RCA captain Gary Wood considers attacking options in the first half of the match.
Saturday, 18 October 2014
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goalscorers: SRCA: None: Bedlington Terriers: Young, Nellis.
Please click here for some photos from the match.
The games are coming thick and fast at the moment and we seem to be playing all the top teams in the same month, West Auckland (Top), North Shields (4th) and now Bedlington Terriers who are lying in 2nd place in the table.
Bedlington look to be having the sort of season that we had when we finished 4th in the league while we are still trying to get a settled squad.
Once again injury to a key player, Joe Hughes, caused a change in the formation and selection of the team, Wray returned to the centre of defence, Brown was pushed forward into midfield leaving Barton as the only front man in a 4-5-1 formation.
RCA took advantage of the wind and the slope in the first half and were on the attack from the start, a long ball from Jury to Lewis Wood split the Terriers' defence, but the final ball into the box towards Callen was read by McCafferty in the Terriers' goal.
Bedlington threatened two minutes later when Davison sent a ball out of defence to Watson on the edge of the RCA Penalty area, he tried to make space for the shot but Bythway was able to get in a tackle and the ball went behind for a corner which was cleared up field by Wray.
RCA started to get their passing game together and forced the home team onto the back foot; a quickly taken throw in to Charlton caught the Terriers defence off guard and when the ball was squared to G Wood in space the RCA captained skied his shot well over the bar.
In the 16th minute RCA ripped the Bedlington defence wide open with a slick passing move which saw the ball chested into the path of Brown by Barton, Brown then slid the ball to Callen who played in Wood and his first time shot was well saved by McCafferty.
A long clearance by McCafferty almost produced the opening goal of the game as Wray slipped and let in Watson, but Carmichael made a fantastic save.
In the 23rd minute a cross into the box by jury was headed on by Callen and fell to Barton, the RCA striker clipped a neat shot past the outstretched arms of McCafferty but unbelievably it hit the underside if the bar then the inside of the post before rebounding into the keeper's arms.
The pressure was relentless now from RCA as they surged forward looking for that all important first goal. A good move between Lewis and Gary Wood saw the RCA captain's effort blocked by Harmiston and the rebound was fired wide by Lewis Wood.
Bedlington were lucky to keep 11 men on the pitch when Harmiston handled a through ball from Charlton which was heading towards Barton. A yellow card and Barton blasted the freekick over the bar.
In the final minute of the half a long throw found Callen free inside the area, but McCafferty was able to produce another good save to deny RCA the lead.
The second half started in dramatic fashion when Barton slipped the ball past Little and tried to run past the defender; he was deliberately fouled and adjudged to have been denied a goalscoring opportunity and Little was dismissed.
The freekick taken by Bythway was sent into the box and Lewis Wood headed just wide of the upright.
With Bedlington reduced to 10 men RCA looked to push forward and when Callen was fouled on the edge of the box Gary wood took the freekick which was Blocked by the outstretched arm of a Bedlington defender and a penalty was awarded. Barton stepped up and fired in a low shot which McCafferty saved brilliantly diving to his right.
This had the effect of galvanising the home team and they almost opened the scoring through Nellis when he was sent clear of the RCA defence by Blandford, but his shot was saved by Carmichael.
The Jury, Barton combination set Lewis Woods up with a great opportunity as he took the ball in his stride before unleashing a thunderbolt of a shot which struck the post and rebound away for a throw in to Bedlington. RCA continued to press and Charlton did get the ball in the net but was ruled offside.
Having withstood the pressure for almost all of the second half Bedlington brought on their substitutes and they had an immediate impact, Young breaking down the left before sending in a cross which beat Carmichael but Jury was on hand to clear off the line.
A minute later and Young again caused problems as he ran onto a ball from Blandford and fired in a low shot which Preston managed to block, the rebound was blasted wide by Walker.
This should have been a warning to RCA, but they didn't heed it as they continued to over commit players and eventually the were caught on the break, a cross into the box by Charlton was tipped away by McCafferty and the ball was cleared up field by Harvey, the ball fell to Young who, from 25 yards hit a screamer of a shot which flew into the roof of the net despite Carmichael getting a hand to it.
RCA continued to press forward now in search of an equaliser, but another breakaway by Bedlington produced a goal deep into injury time this time Callen was dispossessed inside the home teams penalty area and the ball was swept out to the left where Young slipped the ball into the path of Nellis wand he deftly chipped the ball over Carmichael and into the net.
Not what RCA deserved as they bossed most of the game only to fall down in the final third of the pitch. Had the penalty been converted then it might have been a different story. However there was a lack of discipline in the team towards the end of the game.
Before the game we would have been happy with a draw, our starting formation was set up with that in mind, don't concede. When Bedlington went down to 10 men and Gary Wood went off injured we lost our shape defensively and got punished for it. Hopefully lesson learned.
Next up the visit of Newton Aycliffe another team, like ourselves, struggling at the wrong end of the table.. Even at this stage of the season it is being classed as a six pointer.