Saturday, 24 April 2010
Durham County Youth League
A squad of only 12 available today as three youth players were playing for the County U16 Boys clubs in Liverpool. Liam Dunn and Kieran Stokoe were also out injured. Not ideal preparation for RCA in a must-win game and worse news in the warm up as central defender Luke Olabode also pulled up with a groin problem, but an enforced decision was made for him to start the game.
RCA opened very strongly with forwards Lee Andrews and James Alston testing the keeper in the early exchanges. Lumley were showing direct intentions and moving the ball as quickly as possible to target man Aaron Wearmouth. The approach worked on 20 minutes when a ball was hit long down the left and the winger beat the full back to pull back a cross that Wearmouth connected with full forehead from just next to the penalty spot to direct into the bottom corner. RCA showed no despondency and took the game again to the home side, James Alston hitting a raking left foot drive that just cleared the post before Nathaniel Crinson coming even closer with an effort that just cleared the bar. Half time 1 - 0.
Lumley needing a point to secure the championship sat back and to be fair were defending well with the repetitive wave of attacks by the visitors. Possession counted for nothing though and disaster on the hour for RCA when a long throw cleared all heads and Pickering in goal pushed the ball onto the post, the rebound hit another RCA defender before ricocheting off Lumley forward Scott Wallace and into the net. RCA, chasing the win to keep the championship chance, alive threw everything into attack in the last 20 minutes and pulled the first goal back on 75 minutes when right full back Alex Bone raced into the box hitting across goal for James Alston to slot home. Racing back to kick off again it was all one-way traffic now and the deserved equaliser arrived when Sam Wigham (who had come on to replace defender Olabode as an extra forward) found space down the right again crossing in for Alston to again fire home. 2 – 2 and only minutes to play. All forward now with Lumley having everyone back, but the referee blew to end the title aspirations. Lumley celebrations said it all as they were pushed right until the end.
Great effort and application from all players at RCA and now we must lift heads in readiness for a big league cup tie at home against Chester-le-Street on Wednesday. If the team is going to claim the runner's up spot they also have the small matter of having to beat last year's champions Chester home and away in the last two league games (they also are chasing the runners up spot.) Hopefully player availability will improve in the next few days, but whatever happens, RCA youths have been cracking to watch this season!