Dimitrios Tsapolos are both available after injury.
Mark Davison, Ross Preston and Kyle Davis will all have fitness tests ahead of the game and new signing Jordan Lavery could make his debut after joining from Consett.
Elsewhere in the competition, Hebburn Town entertain Midland League promotion contenders Shepshed Dynamo without suspended defender Dan Groves and three-time Vase winner Lee Kerr.
However, manager Scott Oliver will have a big decision to make at left-back as Scott Wallace returns to the squad and will challenge for a place in the line-up alongside the in-form Gary Shaw.
Newcastle Benfield are the fourth Northern League club still in the Vase and host Northwich Victoria, for whom Benfield’s veteran striker Paul Brayson scored 42 goals in 108 games between 2004 and 2007.
“We are pushing to get a big crowd through the gates.” MARK COWAN