RCA central defender Lee Bythway clears the ball in the second half of the match.
Tuesday, 21 April 2015
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goalscorers: SRCA: Armstrong, Shildon: Connor (2) OG. (2)
Please click here for some photos from the match.
Please click here for match photos by Amanda Scaife.
The selection problems continued for RCA ahead of this evening's important Northern League match, with work commitments and injuries giving the management team a bit of a headache. Carmichael was unavailable and Morris took his place between the sticks, Richardson was switched to right back and Armstrong came in on the left, Wood replaced the injured Davis and Charlton returned in place of the injured Larkin.
Prior to the match all the talk was about the decision of the League Management committee to take the Division One Trophy to Marske in the event that Marske won and Shildon lost. This added a bit of spice to the Shildon manager’s pre match talk to his players.
RCA’s biggest home crowd of the season, 220, greeted the players on a lovely, if slightly cold, spring evening.
The visitors took advantage of the slope in the first half but it was the hosts who created the first chance of the game Armstrong was played into space by Charlton and the young full back moved forward before hitting a shot from 25 yards out which flew over the bar.
Two minutes later and RCA were awarded a freekick 20 yards out, up stepped Armstrong to curl a shot inches over the bar. Shildon mounted their first real attack of the game in the sixth minute, Atkins picked up a loose ball on the right, sent the ball forward into the path of Grulich-Smith who sent drove a low shot past Morris, with the ball going towards goal Bythway tried to clear it but he only succeeded in striking the ball into his own goal.
RCA’s reaction was positive as they threw players forward looking for an equaliser, Jury fed the ball to Hughes inside the area and the diminutive striker earned a corner when his cross was blocked by Brackstone, Armstrong played it short to Charlton but his cross was blocked then cleared by Atkin.
Shildon increased their lead in the 15th minute when Emms played a long ball forward into the heart of the RCA’s defence where Morris and Bythway misjudged the ball and it fell to Connor who had the simple task of rolling the ball into an empty net.
Once again RCA responded positively attacking on the right flank through Charlton and Richardson, the latter sending a telling cross into the box where Callen met the ball well to power header towards goal but Graham produced a supurb one handed save to turn the ball round the post for a corner.
In the 27th minute, Shildon extended their lead in bizarre circumstances, a corner was swung toward the near post by Emms where Connor flicked a header on but Morris was able to get a hand to the ball to palm it over the bar for another corner. This time the ball was fired towards the back post where it rebounded off a defender before hitting the crossbar and Morris, under pressure, was unable to get enough on the ball and pushed it into his own goal.
Morris was called into action five minutes later when he produced a great one handed save from a terrific Greulich-Smith shot turning the ball behind for a corner.
At the other end a cross into the box from Callen fell invitingly to Wood on the edge of the box and he fired in a dipping shot which beat Graham but landed on the roof of the net.
Two good moves involving Charlton Hughes and Wood came to nothing as Shildon’s resolute defence repelled all that RCA could throw at them.
The second half kicked off with Shildon on the attack Emms crossing to Greulich-Smith who could not direct his header on target and the ball went harmlessly wide.
RCA came forward with purpose and the endeavours of Hughes and Charlton eventually won a corner. Armstrong swung the ball into the area where it was headed away by Jones, but fell to Callen who hit the ball on the volley forcing a supurb save from Graham.
In the 55th minute RCA had a good shout for a penalty when Charlton ran at the Shildon defence, skipped between two defenders before being blocked inside the area. The referee waved away appeals after appearing to initially raise the whistle to her lips.
The game was switching from end to end and it was Shildon’s turn to apply a bit of pressure, Emms on the left cut inside before unleashing a shot which Morris was able to turn round the post for a corner. Emms took the corner, curling it onto the head of Greulich-Smith who headed over the bar. Five minutes later and a connor cross feel to Emms inside the area but he fired over the bar when in a good position.
Emms was causing major problems to the RCA defence, and when he sent in yet another dangerous cross the ball fell to Greulich-Smith but from inside the six yard box the tall forwards header was blocked on the line by Bythway and scramble away.
Shildon killed off the game in their next attack when Greulich-Smith popped up on the left wing to send in a cross which eluded everyone until it reached Connor at the back post where he had the easiest of tasks to slot into an empty net. Probably the simplest two goals he has scored all season.
There was still 25 minutes of the match remaining so when Charlton raced through the centre of midfield with the ball, riding one tackle, before unleashing a tremendous drive from 25 yards which left Graham rooted to the spot before striking the bar and rebounding to safety, it gave RCA some hope.
The home side pushed forward in an effort to get something for their efforts, Hughes had a good shot saved by Graham after a good run and cross from Callen. Then Wood raced out wide before cutting the ball back for Callen but his effort was blocked by Jones.
In the 75th minute Armstrong won a corner on the left and curled it into the Shildon area but Atkin headed clear, the ball was picked up by Emms who raced from his own half before cutting in and sending a curling effort which was saved by Carl Morris.
RCA were still looking to get something from the game as it entered it final 10 minutes, they brought Smith on for Hughes and moved Preston up front and within a minute Callen and Preston combined for Charlton to shoot, the shot was deflected away for a corner. Megran took the corner which was headed behind for another corner, this time the corner was taken Charlton and was met at the near post by Armstrong whose glancing header beat Graham and gave RCA the goal their play deserved.
The home team throwing caution to the wind once again moved forward and were awarded a freekick after a foul on Wood, Bythway curled the freekick into the penalty area and any touch by an RCA player would certainly have made it 4-2 but Graham was able to come and collect fairly comfortably.
The game was almost over when Greulich-Smith sent in a low cross which Morris saved at the feet of Emms.
The parting shot of the game was a freekick taken by Callen which sailed over the bar.
RCA did not play badly tonight, they just met a Shildon team who are looking to win their remaining games, which would see them lift the first division title, and who were focused on getting the three points from tonights game.
Our “Own goal” tally for the season had now reached 11 which must be some sort of record. It does however show the commitment of the players in trying to defend from deep positions.
Next up the “FA Vase” finalists North Shields on Saturday.