Tuesday, 02 September 2014
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goalscorers: RCA; Price, Barton. CN: Bowman, Crozier.
Having made his debut as a second half substitute on Saturday, Carl Morris retained the number 1 Jersey for this Northern League clash with Celtic Nation.
With Tony Coe unavailable, RCA reshuffled their team Lewis Wood moving over to the right wing, Horsman coming into the team at left back and McNab in a more familiar role on the left wing. New signing Garry Guyan was on the bench.
RCA started nervously and were immediately under pressure when a back pass was miskicked by Carl Morris at the expense of a corner. Salkeld swung the corner to the far post to Bowman who headed back across goal towards Crozier, but Preston managed to clear before the Celtic Nation striker could pounce.
Celtic Nation continued to press forward and did not allow RCA to settle into their passing game. It wasn’t until the 1tenth minute of the game that RCA had any sort of meaningful attack and it came from the right wing where Price picked up a good pass from Wray and crossed into the penalty area where Barton met the ball perfectly but Coward was able to get both hands to the ball.
The game flowed from end to end with neither team testing the opposition’s keeper until Barton latched onto a loose ball and watched his first time shot glance off the crossbar.
Then a minute later with RCA pressing in midfield Jury won the ball gave it to Lewis Wood who played the ball into the path of Kyle Morris who blasted in a shot which Coward turned onto the post. Celtic Nation defended the corner and hit RCA on the counter attack with Boyd forcing a corner off Horsman. The far post corner was headed back into the penalty area by James and in the goalmouth scramble that followed Boyd fired over the bar.
The home team started to get their passing game going with Lewis Wood and Price combining to good effect on the right, the latter sending in a great cross in the 35th minute, which Kyle Morris controlled before playing in McNab but his shot was cleared by Bowman.
In the 43rd minute RCA thought that they had taken the lead when a through ball by Gary Wood created mayhem in the Celtic defence. Barton looked to get to the ball in front of Coward and the ball fell to Price who fired home from eight yards out. However the referee had already blown for a foul on the keeper who required treatment.
RCA deservedly took the lead in the first minute of injury time. This time it was a cross from the left wing by McNab which found Price and his header could only be helped into the net by the fingertips of Coward.
The second half saw Celtic Nation press forward, but it was the home team who extended their lead in the 50th minute when Barton latched onto a corner at the near post, steering the ball into the goal and it was adjudged to have crossed the goal line by the linesman despite a late lunge and clearance by James.
Barton had a great chance to put the game out of reach in the 53rd minute when he flicked the ball past his marker and set off on a 30 yard run, inside the area and with Coward advancing he chose to try and place his shot but Coward made a supurb save.
The Carlisle side started to create problem for RCA on the wings in particular the run of Douglas on the left and in the 63rd minute he played a low driven ball to the far post where Bowman was on hand to slide home.
This gave the visitors the momentum and they surged forward looking for an equaliser, but the RCA defence held firm.
RCA were awarded a freekick in the 75th minute and Price curled in a low effort which Coward was equal to turning the ball away for a corner. The corner to the far post was picked up by McNab who curled in a shot which was cleared by Swift, but the ball fell to Guyan on the edge of the box and the RCA debutant fired in a shot which thundered off the inside of the post and out of the danger area.
The ball was quickly switched to the opposite end of the pitch, Douglas once again sending a lovely cross into the penalty area which wasn’t cleared by the RCA defence and with the goalmouth resembling a ping pong machine the ball was laid off to Crozier inside the area and he fired home the equaliser.
Both teams had half chances to snatch a late victory but it wasn’t to be.
RCA can only blame themselves for letting a two goal lead disappear.
Celtic Nation fought back and probably deserved a draw in the end.
Looking at the table and the teams we have played well against we should really not be worrying but two points from six games is not a good start to the season.
Another tough test on Saturday against high flying Darlington RA (unbeaten in five) in the FA Vase could this be the game that rekindle our season.