FT RACA 1 DARLINGTON TOWN 2 Attendance 204

Albion suffered a second defeat in five days, this time letting a lead slip to Darlington Town who moved ahead of RACA in the table. A 21st minute Louis Calvert goal had Ryton deservedly ahead but Darlo levelled just below half time. The second half was a scrappier more even affair & Town went ahead on 58 minutes and defended that lead resolutely despite RACA’s barrage particularly in the closing stages. This setback plus results elsewhere possibly puts an end to any play-off ambitions for this season.

RACA– Corkhill, Beesley, Oldfield, Bailey (Skivington 60), Hayton, Caygill, Lawson (Driver 75), Dart (Borley 64), Anderson, Johnston (Fletcher 60), Calvert. Substitute not used- Emmerson

MATCH SUMMARY

RACA were finally able to host a game for the first time in over a month, the visitors Darlington Town, yet to beat Albion but a win today would move them above their hosts.

It was Ryton who created the first chance on 9 minutes when Dylan Lawson found Nathan Beesley on the right flank. He cut in past his marker & fired a shot beyond the fingertips of Town keeper Tyler Smith, but it also cleared the bar, though not by much. The visitors had a great chance to open the scoring on 14 minutes following a Ryan Coles free kick out to Connor Woodford on the left wing. He launched a low ball across the box that neither Reece Brown or James Beauchamp could quite make contact with as defender Scott Oldfield intercepted & put the ball out to the relative safety of a corner. However it was Ryton who were to open the scoring on 20 minutes when Glenn Caygill hit the Darlo bar with a powerful header which bounced downwards before being partially cleared but only as far as Callum Johnston whose shot found Louis Calvert via a deflection & he fired home despite protestations from the Darlington players, but the goal stood. In a half short of key chances, the next opportunity to score fell to hosts on 33 minutes when a Calvert free kick was met by Caygill who leapt highest but his header was more up than forward & the ball went harmlessly over the bar. Darlington were to pull level on 41 minutes when a Beauchamp shot from way out on the left went over Corkhill, only to bounce off the bar and while it looked like Reece Brown‘s momentum had taken him past the ball, he dragged a leg back & the ball trundled into the empty net. Straight from the kick off RACA were on the offensive, Lawson finding Morgan Dart who got past his marker & drilled a low shot that Smith had to dive down to save, ensuring his side went into the interval all square.

HT RACA 1 Darlington Town 1

Albion started the second half on the front foot, Lawson playing the ball forward to Johnston who put it into the box to Louis Anderson who managed to trip himself up while unmarked & the chance was gone. For all Ryton’s possession it was Darlington who’d get their noses in front on 57 minutes from a Brown corner which Jim Wilson headed home via a defender’s head, but Calvert’s head should have restored parity on 71 minutes when from a corner, Lawson struck the Darlo bar, the ball rebounding to the RACA no11 but he only managed to head it high and wide from close range for one of those head in hands moments. Meanwhile Wilson could have put the game beyond RACA on 85 minutes when a low cross was fizzed in from the right & any contact from the Town captain would have made it 3-1, but he was unable to get the crucial touch so it was left to RACA to try & get the equaliser in the remaining minutes. And in that closing period they saw an effort following a scramble cleared off the line by Hari Bonderenko & in the very last kick of the game Smith pulled off another save & Darlington hung on to record their first ever win over the Albion & move into 8^th place in the table.

FT RACA 1 DARLINGTON TOWN 2

Saturday’s Other Division 2 Results

Billingham Synthonia 4 (Lamb, Irvine 2, Healy) Boldon CA 2 (Robertson 2) FC Hartlepool 4 (Bayes 2, McGee, Bennett) Durham United 1 (Hopkins) Newcastle University 3 (Storr 2, Allen) Esh Winning 0 Park View AFC 1 (Gallagher) Prudhoe YC Seniors 0 Redcar Town P-P Billingham Town Sunderland RCA 2 (Ward, Harrison) AFC Newbiggin 3 (Smith, Elliot, Prichard) Sunderland West End 1 (McCabe) Jarrow 2 (Hudson, Beattie) Tow Law Town 0 Grangetown Boys Club 1 (Maloney) Yarm & Eaglescliffe 5 (Larkin 2, Proctor, Atkinson, Marshall) Alnwick Town 1 (Agostinho)