Terrific Tony. High impact sub Tony Coe returned from injury to score two cracking goals against Newcastle Benfield.
Saturday, 25 October 2014
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Please click here for photos from the match.
Goalscorers: SRCA: Coe (2), Charlton: Benfield: None
RCA were without a number of players for this important EBAC Northern League match, Barton (Ankle Injury), Callen (Suspension), Wray (Work), Smart and Austin-Wilson (Holidays) were all unavailable for today’s match. In to the team came Lewis Wood, and Ross McNab and there was a welcome return after long term injuries for Tony Coe and Davis Henderson and they, along with Alex Smith, Jack Stanger and Carl Morris occupied the bench.
Newcastle Benfield started the game with the advantage of not only the slope but also the very strong wind which was blowing straight down the pitch. In the early exchanges both teams looked to adapt to the conditions but it appeared that the conditions were winning as the ball seemed to get blown 20 yards further than it was meant to go.
RCA’s first real attacking move of the game brought the first goal of the afternoon when Jury switched play from the right to the left, Hughes controlled the ball well before weaving his way past two defenders to deliver a great near post ball which Charlton managed to get to and stab home from close range.
Benfield responded almost immediately when Paterson intercepted a pass and sent a great ball forward which evaded the RCA defenders and fell invitingly for Taylor, the Benfield forward lobbed the advancing Carmichael but the ball drifted wide of the upright.
Two minutes later and Benfield were awarded a freekick when Bowes was fouled 25 yards out. Taylor drove the kick low under the wall but Preston was able to clear the ball up the field. RCA withstood the pressure being applied by Benfield and were responding with some good counter attacks.
The injury bug struck again in the 17th minute when Jordan pulled up with a groin injury and had to be replaced by Stanger.
In the 20th minute Bythway and McNab combined to send Hughes clear of the Benfield defence; his shot was blocked by Tobin and the rebound fell to Charlton whose thunderous shot hit the foot of Grainger and was cleared by Leeson.
Five minutes later and Hughes almost doubled RCA’s lead when he latched on to a Stanger through ball before chipping the ball over Grainger but like Benfields earlier effort the ball slipped narrowly wide of the post.
With half an hour gone Carmichael was required to make his first real save of the half when Nolan dribbled past two RCA defenders, cut inside and unleashed a low drive which the RCA keeper held fairly easily.
This was Benfields best spell of the half but RCA were containing them and restricting them to long range efforts both Leeson and Scorgie firing efforts over the bar.
As the half entered its final minute Hughes once again skipped past his marker before squaring the ball into the box where it took a terrific challenge by Morse to prevent Lewis Wood from getting in a shot.
RCA opened well at the start of the second half and Hughes, who had causing problems all afternoon, picked up a through ball from Stanger before firing in a shot which took a deflection for a corner, Brown took the kick and Preston rose highest but directed his header wide of the goal.
Two minutes later and Benfield came very close to equalising when the won a corner on the right, the cross into the box was superbly headed by Morse but Jury, not for the first time this season, was on hand to clear off the line.
With Gary Wood struggling with an injury RCA brought on Coe and what an impact he had, a freekick was taken by Stanger to Hughes who clipped the ball into the path of Coe and with his first touch of the game he lobbed Grainger to make it 2-0.
RCA took control of the game from this point on and when Jury found Lewis Wood with a trademark cross field ball it looked like it would be 3-0 but Tobin came across to blocked the shot.
In the 80th minute a break by Benfield almost got them back into the game, Bowes slipping the ball through to Taylor who, inside the box, scuffed his shot and it fell into the arms of Carmichael.
RCA sealed the points in th e88 minute when Jury and Stanger traded passes before the ball was played into the path of Lewis Wood who burst past the Benfield defence before unselfishly squaring the ball to Coe who side-footed into the net from eight yards out.
This was another good performance from the lads and they showed throughout the team that they are up for the fight.
Hopefully the injury, late in the game, to Tony Coe is not too serious given his recent spell out.
Next up is the Durham Challenge Cup tie against Stockton Town FC, Wearside league leaders and unbeaten this season. This will be a stern test for our players.