Clayton Davis looks to build an attack during the downpour in the second half of the match.
Tuesday, 16 December 2014
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goalscorers: SRCA: Coe, Consett: Gray, Mackay.
Please click here for photos from the match.
After Saturday's battling win against Penrith the RCA supporters were in good spirits for the journey to Consett.
One forced change saw Hughes (chest infection) replaced by Charlton who went to the centre of midfield, Davis moved to the right wing and Coe started up front with Preston.
This was to be another battling rearguard action by RCA but in the end Consett, on their second half performance alone, probably just deserved the points. There was no denying the commitment of the RCA players tonight witnessed by the number of goal line clearances and blocks made at crucial times in the match.
Small things cost us tonight, a) a lapse of concentration, not picking up the Consett substitute for the home team's first goal, b) a lack of discipline, why were both wingers on the right hand side of the pitch at the time of the sending off, and c) a little naivity, in defending very deep after our first substitution was made these probably cost us all three points in this highly competitive Northern League match.
Both teams started slowly as they weighed up the opposition and it wasn’t until the 10 minute that there was any real goalmouth action. Carmichael throwing the ball out to Armstrong who played in Callen on the left, he found Charlton in space. He drove forward before slipping the ball to Preston inside the penalty area but he couldn’t get in a shot as Martindale came across to cover.
A minute later and Armstrong won the ball in midfield before playing the ball to Davis who set of on a mazy run before shooting, Madden blocked the shot which fell to Bythway who had his shot deflected for a corner. Poskett gathered the corner and sent a long ball forward, Jury headed the ball away from deep inside his own half and the ball was picked up by Sullivan who fired in a shot which forced a save from Carmichael.
Consett looked to play across the back and hit RCA with long diagonal balls, RCA looked comfortable in defending the long ball and were pressurising the home defenders when they had the ball.
Davis, who was causing problems down the right, almost opened the scoring in the 20 minute when he burst past two defenders before cutting inside and shooting but Poskett was able to smother the ball at the foot of the post.
In the 26 minute a move involving Armstrong, Callen and Bythway end with RCA winning a corner. Armstrong took the corner which was cleared by Martindale, Moore picked up the loose ball and ran up field before sending in a cross cum shot which beat Carmichael but Jury was on hand to clear off the line and away for a corner. The resulting corner was powerfully headed goalward by Martindale and again it was cleared off the line, this time by Bythway.
As the game became stretched and with both teams looking to attack at every opportunity chances were being created at both ends, Brown heading clear at one end and Madden blocking a shot at the other.
RCA’s pressure tactics paid off in the 34 minute when the Consett defence were caught in possession and Coe nipped in to intercept a pass before chipping Poskett from 20 yards out.
The home team pushed forward to try and get back in the game but RCA were resolute in defence and restricted them to only one shot in the last 10 minutes of the half, a freekick taken by Piecha was headed away by Brown, the loose ball was controlled by Smith who fired in a wickedly dipping ball which bounced just in front of Carmichael but he was able to hold onto the ball.
With half time came torrential rain.
Consett set out their stall in the second half, slick passing and moving the ball quickly in the conditions then shoot on sight.
In the first minute of the second half Moore played the ball forward to Sullivan who drove in a shot which took a deflection off Richardson but Carmichael was able to adjust his position and make the save.
Five minutes later and Sullivan won the ball 35 yards out before, unselfishly, passing the ball to Mackay inside the penalty area but, the usually clinical finisher fired high over the bar.
RCA were finding it hard to get to grips with the changing conditions with most of their attacks being stifled by the Consett defence outside of the penalty area.
On the hour mark Consett should have taken the lead and would have done but for some last ditch defending by the visitors. A ball into the box by Slocombe found Mackay unmarked, his volley was blocked by Jury but the ball fell to Sullivan who blasted the ball towards the top corner where Bythway was able to get a head to the ball and clear the danger.
Two minutes later and it was déjà vu as Slocombe found Sullivan, this time the striker's shot was cleared off the line by Jury.
Consett must have thought that their chance of an equaliser had gone, as in the 65 minute the same combination saw another shot blocked by Jury on the goal line.
I haven’t used the word Alamo for some years but this was becoming like a siege as Consett forged forward and RCA defended deeper and deeper.
Consett introduced Gray in the 73 minute and he had an immediate impact, picking up a loose ball after an RCA attack broke down, he was allowed to travel 20 yards before unleashing a terrific shot which flew past Carmichael and into the top corner of the net. 1- 1 after 75 minutes.
The game became very ill-tempered as time and again the referee stopped play for niggly little fouls this spilled over and became confrontational and resulted in the dismissal of both Slocome (Consett) and Davis (RCA).
As the game entered the last 5 minutes both sets of players looked leg weary and in needed a piece of luck to win the game, it came the way of Consett a long ball forward was chased down by Mackay but he looked to have lost the ball as his shot was blocked but the bouncing ball landed perfectly for the striker and he made no mistake with his second effort to make it 2-1.
This was yet another hard game in which we showed that we can compete. Defensively we don’t look to concede which is great trait to have, our mid-field work hard and have started to be creative and we continue to score goals.
We do need a little bit of luck in front of goal especially when we are on top in games.
However, take nothing away from Consett their second half display, where they adapted to the changing condition a lot better than we did, was very impressive.