RCA winger Kyle Fryatt wins the ball in the second half of the match.
Saturday, 7 December 2013
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goalscorers: SRCA: Wilson. Crook Town: Davis, Bird.
Please click here for photos from the match.
RCA were forced to make one change to the team that drew with Durham City last week with Jack Stanger coming in for the suspended Andrew Brown.
After the heavy frost of Friday the pitch was looking in remarkably good condition.
Crook took advantage of the slope and wind in the first half, but it was RCA who dominated the opening exchanges. In the opening minute Wilson released Fryatt on the right and the tricky winger slipped past the full back before cutting the ball back towards Patton, he swung a boot at it and missed, but the ball fell to Baynes who managed to fire high over the bar from 12 yards out.
Two minutes later and Patton latched onto a Barton flick on and forced a great save from Poskitt who turned the ball away for a corner. Wilson's corner was headed down by Preston, but cleared to the edge of the box where Stanger was on hand to fire in a low drive which was deflected for another corner. From this corner Poskitt managed to punch the ball away only as far as Barton who headed the ball wide of the target.
Fryatt was running the show on the right wing and and was getting the ball at every opportunity and giving Hetherington a torrid time.
In the 15th minute Fryatt was fouled as he moved towards the penalty area. From the freekick Clough headed the ball on and Barton at the back post could only head wide.
20 minutes into the game and RCA were in total control of the match Carmichael was a virtual spectator as the defenders in front of him made light of an Crook attacks.
Poskitt again came to the rescue when another freekick, awarded for a foul on Fryatt, was launched into the box by Wilson, Barton stabbed the ball goalwards and it was cleared off the line by Pearson, in came Stanger to fire in a shot which hit a Crook defender before bouncing fortuitously into Poskitt's arms.
Crook's first attempt on goal came on the half hour when Davis picked up the ball from a Poskitt clearance cut inside before sliding the ball to Teasdale who forced a save from Carmichael.
This carved the way for a little purple patch for the visitors as the pushed forward and two minutes later it was Davis who found space on the right side of the area but blasted his shot wide of th efar post.
As the game moved toward half time Davis again won a header, this time from a Pearson clearance, he directed the ball into the path of Price who fired high over the bar.
RCA responded through Wilson who sent in a tantilising cross which was met by Barton but once again he could only direct his header wide.
In the final minute of the half Fryatt was once again fouled, this time on the half way line, Wilson's freekick found Stanger who slipped the ball to Patton inside the area, but his shot was saved by the feet of Poskitt.
The second half saw Crook take the game by the scruff of the neck and forced RCA onto the backfoot. A through ball from Price fell to Hodgson and he ghosted into the box before unleashing a terrific shot which Carmichael did well to block and Horsman was on hand to clear off the line.
Crook took the lead in the 61st minute when Hughes picked the ball up on the half way line and sent in a perfect cross which was met by Davis who powered in a header which flew into the net with Carmichael stranded.
RCA's only response to this set back was a lovely run by Morris who drifted into the box past two defenders before guiding a low shot toward the far corner of the goal but Poskitt, at full stretch managed to get a hand to the ball.
As the game wore on the Crook midfield took control with Bird, Hodgson and Price at times overrunning Wilson and Stanger.
The game came to life in the final minutes, Crook extended their lead in the 88th minute when a cross into the box was headed away by Preston, the ball fell to Bird who drilled in a low shot which thundered into the bottom corner of the net.
A minute later and a lifeline was thrown to RCA when for the first time in the game they showed a bit of composure in the box, Morris won the ball on the left passed inside to Barton who passed the ball on to Wilson who side footed the ball goalwards, it took a deflection before going into the net.
RCA piled forward in a vain attempt to get something out of the game but the Crook defence held firm.
This was another game that should have been won in the opening 20 minutes but woeful finishing and a lack of composure inside the area meant no return in a game which we deserved to get something from.
The good things we were doing in the first half we stopped doing in the second half and we started relying on the long ball down the middle to Barton and while Barton had a decent game he was far too many times receiving the ball with his back to goal.