RACA 0 Chester-le-Street United 3
RACA’s play-off hopes are all but gone following another poor performance as they fell to a third straight defeat, this time to Chester-le-Street United who look to have booked their slot as a result of his three points, their fourth straight win. To add to Ryton’s woes, both Esh Winning and Thornaby, the other two clubs in the play-off scrap, picked up maximum points, leaving RACA as rank outsiders to get a place in the top five with three games left to go.
MATCH SUMMARY
Ryton came into this home game on the back of two defeats & knowing a third successive loss would consign Albion to another season in the Second Division. Facing them were surprise package Chester-le-Street United whose recent run of three wins on the spin had propelled them up to fourth place in the table.
At a bright & breezy Oldhaulage Stadium, Albion were to have the lion’s share of possession in the early stages although neither side really mastered the tricky conditions, Charlie Grieveson’s 7th minute shot that sailed over the United bar was to set the tone for the rest of the game. Neither keeper was being unduly troubled although a speculative 17th minute long distance effort from Albe Fletcher who was making his first start for RACA, caused some panic in the Chester goalmouth with Declan Bisset advancing in the hope of of picking up any scraps, but the ball screwed out for a goal kick. On the 20 minute mark it was the visitors who opened the scoring when a cross meant for Stephen Siyanbola was missed by Albion keeper Brogan Colquhoun & the back pedalling Jack Errington could only knock it into his own net. United keeper James Hughes was made to work when he had to clutch a Louis Calvert shot out of the air in the 23rd minute, though defender Dylan Wilkinson had taken much of the sting out of the shot as the ball brushed against his side. Chester were to double their advantage just before the half hour mark when Charlie Lovedayheaded a punt upfield into the Ryton box, Siyanbola & Colquhoun vying for the ball that fell between them & bobbled towards the keeper who blocked but couldn’t gather, & the ball fell to Nathan Conroy who took it a yard or two wider & then fired home past a sea of defenders. Calvert had half a chance to pull one back on 34 minutes when he headed a fine Fergal Lynch cross wide from close range, though had the distraction of the close attentions of two Chester defenders & Albion were left with a stiff task to salvage the game, and perhaps the season ,in the second half kicking into a steadily increasing wind.
HT RACA 0 Chester-le-Street United 2
Chances in the second half were few & far between as the westerly wind was spoiling the game as a spectacle. Siyanbola at least got a shot on target for the visitors on 62 minutes, but it was an easy gather for Colquhoun. At the other end Scott Oldfield played a pinpoint cross to Calvert who’d shaken off his marker in the 70th minute but he managed to shoot wide although his blushes were saved by the linesman’s flag. The game was put beyond Albion’s reach in the 84th minute when Siyanbola picked himself up off the deck, gathered up a loose ball than landed near him & drilled it low and hard into the bottom corner of the Ryton net from around 30 yards. Game over
To be fair there wasn’t a great deal between the two sides but while Chester took what few chances fell their way, Albion were again profligate in front of goal & fell to a third successive defeat.
FT RACA 0 Chester-le-Street United 3
RACA- Colquhoun, Spurr (S Oldfield 45), Ledger (Dart 57), Fletcher ( C Oldfield 77), Errington, Caygill, Lynch, Grieveson, Calvert, Bisset (McLeod 72), Hoggins (Todd 63)