Match reports

New signing Jamie Clarke is tracked by Durham City and ex-RCA defender James Oates in the first half of the match.

Saturday, 2 February 2013

EBAC Northern League Division 1

Please click here for photos from the match.

Please click here for Zoe Vicarage's photos from the match.

The Durham City perspective is here.

A 10.ooam inspection of the pitch was positive and the efforts of John Anderson, Dave Hill and Graham Defty were rewarded with our first match since the away defeat to Newton Aycliffe FC on 12 January 2013. Although the playing surface was very soft in places and liable to cut up.

The return of Ross Preston meant that the back four had a familiar ring to it, however the same cannot be said of the midfield as Kane was swithched inside and Monson and Rivers took on the roles of wide men.

RCA also gave a debut to Jamie Clarke partnering Guerin-Lokonga up front.

Durham City included in their squad Ex RCA player James Oates while RCA boasted at least 3 ex Durham City players in theirs. 

Although the state of the pitch was obviously going to play a part in the quality of football, the players started the match trying to play good football.

Sunday, 13 January 2013

Carlsberg FA Sunday Cup - Third Round

RCA Grangetown Florists produced a superb performance against the previously unbeaten Nottingham T8's, despite being without five of the previous weeks starting eleven, to progress through to the Fourth Round of the national Carlsberg FA Sunday Cup by a 1-0 scoreline courtesy of Gareth Hill's 80th minute header.

Travelling was delayed for nearly an hour while the ground in Hucknall was inspected after an overnight snow flurry, but was declared playable at 8:45am and the coach left for a 1:00pm ko.

Hard working forward meets strong defender in the first half of the match.

12 January 2013

EBAC Northern League Division 1

Goalscorers: Aycliffe:  Young, Earl.

Please click here for photos from the match.

Please click here for match photos in Aycliffe Today.

A depleted RCA squad took on a Newton Aycliffe side who had recorded six wins in their last 9 games, a far cry from the catostophic opening to the season.

Defenders, Preston and Buzzeo were unavailable and were replaced by Henderson and Beasley.

The first half was unbelievably innocuous with little in the way of attacking flair from either team and both defences looking solid. the only chance of the first half fell to Aycliffe when a misplaced pass was intercepted by Lambert and he sent an inch perfect pass to Reay but Graham was quickly off his line to make a terrific save.

Sunday, 6 January 2013

Carlsberg FA Sunday Cup, Second Round

This much delayed tie finally took place and resulted in a well deserved victory for RCA Florists and a Third Round tie away against Nottingham T8's FC next Sunday, 13 January.

The match kicked off with RCA Florists kicking up the slope and they got off to a dream start when Martin Metcalfe was played in down the left channel and he advanced on towards the keeper and cooly slotted home to give RCA Florists a 1-0 lead after just three minutes. Eden Vale then had a spell on top with left winger Andy Fowler firing in two long range efforts which keeper Snowdon dealt with comfortably. RCA Florists then had two or three good opportunities, again down the left flank, but they were either overplayed or dealt with by Eden Vale's defence or keeper Lake.

5 January 2013

EBAC Northern League Division 1

Goalscorers: SRCA: Shaw 2 Guerin-Lokonga Guisborough Town: L Wood, G Wood, Poole.

Please click here for Sky Tyne and Wear video highlights.

No new signings for today's visit of Guisborough. However the same old problems materialised during the game, decent going forward but defensively very poor.  

RCA were 2-0 up inside 20 minutes, threw away the lead with inept defending, were losing 3-2 with two minutes to go and only a determined run and finish from Aris saved a point.

Supporters will believe that this was two points thrown away rather than a point won.

New signing Nathan Monson, who scored the third in the 3 - 2 home win, is tackled from behind in the first half of the match.

26 December 2012

EBAC Northern League Division 1

Goal scorers: SRCA: Kane, Shaw, Monson. South Shields: Ramsey, Wightman.

Please click here for photos from the match.

Eleven goals in two competetive matches between these two clubs in the last 8 days and two very entertaining end to end games which were a credit to the Northern League.

For RCA 6, very welcome but hard fought, points. For South Shields there must be a belief that they can climb off the bottom of the table.

RCA included Gary Shaw (winger) and Lewis Graham (Goalkeeper) for their debuts after signing the pair  from Durham City.

Given the recent inclement weather the pitch looked in remarkably good condition.

18 December 2012

EBAC Northern League Division 1

Goalscorers: SRCA: Guerin-Lokonga (2), Monson, OG.  South Shields: Graham, Coe.

Please click here for the Sky Tyne and Wear coverage.

Preparation for this game was considerable hampered an hour before kick off with the announcement that first choice keeper Neal Atkinson had hung up his gloves and second choice keeper Craig Shields was still feeling the effects of a hand injury so into the cauldron stepped Neal Bussey for his second appearance for RCA.

Just when we thought we had the team sorted we received notice from Nick Gibson that his car had broken down on the A1. Jamie Fryatt stepped in to replace him.

The management team also gave a debut to Nathan Monson a recent signing from Burscough Athletic.