Left back Paul Weldon in first half action for RCA.
Saturday, 10 January 2015
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goalscorers: SRCA: OG, Durham: Carr, Davis, Fryatt, Noble, Hope.
Please click here for photos from the match.
With the Meadow Park pitch still under water this fixture was swapped to take place at Washington FC's Ground at the Nissan Sports and Social club complex. A massive thank you to the management at the Sports complex for their excellent hospitality on the day. It was a pity that the second half display fell short of expectations.
RCA gave a (home) debut to Kieran Megran in a much changed team from the one which crashed out of the Durham Challenge Cup at Spennymoor on Tuesday. In came Bogie, Charlton, Brown and Morris as well as Megran.
Durham took advantage of the strong wind blowing straight down the pitch in the first half.
Although the wind was threatening to spoil the game both teams seemed to adapt very quickly and looked to play short crisp passes along the ground.
It was RCA who created the first real opening when Callen and Weldon combined on the left before switching the ball inside to Charlton but the RCA midfielder fired wide from 18 yards out.
Durham reacted almost immediately, Reece Noble playing a long ball out of defence for Fryatt to chase, the ball was cleared by Brown but fell to Davis who powered in a long range effort which flew well wide.
In the 18th minute Armstrong picked up a pass from Megran and fed the ball forward to Bogie who looked to have beaten Wilkinson to the ball but the ex RCA defender managed to clear Bogie's shot for a corner.
Durham were starting to find it difficult to string two passes together at this point and RCA looked to be creating the bettre opportunities.
A good run a cross fron RCA captain Jury saw him cross into the box where Callen, unmarked met the ball and volleyed first time straight over the bar.
On the half hour RCA should have gone ahead when a great passing move, which saw in excess of twenty passes, ended with a Armstrong slipping past the last defender before crossing into the box for Bogie who headed straight at Harkess. A foot either side and it would have been a certain goal.
Durham came back at RCA, a run and cross by Fryatt saw Haley shoot and Brown had to be at his best to block the shot.
The game was opening up now as both teams looked to open the scoring Callen had a great chance after some good work by Bogie but fired over from the edge of the box.
Deep into injury time in the first half Durham were awarded a dubious freekick on the edge of the box, Up stepped Carr, his curling shot struck the wall and looped over the outstretched hand of Morris.
I doubt if anyone in the ground at half time could have predicted the final result of this match.
RCA started well at the beginning of the half but found the wind at their back was causing them to over hit forward passes and time and again the ball ran out of play.
In the 50th minute Fryatt broke cleear and fired over the bar, this should have been a wake up call for RCA but what was to follow proved that they had not heeded the warning.
RCA were awarded a freekick in the 62nd minute. The kick was intercepted by Haley, switched to Fryatt who once again burst into the RCA half before passing to Davis who blasted the ball home past Morris to make it 2-0.
The home team continued to press forward and three minutes later were awarded a corner after some good work by Megran a nd Armstrong. Unfortunately the Corner kick was cleared to Haley whose quick thinking sent the ball to Davis, he broke free of the RCA defence before crossing into the path of Fryatt who volleyed home from close range.
In the 80th minute Ryan Noble fired the fourth from 25 yards.
RCA did get a consolation gola when Armstrong's corner was punched into his own goal by Harkess.
Armstrong almost made it 4-2 a minute later as he apicked up a pass from Megran, slipped past a defender before thundering in a terrific shot which skimmed the post.
However it was Durham who finished the game on a high as substitute Hope grabbed the fifth after another good passing move from the City outfit.
Lessons need to be learnt from this game especially how to defend when we are attacking. We have been susceptible to counter attacking teams all season. While our efforts in front of goal seem to be rushed when a little composure is required.