RACA extended their unbeaten run to six games with a narrow 1-0 win over Chester-le-Street Town at the Oldhaulage Stadium. Jack Errington’s 49th minute goal was the difference in a game which saw a drab first half followed by a pulsating second period. Despite the win, Albion stay in 5th place though have put daylight between them & 6th place Cestrians.
Two sides in fine form met at a blustery Oldhaulage Stadium, but the sides cancelled each other out in a first half devoid of much excitement. In the 5th minute, Albion’s Louis Calvert found himself in a 1on 1 with Chester keeper Alex Lawrence having been set up by Rhys McLeod but the stopper’s outstretched leg diverted the ball out for a corner. Town’s nearest thing to a goal came following a 27th minute corner when Matt Soulsby fired across goal, his shot cannoning off teammate Kealan Huddleston, the ball spinning over the bar. RACA did have the ball in the net on the 30th minute when a Josh Skivington free kick looked to be fluffed by Lawrence & Jack Errington was there to stab home but referee Mr Alexander harshly disallowed the goal for a foul on the Chester keeper. There was little else to enthuse the 222 spectators as the teams went into the interval goalless.
The second half was a different affair, only 4 minutes old when Ryton opened the scoring, a Daniel Craggs corner stabbed home by Errington to make up for the disappointment of having his first half effort chalked off. Rhys McLeod brough a fine save from Lawrence in the 52nd minute, his free kick forcing the Cestrians’ keeper to dive low to save. It was Chester-le-Street’s turn to come close in the 55th minute, a mazy Aaron Hardy run culminated in a cross which William Cornish crashed against the RACA post. Back at the other end, in the 61st minute Abu Salim laid the ball off the Calvert whose powerful shot was just deflected wide by the Chester defence. Town’s top scorer Michael Gray had a good opportunity to drew his side level in the 65th minute when a deflected ball forward landed at his feet, he raced forward with just keeper Brogan Colquhoun to beat, but perhaps the attention of an Albion defender in his slipstream caused him to fire high & wide. Chester sub Josh Akal made Colquhoun work much harder as he saw his low drilled 82nd minute shot well saved by the RACA No1. That was to be the Cestrians’ last chance of note, but Albion weren’t finished, McLeod bringing a carbon copy save from Lawrence on 84 minutes as he did in the 52nd, & then in stoppage time following a breakaway, Dylan Lawson poked the ball under Lawrence, but backtracking defender Luke Collins was there to clear the ball off the line to ensure Albion would only win by the narrowest of margins.
Six unbeaten for RACA now as we look forward to Wednesday night’s home game against Redcar Town
FT RACA 1 CHESTER LE STREET TOWN 0 Attendance 222
RACA– Colquhoun, Skivington, Ledger, Burrell (Lawson 78), Oldfield. Errington, Craggs, McLeod (Symons 90), Calvert, Salim, (Mitchell 81) Groves-Forbes (Todd 67).
ENL Pos: 5th.