Saturday, 5 October 2013
EBAC Northern League Division 1
RCA were on their travels again, this time down the A19 to Billingham Town FC who are languishing at the bottom of the table with no points from nine games, although a narrow defeat by West Auckland in midweek will have lifted their confidence.
With all the comings and goings in the last few weeks the team was once again changed for this match and it is as well to just list the team rather than go through the changes: Carmichael, Aaron Brown, Harrison, Horsman, Summers, Edwards, Fryatt, Jury, Barton, Home-Jackson, Morris. Subs: Clough, Andrew Brown, Wilson, Henderson, Hassan.
A beautiful autumn day greeted the teams as they walked onto the pitch.
Although Billingham Town started well it was RCA who had the first effort on goal when Aaron Brown picked up a ball from Jury before crossing into the box. Although the ball was headed away by Taylor it only went as far as Fryatt who headed the ball back across goal and wide of the far post.
Town were continually putting pressure on the RCA defence with some quick forward play and it was only some good defending that kept them at bay.
RCA almost opened the scoring in bizarre circumstances. A freekick was whipped into the box by Edwards and the ball was met by Cossavella who headed, very firmly, towardss his own goal and was a very relieved man to see Willey pluck the ball from under the bar.
Town had the ball in the net after 10 minutes. RCA conceeded their third corner of the game and although they defended it well the ball fell to Williams who Drove the ball back into the box where Livingstone was on hand to put past Carmichael; unfortunately for town the assistant's flag was up for offside.
Town continued to go forward and in the 15th minute some desperate defending by RCA saw them win another corner. This time when the ball was swung into the box, Cossavella rose high to power in a header which was cleared off the line by Harrison.
It was backs to the wall for RCA who were rocking. A long ball into the area from Perry caused mayhem in the RCA defence as they tried in vain to clear. As the ball bounced across the six yard area to Ormerod he looked certain to score, when his initial shot was blocked by Summers, he produced a stunning overhead kick from the rebound which went inches wide of the upright.
Having withstood an immense amount of pressure RCA eventually got going again and when a freekick from Harrison found Fryatt free at the far post the winger cut the ball back and although it was defended the ball fell to Jury who blazed his shot over the bar.
RCA took the lead after producing the best passing move of the game, involving no less than seven RCA players. The ball was thrown out by Carmichael to Fryatt, he played the ball back to Aaron Brown who brought in Jury, he slipped the ball to Home-Jackson who played a one-two with Edwards before playing the ball wide to Harrison who crossed into the area where it was turned away for a corner by Taylor. Harrison took the corner and Barton rose majestically to head home past Willey.
Town fought back and in the 29th minute forced yet another corner which was headed away by Horsman. The ball fell to substitute Evans who fired in a shot which flashed over the bar.
A minute later and Evans was back in the thick of the action as he dispossessed Aaron Brown before surging forward into the area and shooting wide.
RCA lifted themselves again and once again produced a neat move with Fryatt switching the ball to Edwards who clipped the ball into the area. Gamble headed away to the edge of the box where the ball was met by Jury who rocketed a shot into the top corner of the net.
This had a feeling of Ashington in reverse.
Within a minute RCA should have been 3-0 up. A mix up in the Town defence gifted the ball to Barton. 10 yards out with only the keeper to beat the usually dependable striker curled his shot over the bar.
The reaction from Town was instantaneous, a long ball forward caused havoc in the RCA defence and the ball was not cleared properly, landing at the foot of Williams who volleyed the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
Town picked up the momentum as the game moved toward half time and it was substitute Evans who was causing the RCA defence problems. He skipped past two defenders before feeding the ball to Livingston who turned and shot wide of the target and in the final minute of the half the same combination produced another near miss by Livingstone, this time his curling shot went wide.
At the start of the second period RCA almost went further ahead with a Wimbledon style route one move. Carmichael sent the ball forward where it was headed down by Barton into the path of Fryatt who headed the ball on before getting in a shot which was brilliantly saved by Willey.
Back came Town with a move started by the influential Williams who made a great run down the left before crossing into the box where Livingstone was on hand to head towards goal, but Carmichael made a good save.
In their next attack Town equalised. A long ball out of defence looked to be going nowhere when Williams out muscled Aaron Brown before squaring the ball to Charlton who side footed home under no pressure.
On the hour mark RCA re-took the lead when a cross in from Aaron Brown looked to be easily saved by Willey, but, under no pressure, he inexplicably dropped the ball and Barton was on hand to slot the ball home from close range.
Aaron Brown was replaced by Andrew Brown and he was immediately in the thick of the action picking up a loose ball and threading the ball through to Home-Jackson whose shot was blocked by Cossavella.
At the other end another goalmouth scramble resulted in Burton firing in a shot which was easily saved by Carmichael. This was followed by a flowing move by the Town with Charlton playing the ball to Gamble who sent in a great cross to Massaquoi but he could only direct his header into the arms of Carmichael.
Town were starting to tire and RCA where looking to take advantage. The introduction of Hassan brought added pace to the attack and when he skipped past two defenders into space he squared the ball to Barton, but his shot was blocked.
A minute later and Hassan set off on another run, this time cutting back inside the area before playing a one two with Barton and then slotting the ball past the despairing dive of Willey.
The game drifted towards full time with little to interest the fans of both teams other than the booking of Barton for a challenge on the keeper, which if it had happened in the middle of the pitch between two centre midfield players would not have warranted even a freekick.
Town will feel that they should have done better with their early pressure and RCA will need to up their game against Whitley Bay on Tuesday night if they are to get anything out of the game.
Obviously RCA will be pleased with the result and the performances of a number of their players, the return of a fitter looking Andrew Brown is a big plus as is the return to match fitness of Kyle Morris abd Hassn looked lively when he came on. Defensively we still need to get tighter and a bit more disciplined.