Albion came from a goal down to beat neighbours Prudhoe YC 4-1 at Essity Park in front of 361 spectators with a significant proportion in attendance cheering on RACA. Tom Wilson had the hosts a goal up on 7 minutes before Jack Salkeld levelled on 21 minutes. Two quick second half goals from Joe Groves-Forbes & an own goal had Ryton in the driving seat, and despite Groves-Forbes later being dismissed, the ten men added a fourth goal thanks to Louis Anderson on 80 minutes to round off a fine victory in the Tyne Valley Derby.

MATCH REPORT

RACA and Prudhoe YC Seniors met for the seventh time since Prudhoe’s promotion to the Northern League, with RACA having just won the once, that being on Boxing Day last year at Essity Park. And it was Essity Park that hosted this Friday night fixture that pulled in 361 spectators on a fine evening for watching football.

With neither side having the best of starts to the campaign, there was much at stake and it was Albion who started brightly, Kieran Russel hitting the bar with a header on 5 minutes, the rebound falling to Kurtis Dodds whose follow up shot was blocked from which Prudhoe broke away and won a corner. Connor Lane floated in the corner kick, finding the head of Thomas Wilson who nodded home powerfully to put the hosts ahead in an early setback for Ryton. The visitors were almost level in the 11^th minute when a free kick was delivered into the box by Declan Bissett & Glenn Caygill saw his headed touched onto the crossbar by Seniors keeper Sam Wilson. Bisset was instrumental in RACA’s 21^st minute leveller when his corner was headed into the ground by Jack Salkeld & it bounced past the dive of Wilson into the back of the net to restore parity. Prudhoe’s Brad Foster had a chance to make it 2-1 on the half hour mark when a cross from the left wing found him free from his marker but he could only head the fast moving ball wide. Foster was the key man again three minutes later with some fancy footwork followed by a curling shot that might just have crept in the net but Corkhill was able to smother the shot will relative ease. At the other end Joe Groves-Forbes took advantage of a 42^nd minute sloppy attempt from the Seniors’ defence to clear the ball, cutting in between two defenders that Wilson dived to push out for a corner. From the corner Russel headed the ball into the net but the goal was chalked off immediately by referee David Batty following a foul on a Prudhoe defender and the sides went in to the interval all square.

HT Prudhoe YC Seniors 1 RACA 1

RACA were to score more than once for the first time this season when on 55 minutes, Bissett put in a fine cross from the by-line which Groves-Forbes accurately met with his head & nodded the ball home past Wilson’s despairing dive. 2-1 became 3-1 just two minutes later when a Louis Anderson ball into the six yard area found Salkeld slightly off-balance & his shot bounced off the luckless Foster and into his own net. Prudhoe might have thought they were thrown a lifeline when Groves-Forbes was dismissed on the hour for a tackle that earned him a second yellow, but like on Wednesday, the ten men closed ranks & it wasn’t obvious they were a man light. Indeed Ryton created the next chance of note on 73 minutes when awarded a free kick which Bisset curled into the Prudhoe box. Salkeld got his head to it but it looped over the bar without giving Wilson too much cause for concern. Albion wrapped the game up on 80 minutes & Prudhoe were their own worst enemy, once again being punished for indecisive defending. Jack Elliott dispossessed a dawdling defender, laying the ball to Bisset in the middle of the box. Bisset spotted
Anderson
making a run, & played the ball into his path & the RACA No9 slotted home. Prudhoe weren’t totally done with though, an 84
^th
minute Ryan Ndiweni free-kick caused some panic around the far post, Bradley Mawston getting some contact with his head but not enough to direct the ball towards goal & it ricocheted out of play. And that was that as the game concluded with a few unwanted injuries, free kicks & much added time. First Tyne Valley blood goes to RACA with a dogged performance and more than doubling season’s the goal tally in the process. Meanwhile Prudhoe are still searching for their first victory with two draws from their five games to date.

