Albion played a second home game in four days with Horden Community Welfare today’s opponents & had to settle for a point with Fergus Lynch’s first half goal being cancelled out by a Ben Henderson equaliser.
With Aaron Costello still out injured & key defenders missing, manager Nathan Beckham was forced into making changes to Wednesday’s winning line up. One of this week’s two signings Louis Calvert was to start up front having scored 14 times for Blyth Town last season. The other signing is the enigmatic Michael Baxter, back at the Albion from Chester-le-Street Town.
After a bright opening few minutes from Horden, it was Albion who were to be the better side in the opening 45 minutes. Calvert almost made an instant impact for his new club in the 16th minute when Declan Bissett danced round two defenders then laid the ball to Calvert who was left with a 1 on 1 with Horden keeper Craig Foster, but while he rounded Foster, he put just to much on the ball which trickled out of play before he could tap it into the empty net. The visitors were struggling to clear their lines & kept playing themselves into trouble, much to the frustration of the Horden bench, & they nearly paid fdearly in the 22nd minute when the RACA forwards were able to play through the defence & set up Bissett whose shot was only narrowly wide. The Marras struck back in the 26th when breaking forward & Joshua Home-Jackson let fly from distance forcing RACA keeper Brogan Colquhoun into a fine save but it was to be the hosts who would break the deadlock on 33 minutes when a Bissett free kick was only parried into the path of Fergus Lynch by Foster, & the Ryton captain for the day was able to bundle the ball into the net for his first goal of the season. Taylor Campbell tried his hand for an equaliser when brought out a low diving save from Colquhoun following a Horden free kick on 43 minutes but it was to be Ryton who deservedly lead at the interval.
Horden were a more potent force in the second half & drew level on 61 minutes when Ben Riding flicked on a Home-Jackson throw in, & Ben Henderson was there to fire home from close range. Other than a half hearted penalty claim from each side, there wasn’t much in the way of real chances to concern either keeper & the points were shared, Albion dropping down to 7th in the table as a result of the dropped points. Next up it’s a midweek trip to Wearside to face Sunderland RCA.
FT RACA 1 HORDEN CW 1 Attendance 162
RACA- Colquhoun, Grieveson, Ledger, Luke, Harrison (Lawson 57 (Symons 83)), Lynch (capt) Walker (Cairns 87), Skivington, Calvert (Salim 75), Bissett (Todd 75), Groves-Forbes.
ENL Pos: 7th.