Newcastle Benfield 1-0 Sunderland RCA: Kane Wears’ side lose despite much-improved performance

Newcastle Benfield 1 – 0 Sunderland RCA

Sunderland RCA were narrowly beaten despite being arguably the better team in Kane Wears’ first game in charge against Newcastle Benfield.

A Noah Millington goal was the difference. On 17 minutes he broke on the counter down the left, slotting an effort into the far corner.

The visitors had a depleted squad, but despite that being a potential banana skin, they fought hard and dominated large periods of the game.

RCA started strong. D’Armando Lawrence drove forward from his own half and ended up in Benfield’s box before winning a corner in the first minute.

It took 16 minutes for Benfield to mount their first real attack and it was a carbon copy of another that they would have just seconds later which led to Millington’s calm finish to open the scoring.

Despite that, the first half was controlled majorly by Wears’ men. A minute before half time Lawrence found space inside the opposition’s area and struck at goal. His effort was heading in, but was blocked on the line by a Benfield defender.

The second half did start with the hosts enjoying more of the ball, putting RCA on the backfoot. A Newcastle Benfield corner forced an initial goal line clearance from Kiegan Turns and the rebound was saved superbly by Phil Mills. 

With ten minutes to play a golden opportunity arose for RCA. George Pinder and Usman Ogidan connected well before teeing up Lawrence who was unable to avoid keeper Andrew Grainger with his shot. 

The game ended with the hosts taking all three points, but Wears and his squad can take plenty of positives after what has been a hectic week for the club.

Newcastle Benfield: Grainger (GK), Turnbull, Russell, Grieveson, Scorgie ©, Varla, Cunningham, Haley, Errington, Mendes-Corriea, Millington. 

Subs: Brayson, Hyde, Davison, Brulle, Smith

Sunderland RCA: Mills (GK), Chanayire, Turns, Maw, McHarg ©, Perestrelo-Teixeira, Ward, Lennox, Pinder, Ogidan, Lawrence. 

Subs: Nicholson, Coulson, Currie, Serra, Hopkinson.