FT PRUDHOE YC SENIORS 1 RACA 4

RACA– Corkhill, Skivington, Lynch (Ord 63), Russel (Fletcher 58), Caygill, Dodds, Elliott (Dart 87), Salkeld, Anderson (Luke 81), Bisset (Cairns 85), Groves-Forbes (s/o).

RACA make the short trip to Essity Park on Friday night to face Prudhoe YC for the first Tyne Valley derby of the season. With both sides having had disappointing starts to the campaign the match is a perfect opportunity for one outfit to kick start their season and claim local bragging rights at the same time. Kick off is 7:30pm if you want to sample the derby atmosphere.

Thursday’s Division 2 Results

Durham United 0 Yarm & Eaglescliffe 4 ( Hillerby, Marshall, Atkinson, Roberts)

Newcastle University 1 (Foster) AFC Newbiggin 2 (Douglas, Barber)

Seaham Red Star maintained their 100% record with a narrow 1-0 victory at the Oldhaulage Stadium in a tight if niggly game. Lewis Porritt’s 57th minute goal separated the two sides in a win that moves them back to the summit of the table. RACA also had Albe Fletcher dismissed for a second yellow card on another disappointing evening before Friday’s Tyne Valley derby at Prudhoe. One bright spot was the 297 attendance with a good following up from East Durham to swell the ranks. Albion drop a place to 17th in the table.

MATCH SUMMARY

Ryton faced a stern test as they welcomed unbeaten Seaham Red Star, relegated from Division one last season, to the Tyne Valley.

As early as the 2^nd minute, Seaham were putting pressure on their hosts forging a useful looking attack when John Stephenson made a darting run down the right flank & put in a low dangerous looking cross bur Albion keeper Callum Corkhill dived down low to block it before the ball reached another Seaham player. In a half where the ball spent a lot of time in the air, it was RACA who created the first chance of note on 19 minutes when Glenn Caygill narrowly headed wide from a corner. Seaham’s next chance came from a 33^rd minute good team move culminating in Ryan O’Connor finding Matty Weirs whose powerful drive from close range was well blocked by Corkhill. And that was it for meaningful efforts in the first period, which was more end to end play with little end result and more than a few niggly fouls to break up any fluency.

HT RACA 0 Seaham Red Star 0

The second half continued with much energy but little in the way of goalmouth action, that was until the 52^nd minute when the home fans shouted for a penalty when Declan Bisset on a run towards the Red Star goal was knocked over in the box by Danny Wilds, but referee Mr Carr was not to be persuaded by the howls from the RACA fans and they, probably rightly, had to settle for a corner. The corner itself created a half chance when Jack Salkeld got some head contact on the ball but not enough to give Ben Taylor in the Seaham goal any cause for concern & it rolled out gently for a goal kick. The pivotal moment in the game came on 57 minutes when a long Seaham throw into the Ryton box resulted in the defence not being able to get a clean contact on the ball to get it to safety, it falling to Lewis Porritt who showed some fancy footwork before slotting the ball home to score his second goal of the season. Albion’s hopes of taking something from the game were dealt a blow on 67 minutes when Albe Fletcher was dismissed following a second yellow card but to be fair the hosts raised their game and it wasn’t obvious who had the extra man. That said, neither side looked like adding to the scoring, the latter stages of the game punctuated with free kicks, injuries & substitutions, until three minutes into stoppage time when Corkhill launched a free kick from inside the RACA half into the box & substitute Craig Scott rose above everyone to get a clean head on the ball but it rocketed two feet over the bar and Albion drew a blank for the first time this season. Red Star in contrast, made it four wins from four and move back to the top of the table.

Another disappointment for Ryton but it was at least a more dogged performance than of late though not ideal preparation for the big one on Friday night.

