Last updated 13:33, Thursday, 14 August 2008

SUNDERLAND RCA, who just missed out on promotion last season, provided a testing first game for Prudhoe in this Skill Training Ltd Northern League Division Two match, having recruited players from Durham City.

Prudhoe Town 0,Sunderland RCA 3

An early Prudhoe attack ended with goalkeeper Shields holding a goalbound glancing header from David Potts.

With both sides grafting hard, few chances were being made.

In the 15th minute a through ball sent the towering Jennings through.

Goalkeeper Aidan Ames came and Jennings lost his footing in shooting and the ball rolled past the post.

At the other end Potts passed to Craig Burke, but Shields came out to knock the ball away.

When a low RCA free-kick was turned for a corner at the near post, before the resulting kick was scrambled clear.

Mark McKean got the ball in his own half and ran at the RCA defence.

He cut in and hit a low shot which the diving Shields blocked and the ball was cleared.

Shields then held a high curling cross from Jay Bates.

Graydon’s long range shot went past the far post as play went from end to end.

On 32 minutes Potts crossed for a stretching Ben Haddock, whose shot went wide.

Ames pushed a shot from Jordan over the bar before a diagonal chipped pass gave Taylor space to advance and shoot past Ames and the far post.

Bates had a cross deflected and it dropped into space at the far post and was cleared.

In the 38th minute Taylor was hauled back by Andy Brown, who was shown a yellow card.

The free-kick went wide and near half-time, Graydon’s shot went past the far post.

In added on time Jennings crossed for Taylor, whose goalbound shot was deflected over the bar by Ames as he flung himself towards the near post.

The young Prudhoe team had done well in the first half with Andy brown and Steven Little in the centre of defence defending well against a vastly more experienced attack.

In the 51st minute Graydon’s vicious shot was pushed for a corner by a full stretch Ames.

The corner was deflected over the bar and the following long corner volleyed over by Graydon.

In the 54th minute Brown was sent off for a second bookable offence.

When Paul Ballentyne was pulled back in a challenge, the officials missed the foul and the ball broke for Jennings who hit a low diagonal shot into the far corner of the net to open the scoring.

Ames touched a high cross off Jennings’ head and collected the loose ball.

RCA got their second goal in the 65th minute when a low corner was missed at the near post from close in.

With the advantage of an extra man, RCA kept pressing and Ballentyne and Shawn Wilkinson made some telling tackles to keep them out.

With 10 minutes to go the ball rebounded off Jennings in a challenge.

He recovered to hit a low shot into the net from six yards.

In the 82nd minute substitute Gav Wood passed for McKean who went past his marker, but his shot was pushed over by Shields.

The final goal came in the 89th minute when Jennings, who looked yards offside, received the ball and raced forward and laid the ball across for Graydon to roll the pass into the net.

Although well beaten in the end, Prudhoe looked a better side than last season until they went to 10 men.