FT FC HARTLEPOOL 1 RACA 1
Albion put in a much better performance to come away from Grayfields with a deserved point, the first ever earned at FC Hartlepool’s home. Louis Calvert opened the scoring with a fine goal in the 18th minute having been much the better side in the first half. Despite that, Matty Lovett levelled on 36 minutes with an effort that bounced in off the inside of the post. The hosts were much improved after the break but couldn’t find a winner and the points were shared.
MATCH SUMMARY
Albion headed to Grayfields knowing they’d have to dramatically improve on Saturday’s showing if they were to take anything off FC Hartlepool in their own backyard, something they had failed to do in three previous visits. On a pleasant evening for football, a RACA starting XI with five changes to Saturday’s line up, did just that taking the game to the hosts in the opening period. Despite the lack of significant goalmouth action in the opening period, Albion were knocking the ball around sweetly and their dominance got its reward on 18 minutes when a knock forward from the returning Aaron Costello wasn’t properly dealt with by Pool defender Scott Close and Louis Calvert took full advantage, nipping in front of his opponent and firing home past Logan Douglas from the edge of the box. Ryton almost made it 2-0 from a 24th minute corner when Glenn Caygill rose highest to head a powerful effort down which Douglas did well to parry before the ball was hoofed to safety amid a sea of legs. Pool had their first shot in anger on 27th minute when Jordan Fielding found Mikey McGee on the edge of the box. He evaded the attentions of his marker before shooting across the goal, his effort going only narrowly wide. Albion responded on the half hour when a ball forward from Ethan Bewley was picked up by Costello, and his shot from an awkward angle stung the palms of Douglas who pushed the ball to safety. A Costello header in the 35th minute from a Scott Oldfield cross wasn’t too far wide of the Hartlepool goal, but the hosts responded soon after with their equaliser. A Jake Stott throw was headed first by McGee, then Fielding before Matthew Lovatt scooped a shot that bounced off the inside of the post & nestled in the net to make it 1-1
HT FC Hartlepool 1 RACA 1
If Ryton were top dogs in the first half, FC were the stronger outfit after the break, Tom Gavin chanced his arm from outside the box on 56 minutes with a well struck shot which was only a yard wide of the crossbar. In the 63rd minute, three Pool substitutes, Liam Appelby, Will Coxon and Olly Burrows combined to cause some angst in the Albion box, but the defence stood firm to intercept their combined efforts. Ryton’s nearest effort to scoring came in the 79th minute following a fine run from Dylan Lawson, but his effort was smothered by Douglas. While there were one or two late scares as FC Hartlepool pushed for a winner, RACA held on for a deserved point.
FT FC HARTLEPOOL 1 RACA 1
RACA- Corkhill, Beesley, Oldfield, Lynch (Bell 66), Caygill, Hayton, Lawson, Hutchinson, Calvert (Atkinson 90+1), Bewley (Grieveson), Costello (Elliott 55). Sub not used- Fletcher