Tuesday, 10 September 2013
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goalscorers: Celtic Nation: Johnson SRCA: Callaghan.
My second attempt at this match report, the original confined to the annuls of hyper-space Whooooooooooo. I bet it's that gadgy from the cemetery's fault.
Why is it that every time we travel across the A69 to Cumbria we seem to end up losing at least one of our players en-route. So it was at Celtic Nation when yet another player failed to negotiate the long journey to the Gillford Park Stadium (Deja vu or what).
With McGuinness out suspended, Callaghan, recently signed from West Auckland FC after being released by Sunderland AFC, was given his debut. Jury reverted to right back and Aaron Brown moved to the left wing. There were also places in the starting line up for Halliday and Summers.
As expected the hosts started like an express train and in the opening minute Jameson was called into action when Luscombe crossed to Gibson and his first time effort was parried away before being cleared.
RCA responded immediately with Brown laying off a ball to Jury who crossed to Barton at the far post, but he could only direct his header into the arms of Lowson.
The home team continued to press with some good approach work, but were restricted to long range efforts and a Boyd freekick which Jameson saved easily.
In the 23rd minute a clearance from Wardle looked to be heading for a goal kick to Celtic Nation. Thompson had other ideas, chasing the ball to the byline before chipping it back into play then sending in a curling shot which went narrowly wide of the upright.
On the half hour Edwards sent in a terrific freekick which was saved by Lowson.
RCA were enjoying a bit of a purple patch and should have taken the lead a minute later when a cross from Brown was chested down by Barton into the path of Thompson who volleyed the ball off the crossbar.
The hosts went straight up the other end and a free kick from Boyd was headed out by Summers to McMenamin who headed goalward but once again the ball was headed out only as far as Gibson who headed back and Jameson was on hand to pluck the ball from under the bar.
RCA took the lead in the 42nd minute when an Edwards freekick was headed away and fell to Callaghan on the edge of the box where he found time and space to drill an unstoppable left-foot shot in off the far post.
There was still time for Nation to create chances before half time as McMenamin latched onto a lofted through ball and ran across the 'keeper only to see his shot blocked by Jury who was covering Jameson.
As half time approached RCA almost made it 2-0 when Barton played in Logan who controlled the ball before firing in a low shot which Lowson managed to fingertip round the post.
There was still time for Gibson to go up the other end and force Jameson into a stunning save and the follow up header by Luscombe was scramble away.
Four minutes into the second half and Skinner almost scored, curling a free-kick towards the top corner, but Jameson once again got a hand to the ball tipping it onto the crossbar.
RCA were on the back foot and the hosts were piling on the pressure.
When the equalising goal came it was a fairly tame affair. McMenamin's shot was saved by Jameson who could only palm it as far as Johnson who headed it back into the net.
In the 70th minute McMenamin headed a Luscombe cross back across the face of goal, but Taylor could only head the bal into the arms of Jameson.
The hosts were playing some good football without really penetrating the RCA defence. It was only late in the game when Luscombe went on good dribbling run that RCA were under real pressure, but his final effort crashed off the post.
In the dying minutes RCA created a great chance to claim all three points when Barton chased down a long ball out of defence, got a foot to it, but could only steer the ball into the arms of Lowson.
A much more stable performance than Saturday's 4-4 draw for Mick Wadsworth's men, but a great performance from Jameson in the RCA goal prevented the Nation from going joint top of the division.
A good defensive display by RCA who withstood a lot of pressure from a well organised Celtic Nation team who will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.