Wednesday, 25 September 2013
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goalscorers: Newton Aycliffe: Owens, Lambert SRCA: Barton
SRCA gave a debut to new signing Philip Horsman and recalled Scott Richards to the team for this important League match against Newton Aycliffe FC. Matches against these two teams are always tight affairs and this one was no exception.
Newton Aycliffe as expeted were the first on the attack with Owen cutting in from the left before unleashing a shot which took a deflection and went for a corner.
The ball was cleared upfield from the corner and picked up by Thompson who outpaced the aycliffe defence before whipping in a cross which Gareth Young did well to get down to just in front of Barton.
A minute later and Edwards won the ball in midfield and slipped the ball wide to Barton who crossed into the area where Home-Jackson was waiting, but he could only manage to direct his header wide of the post although Young looked like he had it covered.
Aycliffe tried to get some forward momentum but were stopped in their tracks by some good defensive play by RCA.
In the tenth minute a ball from Richards found Callaghan on the left. With three players bearing down on him he somehow managed to slip between them all and found space for the cross; unfortunately he was unable to produce the cross that his endeavours warranted and Gareth Young was able to pluck the ball out of the air comfortably.
Once again Aycliffe moved forward. A ball from Salvin found Broom on the right and as he turned he was caught by Clough. From the free-kick the ball was switched to the left where Owens looked to have beaten the offside trap but in doing so was adjudged to have fouled Henderson.
RCA were, for the first time in the game, under a little pressure and a poorly headed back pass had to be hastily headed away by Jameson on the edge of the box, the ball fell to Martin Young who could only head the ball back to the waiting hands of the keeper.
The response from RCA was instant. Jury and Thompson combined down the right before switching the ball inside to Edwards who played a neat reverse pass to Thompson; his wickedly curling cross caused havoc in the Aycliffe defence and they were pleased to see the ball cleared by Salvin for a corner.
Aycliffe were now resorting to counter attacks and long range efforts as RCA started to dominate the game.
As the half hour approached a ferocious shot from Edwards was punched away by Gareth Young. Thompson picked up the loose ball and played in a cross for Home-Jackson whose shot was blocked.
The Aycliffe keeper was called into action again a minute later when a cross from Callaghan was only partially cleared and the ball was chipped back into the box. The ball fell between Gareth Young and Home-Jackson, but the keeper was just able to punch the ball clear.
The only contribution from Aycliffe in an attacking sense was a sweeping move which saw Selby pass the ball to Owens, he cut inside before sending in a cross which bounced just in front of Martin Young and from five yards out, in front of an open goal, he managed to put the ball wide of the far post.
RCA took the lead in the 43rd minute when Richards won the ball in midfield and the loose ball was picked up by Edwards who threaded an inch perfect pass into the path of Barton who finished superbly firing across the keeper into the far corner of the net.
RCA came straight back and forced a corner when a cross from Thompson was headed behind. Callaghan took the corner and Richards, inside the six yard area, headed against the bar and the ball was scrambled away.
In the opening minute of the first half RCA were back on the attack. A cross in from Jury was headed away for a corner, Callaghan took the kick and his inswinging corner was dropped by Gareth Young and cleared off the line by Gibson.
In the 50th minute Aycliffe were awarded a free kick on the left; the ball was crossed into the area and headed down by Owens to Broom who from an acute angle fired across the face of goal and away for a goal kick.
The game was flowing from end to end now and a good run from Thompson ended with the winger's shot being deflected over the bar for a corner.
RCA were starting to come under pressure as Aycliffe looked for an equaliser. In the 65th minute Owens should have scored as he found himself beyond the last defender. He went round Jameson, but his weak shot was cleared off the line by Clough.
Within two minutes Aycliffe were level when a cross into the box from Owen was headed away by Horsman. There then ensued a goalmouth scramble with the ball being finally headed away by Henderson, but only as far as Owens who headed the ball into the top corner of the net.
This gave a great boost to the Aycliffe team while RCA looked to visibly wilt. Aycliffe applied more pressure and a shot from Broom was well saved by Jameson. Then Mellanby was unlucky with a turn and shot which went narrowly wide.
RCA were finding it difficult to get a hold of the ball and in the 84th minute Aycliffe went ahead when a run by substitute Lambert was allowed to go unchecked. He beat two defenders before cutting the ball back onto his left foot and driving an unstoppable shot low into the net.
There was little left in the RCA tank and their efforts late in the game were fairly easily contained by Aycliffe's defence and Aycliffe looked to be happy to see out the final minutes with the three points in the bag.
After a good first half in which RCA dominated possession and territorial advantage they once again hit the 70 minute wall and were unable to respond to Aycliffes pressure.
While this was a disappointing result the performance in the first 70 minutes RCA showed signs of getting back to the sort of early season form which saw us take points off Spennymoor, West Auckland and Celtic Nation.