FT CROOK TOWN 0 RACA 0 (Crook win 5-4 on penalties) Attendance 217
Albion were knocked out of the Durham Challenge Cup by the narrowest of margins at Millfield losing 5-4 on penalties. There was little between the sides in the 90 minutes, RACA the better side in the first half, Crook the stronger in the second, but goalmouth action was in short supply & there was an air of inevitability that it remained goalless at full time. So on to the shoot out with 9 very well taken spot kicks & one not far of the mark, rattling the bar, but that was enough for Crook to progress & Albion are out of a second cup tournament at the first hurdle.
RACA– White, Cairns, Dart, Salkeld, Driver, Hayton, Bisset, Anderson, Calvert, Whittaker, Johnston. Substitutes – McLeod, Fletcher, Dodds, Emmerson, Craggs
MATCH SUMMARY
For this County Cup tie Albion handed seasonal debuts to keeper Tom White and George Hayton while Luca Cairns and Charlie Whittaker made their first starts to add to several substitute appearances. The 5 man bench included new signing Oliver Emmerson from Newcastle Chemfica & Daniel Craggs who’d make his seasonal debut as a second half substitute. So a few changes as RACA locked horns with their first division opponents on a pleasant evening at Millfield.
In a first half where chances were at a premium, Albion had the first chance on 5 minutes following a Danny Driver cross where Louis Calvert got the goal-side of the home defence but just couldn’t make contact with the ball with only Crook keeper Ryan Johnson to beat. Ryton continued to create more shots but the shooting boots were left firmly in the changing rooms as nothing was threatening the home side’s goal. Crook for their part had plenty of possession but were creating nothing to concern the debutant White between the sticks for the visitors although Aaron Hardy did at least trundle a 23rd minute shot on target, but it was an easy gather for White. The only other goalmouth action in a forgettable first half came on 25 minutes when a Driver throw in was flicked on by Louis Anderson forcing Johnson to palm the ball out for a RACA corner which unfortunately came to naught.
HT Crook Town 0 RACA 0
The 217 spectators were hoping for a more exciting second half & it was RACA who created the first chance on 53 minutes when White launched a free kick up into the Crook box where Calvert volleyed the ball sweetly but over the bar. A shot on goal from Crook’s Jack Wallace went the same way on the hour mark as everyone waited for the spark to ignite the game. The Black & Amber fans finally found their voices on 64 minutes when Liam Goldborough had two bites of the cherry following a cross from the left, his second effort forcing White to push the ball out for a corner. The first division side were beginning to assert & their best chance of the game came on 67 minutes when a cross from Goldborough was laid off by Hardy to Wallace who struck the ball well but it was always rising & cleared the bar. Ryton replied with a good move that saw Calvert strike a low shot from an awkward angle which Johnson was able to dive low to block though he momentarily spilt the ball before gathering it again before Rhys McLeod could pounce on it. With defences on top, the game reached its inevitable goalless conclusion meaning the fans would be treat to a penalty shoot out.
FT CROOK TOWN 0 RACA 0
For all the lack of accuracy in the match proper, there were some very well executed penalties in the shoot out and even the missed one wasn’t too bad. Here’s how it panned out-
Rhys McLeod with a low drive 1-0 RACA
Joey Smith makes it 1-1 with a high strike
Louis Anderson makes it 2-1 to RACA
Nathan Smith puts his shot into the top corner 2-2
Daniel Craggs makes it 3-2 & does a bit of badge kissing in front of the Crook fans who were trying to put him off!
Kurt Matthews makes it 3-3
The unfortunate George Hayton strikes the ball well but it crashes off the bar. Still 3-3
Jack Raper scores to put Crook 4-3 up
Albe Fletcher scores RACA’s last penalty. 4-4
Nathan Stephenson just needs to convert which he does, 5-4 to Crook & the Division One side progress.
Positives for Ryton as they more than matched their opponents & you couldn’t tell from this encounter who was the higher ranked side was, but back to League action with the visit of Jarrow on Saturday.
Wednesday’s Other Durham Challenge Cup 1st Round Results
Billingham Synthonia 0 Seaham Red Star 1 (McGeorge)
Brandon United 1 Billingham Town 0
Darlington RA 4 FC Hartlepool 6 (Smith, Miller, Bayes 2, Lamb 2)
Gateshead 3 Durham United 2 (Boothroyd 2)
Jarrow 3 (Bates, Armstrong, Norvell) Easington Colliery 1