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Report

FT: RACA 3 Billingham Synthonia 5

In a bizarre game that had 0-0 written all over it after 37 minutes, Albion suddenly found themselves two goals ahead and seemingly in complete control against a Billingham Synthonia side who, until then, had struggled to keep the ball in play, never mind threaten the Ryton goal. Louis Anderson’s fine opener and a Jacob Owen own goal put RACA 2-0 up, but Jack Lamb’s strike just before the interval changed everything. A rejuvenated Synners struck four times after the break, with only Rhys Hutchinson replying for Albion, to bring Ryton’s five-game winning run to an abrupt end and leapfrog them in the table.

Match Report

RACA went into the game looking for a fifth successive league victory which would propel them into the play-off places, although they had to do so without the suspended Charlie Grieveson.

Mid-table Billingham Synthonia provided the opposition on a drizzly evening at The Oldhaulage, where the recent rain had at least performed one minor miracle – transforming a pitch that had resembled Shredded Wheat in recent weeks back into something recognisably green.

The opening stages were scrappy, with Albion doing most of the pressing as Synners struggled badly with their distribution and repeatedly surrendered possession.

The first effort of note came from an unlikely source after six minutes. Scott Oldfield chested down a clearance following a Ryton corner before striking the ball sweetly from distance, forcing Jacob Crowle to dive to his right and push it to safety.

Albion went close again on 24 minutes when Kyle Atkinson climbed to meet a Louis Calvert corner, but his header drifted narrowly wide.

With neither goalkeeper having been seriously troubled since Oldfield’s early effort, the contest appeared to be meandering towards a goalless first half. Then, completely out of keeping with what had gone before, the goals suddenly arrived.

On 38 minutes, George Hayton headed a Billingham clearance back towards Calvert, whose lay-off found Louis Anderson on the edge of the ‘D’. Anderson took aim and produced a superb finish, sending the ball sailing over Crowle and into the net.

It was a fine goal that such a scruffy contest had scarcely deserved.

The 135 spectators had barely finished celebrating when Albion doubled their advantage just a minute later.

Calvert worked the ball out to Anderson on the right and, spotting Ethan Bewley charging towards goal, Anderson sent a cross into the area. The delivery bypassed Bewley but struck the unfortunate Synners captain Jacob Owen and trundled into his own net.

Two goals up after 39 minutes against a side that had offered virtually nothing going forward – what could possibly go wrong?

As it turned out, quite a lot.

The warning arrived just before the interval from almost Billingham’s first serious attack of the evening. Josh Hodgkinson managed to squeeze a ball across from the byline which somehow evaded the entire Ryton rearguard, leaving Jack Lamb with the simple task of tapping into an empty net.

Suddenly the visitors had a foothold in a game that had looked to be slipping away from them.

HT: RACA 2 Billingham Synthonia 1

If Albion hoped Lamb’s goal would prove nothing more than a temporary blip, they were in for a rude awakening.

Synners emerged for the second half looking like a completely different side. Their confidence restored, the Teessiders began moving the ball with purpose and an excellent passage of play brought them level after 54 minutes.

Hodgkinson was involved again, finding Charlie Raby, whose clever back-heel released leading scorer Sam Irvine. Irvine raced clear of the RACA defence before calmly slotting beyond the exposed Callum Corkhill to make it 2-2.

Six minutes later, Albion contributed significantly to their own downfall.

A Ryton throw back towards Corkhill lacked the necessary pace and, with Irvine bearing down on him, the goalkeeper was forced into a hurried clearance. It fell straight to Raby, who needed no second invitation, racing forward before rounding Corkhill and rolling the ball home.

From 2-0 up, Albion were suddenly 3-2 down.

The increasingly tetchy contest still had another twist, however, and this time it was Billingham’s turn to contribute some questionable defending.

Albe Fletcher put Seb Waller under pressure as the Synners defender dallied on the edge of his own penalty area. His hurried clearance fell invitingly for substitute Rhys Hutchinson, who took full advantage to fire home and restore parity after 68 minutes.

At 3-3, a game which had spent much of the first half threatening very little had become completely unpredictable.

Both sides went looking for a winner, but it was Billingham who struck with five minutes remaining.

A combination of substitutes opened Albion up, with Harry Healey finding Harvey Poole. Poole spun away from Oldfield and surged forward before squaring for Spencer Evans. His low effort was blocked by Corkhill’s feet, but Michael Smith reacted quickest to the loose ball and drilled the rebound through a crowd of players to put Synners back in front.

Any hopes of another Ryton response were extinguished three minutes later.

A through-ball caught the Albion defence flat-footed and released Harry Lambert, who raced clear. Corkhill did his best to delay him, but Lambert eventually rounded the goalkeeper and rolled home Billingham’s fifth to complete an extraordinary turnaround.

FT: RACA 3 Billingham Synthonia 5

Certainly one for the neutral, although considerably less enjoyable for those of an Albion persuasion.

After a string of impressive defensive performances – not least the rearguard action with ten men at Seaham – the manner in which RACA surrendered a two-goal advantage will be particularly frustrating. From looking completely comfortable approaching half-time, Albion conceded five times in little more than 45 minutes as Synners ruthlessly punished a series of defensive lapses.

The defeat brings Ryton’s five-game winning streak to an end and allows Billingham Synthonia to leapfrog them in the table.

Plenty to ponder, then, before Albion look to bounce back on Saturday with a trip to Darlington Town.

RACA: Corkhill, Hayton (Ajavon 61), Oldfield, Atkinson, Plunkett, Caygill, Beesley, Fletcher (Craggs 72), Anderson (Hutchinson 61), Calvert, Bewley (Bell 70). Substitute not used: Basham.

Attendance: 135