RACA’s poor run continued with a 2-1 defeat at Holcim Park despite taking a 9th minute lead thanks to a spectacular overhead strike from Louis Anderson. Brendan Balmbra drew the hosts level on 22 minutes & Cameron Elliott’s 70th minute goal ensured the points stayed on the Northumberland coast. Newbiggin leapfrog Albion into 9th place though have played three games more than us.
MATCH SUMMARY
This was RACA’s first competitive game at Newbiggin’s Holcim Park and with Louis Calvert still suspended Nathan Beckham gave Oliver Emmerson his first start for RACA. After an opening period where the ball spent a lot of time in the air, Albion finally broke their recent goal drought when on 9 minutes Louis Anderson played a cross from the right wing into the box which Callum Johnston met beautifully, volleying home, giving Biggin keeper Jed Scott no chance at all. And so endeth 295 minutes without a goal for RACA! Biggin pushed for an equaliser & got their reward in the 21st minute though this one was no contender for goal of the season. Matty Nelson swung in a corner which bounced among players in the box, Bradley Higgins getting some goalbound contact on the ball for the hosts & James Cooper looked to get the final touch from afar, but it was Newbiggin defender Brendan Balmbra who was credited with the equaliser with his first goal of the season. The half hour mark saw Albion’s Declan Bissett given a half chance to score when he collected a loose ball following Biggin making a Horlicks of clearing the ball & while he jinked past two defenders his shot was straight at Scott. Johnston made the Newbiggin keeper pull off a fine save just a minute later, winning the ball in midfield then racing forward before unleashing a shot that Scott was equal to, Curtis Williamson booting the ball to safety for the hosts. Joe Groves-Forbes made Scott work again on 38 minutes cutting in from the left & drilling a low shot that Scott dived low to parry, the loose ball being gathered up before a RACA player could capitalise. The half petered out to towards the end but the 84 spectators were treat to a stop-start fireworks display by local youngsters, the smoke seemingly making a beeline for the pitch at the community stadium.
HT AFC Newbiggin 1 RACA 1
The early part of the half was short on goalmouth action, though Newbiggin substitute Michael Johnstone wasn’t too far off after being set up by James Cooper on 64 minutes but his shot hit the side netting. If the home side’s first goal was scrappy, there was nothing fortuitous about their second, Nelson finding Cameron Elliott who advanced towards the Ryton goal & as the defenders backed off, Elliott took his chance & fired home sweetly past keeper Callum Corkhill to put his side ahead. Rhys McLeod, the sole Albion substitute used on the night, did get an effort on target on 74 minutes but it was straight at the keeper. Corkhill had to pull off a trademark save with his feet from a 90th minute shot from Harrison Borley to prevent Biggin getting a third goal, but two were enough to take the three points and Ryton go down to a third straight league defeat.
FT AFC NEWBIGGIN 2 RACA 1 Attendance 84
RACA– Corkhill, Fletcher (McLeod 61), Skivington, Luke, Hayton, Dodds, Emmerson, Groves-Forbes, Anderson, Johnston, Bisset. Unused Substitutes- Whittaker, Ord, Adotey, White
RACA host 19th placed Grangetown BC on Saturday as they aim to get the season back on track.
Wednesday’s Other Division 2 Results
Jarrow P Redcar Town P (Floodlight Failure)
Tow Law Town 0 FC Hartlepool 3 (Bayes 3)
Thursday’s Northumberland Senior Cup Result
Newcastle University 2 (Manning, o.g.) Ashington 0