FT RACA 1 STOKESLEY SC 0 Attendance 185
An important late goal from substitute Tristram Ajavon in just his second appearance for the club, made it five wins in a row for Ryton against Stokesley as the hosts struggled to make their dominance count at the Oldhaulage. The win does move Albion up a place to 6th, while Stokesley drop a position to 18th.
MATCH REPORT
Four days after RACA’s win against Seaham Red Star, they were back in action for today’s fixture against Stokesley SC. With Albion hoping to continue their successful form, Stokesley were desperate to gain 3 points after their draw against Sunderland RCA on Thursday.
A slow first 15 minutes saw a lack of chances being taken in the final third. The first opportunity at goal came from a Ryton corner in the 17th minute, whipped in by Beesley, a header aimed for Grieveson however his effort was rejected by the crossbar and it glided beyond. Stokesley’s first opportunity was prevented by an excellent sliding block from Hutchinson, who desperately put his body on the line to restrict any further chance for Drazdamskas. Just before halftime, a ball was played from the left wing for Anderson to connect with and hopefully fire home before the whistle blew, however his effort didn’t hit the target but instead went just wide of the post.
With the scoreline remaining 0-0 at halftime, plenty chances were created but a lack of quality shown in the most vital moments left the opener yet to be claimed. Neither side dominated the first half but an intense battle for all left a decider in the second half hopeful.
Both sides prioritised victory as they entered the second half driven by the idea of leaving with 3 points. A lovely cross by Beesley in the 70th minute gave Calvert the opportunity to cushion the ball into the back of the net. However, strong hands from Stokesley keeper Beeforth prevented the idea and he made sure to clear the ball up the pitch. Ryton’s defence remained compact despite continuous pressure from the visitors which left Stokesley desperate for any potential chance. In the 75th minute, a RACA corner fired in from Louis Calvert which aimed for Plunkett who stood at the back-post, yet his chance resulted in another which just missed the target. With less than 10 minutes to go, a change of pace from Stokesley saw an opportunity outside of the box for James Shield which fired towards Albion keeper Corkhill which required an excellent save to prevent conceding. Only moments later, Ryton substitute Oliver Bell drove an outstanding cross into the box for Ajavon who superbly split the defenders and found himself space for a header which glided past Beeforth into the back of the net. Having only previously played one substitute appearance for Ryton, he secured today’s win after a well-read cross and an accurate header. An intense last few minutes after Ajavon’s finish left the crowd on edge as Stokesley refused to give up. A last effort for The Albion from Louis Calvert’s drop of the shoulder allowed space to cross the ball for Anderson. His attempt was palmed over the crossbar as sight of a doubled lead was overruled by the final whistle.
After 90 minutes of chances being created by both sides, the lovely play between Bell and Ajavon made the difference in Ryton’s 1-0 win. The second half showed a raise in the quality of football after a much slower first half which looked like the result could go either way. The hosts’ defence limited the majority of Stokesley’s chances after numerous accurate challenges. Another well-deserved win for RACA provides them with another 3 points ahead of Wednesday’s re-arranged game against Billingham Synthonia where they hope to advance even further with a sixth straight victory.
RACA- Corkhill, Hayton, Beesley, Grieveson (Ajavon 45), Caygill, Plunkett, Atkinson (Fletcher 45), Hutchinson (Lawson 45, Bewley 47), Anderson, Calvert, Groves-Forbes (Bell 68). Substitutes All Used