Promotion seeking FC Hartlepool are Albion’s next opponents as Albion host the side currently sitting in second place in Division 2. This fixture is the reverse of the season’s pipe opener at Grayfields Enclosure where Pools ran out 3-1 winners, Fin O’Gorman (now at West Auckland) scored a brace and Jake Stott also netted for FC, while Callum Johnston scored our consolation. Hartlepool do have a stronger record at home but have still won four of their ten league games on the road. Before Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Sunderland RCA, which knocked them off top spot, they had won their previous four games, scoring 18 goals in the process, including a half dozen in a 6-4 thriller at Darlington Town in the County Cup. We’ve a close record against the Teessiders since they joined the Northern League in 2023, winning two and losing three of our league encounters & both sides having won a Durham Challenge Cup tie each. We’ve never drawn against Pools & we are also on a bit of a draw related run just now- having gone 23 games without playing a score draw stretching back to the 4-4 at Bedlington Terriers in our last away game of 24/25 season. Our two draws this season (at Boldon & at Crook in the County Cup) were both 0-0s, a result we’ve not had at the Oldhaulage Stadium since 3rd August 2022 against the then named Chester-le-Street United, now Park View Academy. (Cue a 0-0 on Saturday!) One RACA regular who won’t feature is Josh Skivington is suspended for this game having to serve a one match ban.

Kick off is the usual 3pm & no clash with Newcastle United thankfully, so hope you can get along and cheer the RACA on to another three points.

Tuesday’s Division 2 Result

Yarm & Eaglescliffe 2 (Hillerby, Atkinson) Newcastle University 1 (Cassidy)

**Note that Billingham Synthonia’s six point deduction has kicked in & they are back bottom of the table with 7 points.