Monday, 25 February 2014
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goalscorers: SRCA: Hughes Team North: Lumsden, Aird, Sayer
RCA's unpredictable season continues with a below par second half performance in this bottom of the table clash. Team North were simply better at finishing than RCA on the night.
An injury to Kyle Morris had forced a change to the team with Joseph Hughes moving to the left wing and Callum Patton returning up front. There was also a start for Aaron Brown at right back with John Jury moving into a central midfield position in preference to Jack Stanger.
The game almost had a dramatic start as a poor clearance from Jennison struck Barton, rebounded kindly for the RCA striker who responded quickly but could only lob the ball over the bar while Jennison watched helplessly.
Team North started their usual passing game which resulted in a good move involving Morgan and Storey before the ball was played into the box where Preston managed to get to the ball first to deny Sayer their first chance of the game.
A minute later and play switched to the other end where Fryatt picked up a pass from Jury before cutting inside and crossing towards Barton, but Morgan cleared the danger.
The game was end to end with both teams guilty of misplaced passes in dangerous positions which allowed chances to be created at both ends.
Team North created the next scoring opportunity when a pass from Andrew Brown was intercepted by Lumsden who was allowed to run twenty yards before playing in Watling. The Team North striker's shot was deflected away for a corner and from the resulting kick Sayer headed over the bar.
RCA seemed to pick up the pace of the game and a snap shot from Jury went narrowly wide of the upright.
A great ball from Horsman found Patton inside the penalty area, he dribbled past two defenders before shooting and Jennison was forced to parry the shot, the ball fell to Hughes who volleyed the ball straight at the keeper and the ball drifted out of play for a corner.
In the 27th minute RCA deservedly went ahead when a freekick was headed powerfully goalwards by Preston, the partially cleared ball fell to Hughes whose shot crossed the line before being scrambled out, in the melee that followed the ball was again forced over the line this time by Brown.
Team North responded with Sayer feeding the ball to Watling who spun and shot but Carmichael was on hand to save.
Almost immediately RCA were back on the attack, Horsman whipping in a cross which Barton met supurbly but could only steer his header over the bar.
Team North were back in the game in the 43rd minute when they forced a corner on the left, Aird's cross seemed to be to long for everyone, however, Lumsden chased the ball into the opposite corner before chipping it back in toward the far post and unfortunately for RCA into the net.
In the final minute of the half RCA almost made it 2-1 when Hughes picked up a ball from Horsman, beat his marker and blasted in a shot which beat Jennison before hitting the inside of the far post and rebounding past the prone Jennison and Lumsden and was finally cleared by Morgan.
RCA started the second half on the attack a good dribbling run by Patton saw him force yet another save from Jennison. A minute later and a cross into the box by Aaron Brown was headed down by Barton into the path of Patton who fired straight at the keeper.
Hughes was switched up front with Patton moving to the left wing as RCA continue to push forward and the change almost had instant success as Jury slipped in a great ball to Hughes who was only stopped from scoring by a supurb piece of defending by Storey who threw himself in front of the shot.
As the hour mark approached the tide turned and Team North looked to capitalise on some poor passing by RCA, after a spell of pressure they won a corner which was taken short by Aird to Luke who curled a lovely shot narrowly wide of Carmichael's goal.
Within minutes a long clearance from Tumilty found Luke in acres of space unfortunely his shot was well off target.
RCA appeared not to have learnt from these two chances and a minute later found themselves behind when they lost the ball in midfield, the ball was lofted into the area where Wilkinson looked to have cleared the danger however the ball fell to Aird 35 yards and he struck a perfectly place shot out of the reach of Carmichael and into the top corner of the net.
Two minutes later and it was 3-1 when Tumilty once again intercepted a pass before sending a long ball forward to Sayer who controlled the ball before moving forward to unleash a terrific shot which rocketed into the net.
With twenty minutes still to play it was all over as Team North ran down the clock effectively and RCA where unable to produce anything of note in front of goal.
A disappointing second half performance by the lads after they promised so much in the first.
We now find ourselves dragged back into the relegation battle, however credit must go to Team North who looked down and out for almost an hour but kept on going and got the reward their effort deserved.