Tuesday, 24 February 2015
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goalscorers: SRCA: Megran, Newton Aycliffe FC: none
After Saturday’s crushing defeat against Shildon, RCA made the trip to the Moore Lane ground for their rearranged fixture against fellow strugglers Newton Aycliffe.
Changes were made by the manager and in came Larkin and Armstrong to replace Weldon and Rowe. Preston returned to the centre of defence, while Bythway was moved to left back. Larkin was to be supported up front by Callen and Armstrong came in on the left of midfield.
RCA started well keeping possession and passing the ball from the off, a ball forward from Wood to Larkin split the Aycliffe defence and Larkin spotting Charlton at the far post crossed the ball to him, unfortunately his shot was blocked by Stephenson at the expense of a corner.
Aycliffe's first attempt on goal came after a misplaced pass from Armstrong fell at the feet of Laidler and he fired in a rising shot which Carmichael saved brilliantly tipping over the bar.
The game became a battle of midfield, both teams electing to play a very tight game. There was little in the way of action in either goalmouth and the keepers were restricted to clearing back passes.
The midfield battle seemed to be going the way of RCA as the half hour approached and when Wood found Charlton with an exquisite pass the winger cut inside before passing to Larkin who controlled the ball well before firing low at the target, Winter read the situation and was able to make the save look easier than it was.
Two minutes later and RCA should have taken the lead Brown sent a long defensive clearance into the path of Larkin who left the Aycliffe defence for dead, he then flighted in a wonderful cross which beat Winter and Callen steaming in at the back could only manage to steer the ball onto the post and it rebounded straight to the Aycliffe keeper.
In a rare Aycliffe attack Young was fouled, Garthwaite took the freekick and Mitton was allowed time and space in the box, luckily for RCA his header was weak and wide and easily picked up and cleared by Jury.
Another run by Larkin was spotted by Megran and he sent a slide rule pass to the centre forward who once again tried to pick out Callen, but Stephenson was able to get a head to the ball and clear the danger.
Aycliffe responded with a flowing attack of their own, Young and Boagey combining to get in a cross which Bythway slid away for a corner. The resulting corner into the box was met unchallenged by Mitton but the ball flew over the bar.
At the start of the second half RCA took the bull by the horns and went all out for an early goal and it was only some good defending by Mitton and Stephenson which kept them at bay.
In the 50th minute, despite being upended, Wood was able to thread a great ball into the path of Callen who then produced a terrific shot which Mitton did really well to block.
It was almost all one way traffic and it was no surprise when RCA took the lead, a precision pass from Preston found Hughes on the left, he played a wall pass with Armstrong before squaring the ball into the box where Megran, totally unmarked, was able to control the ball before sidefooting past the advancing Winter.
Aycliffe's only response to going behind was a long range effort from Archer which flew high and wide.
RCA would have gone 2-0 up but for an unexpected bobble as Callen went to shoot, having drifted across the box from the right, his final shot sailing narrowly wide of the far post.
The game continued to be played in the Aycliffe half and another trademark Larkin run opened up the home defence again, this time he picked out Megran ghosting in at the far post, unfortunately he could not steer the ball into the empty net and had to watch agonisingly as it went over the bar. RCA were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty in the build up to that effort when Hughes was deliberately fouled as he moved toward the ball.
As the game drifted toward its conclusion it got really scrappy and the only real chance of the final five minutes was a superb save by Carmichael from a thunderbolt of a strike by Banks which effectively kept RCA in the game.
This was a much improved all round performance by the team. Larkin and Callen are starting to get an understanding going while the back four of Jury, Brown, Preston and Bythway looked really solid and with Carmichael behind them it is developing into a formidable defence. In midfield both Wood and Megran were organised while Charlton and Armstrong provided the width. It was also nice to see both Hughes and Richardson come on after long lay-offs and both got involved straight away.
Next up is Jarrow Roofing at Meadow Park and a meeting with near neighbours. The meeting between the two teams earlier in the season was a decent encounter with Campbell scoring two for Roofing and look were he is now.