DRAW CERTAINLY HAS SIX APPEAL!

YOU could forgive Sunderland RCA and Clitheroe if Tuesday night’s FA Cup Preliminary Round replay doesn’t live up to their first meeting. Last Saturday’s meeting in Lancashire produced 12 goals, three of which came in injurytime as RCA secured a remarkable 6-6 draw, despite being two goals behind in the third minute of added-on time. With the score at 6-4 and their hosts down to nine men, Dominic Moan snatched a goal to put an unlikely draw within his side’s grasp. With 96 minutes on the clock, Nathan O’Neill lashed home an equaliser to set off wild celebrations amongst the travelling support. The replay takes place at the Ebac Northern League club’s Meadow Park home on Tuesday night and RCA manager Martin Swales believes his side must win the game if their efforts in the first meeting are to mean anything. “I’ve never witnessed anything like it during my time in the game,” explained Swales. “At 6-4 down, in the third minute of injurytime, you think it’s done, let’s just get on the bus and get home. “Then Dominic Moan gets one back and Nathan gets an equaliser and it’s just sheer delight for all of us. “I don’t remember much about the aftermath of the equaliser, but I ended up hugging Nathan O’Neill in their penalty area, so that probably tells you all you need to know. We need to make it count in the replay. “What happened last Saturday will mean nothing unless we get through the tie and we have seen what they are about now. “We will have some key players back for the replay and we have things to put right. At the end of the day, despite what happened, we conceded six goals and that’s not good enough. “No matter what the score is, you can’t come away from a game having conceded six goals and have a smile on your face. So we have to improve and that has to happen when they come to our place.” The winners of the replay will face a home tie against either Ossett United or Mossley in the First Qualifying Round.