FT RACA 0 SEAHAM RED STAR 1 Attendance 297

RACA– Corkhill, Fletcher s/o, Dart, Salkeld (Skivington 81), Caygill, Dodds, Luke (Lynch 65), Groves-Forbes, Anderson (Scott 68), Bisset (Ord 77), Elliott (Adotey 73)

MATCH SUMMARY

Other Division 2 Wednesday Results

Billingham Synthonia 0 Jarrow 7 (Jackson 3, Hardie 2, Cunningham, Karim)

Darlington Town 2 (Dixon, Jackson) Prudhoe YC 2 (Simpson, Foster)

Esh Winning 1 (Harland) Sunderland West End 1 (Davison)

Park View 6 (Loveday, Young, Conroy 3, Siyanbola) Grangetown BC 2 (Shields, o.g.)

Albion face a tough test on Wednesday when we welcome division leaders Seaham Red Star to the Oldhaulage Stadium for the first time in a decade. Star have won all three of their games so far scoring eleven goals in the process & are one of two sides in the division along with Redcar Town still with a 100% record. When we last met Seaham in the 15/16 season, the then first division outfit put us out of the League Cup and the Durham Challenge Cup with us hosting both ties so we’ve a score to settle on Wednesday. If you’re planning to come along to cheer the lads on, kick off is at 7:30pm.

Tuesday Night’s 2nd Division Results

Alnwick Town 4 (Bright, Wilkinson, Potts 2) Tow Law Town 1 (Marsden)

Boldon CA 3 (Robertson 2, Watts) FC Hartlepool 0

Chester le Street Town 1 (Nelson) Billingham Town 0

Redcar Town 1 (McLeod) Sunderland RCA 3 (Knight 3)

This month’s lucky winners are-

1st prize No 100 M Otterson who wins £100

2nd Prize No 103 D Ord who wins £75

3rd Prize No 41 J Maude who wins £25

next draw is on 06/09/2025

Well done to our three winners, if you’d like to take part in this monthly fundraiser from just £5 a month, please contact us via the usual channels on the foot of the homepage or contact Paul le Patourel at the club on 07720 413390 . Thank-you

Ryton’s jittery start to the season continued with a poor performance at Sunderland RCA, deservedly coming away from Meadow Park empty handed. Trailing after just three minutes, they were 0-2 down by the time the interval belatedly came following a series of injuries. Sunderland converted a penalty on 53 minutes to put the game beyond Albion’s reach and although Louis Anderson did scramble a goal back on 68 minutes, Ryton were never going to salvage anything from this game despite upping their game a little towards the end of the match.

MATCH SUMMARY

An injury hit Albion travelled to Ryhope to face Sunderland RCA with a late signing in Craig Scott to bolster the squad missing Callum Johnston, Rhys McLeod and Ryan Bailey through various injuries. But Albion were to get off to a bad start as it took just three minutes for RCA to open the scoring when the bounce of the ball from a long punt upfield deceived the Ryton defence and Dennis Knight cleverly lobbed keeper Callum Corkhill to score the first goal of the season at Meadow Park. The game was being held up with a series of injuries not least of all a head clash between RCA keeper Karl Dryden and Kurtis Dodds that ended up with the latter being substituted after sustaining another head knock. Albion’s first shot on target game from Fergus Lynch on 18 minutes but it was an easy save for Dryden. More sloppy defending from Ryton gifted a second goal in the 25^th minute when Jackson Ward was able to take advantage of a short pass back & slot the ball home from a tight angle. In a half short on quality and chances, the home side were the better of the two, and on the half hour mark Archie Dodds launched a dangerous cross from the right straight to Knight but the Ryhope number 9 could only lob the ball over the bar. Knight had a chance to make it 3-0 on 33 minutes but he was unable to make a clean contact on Ward’s cross with the goal gaping in what was the last significant action of the first half.

HT Sunderland RCA 2 RACA 0

The second half saw Albion concede another early goal, this time from the penalty spot on 52 minutes, Liam Laffrey deemed to have been tripped in the box & Knight coolly slotting home to make it 3-0. This at least sparked a reaction from Ryton as a neat move saw Josh Skivington put in a fine cross but Louis Anderson couldn’t make full contact with his head & the ball went harmlessly wide. Out of nowhere RACA got on the scoresheet on 67 minutes following a jinking run from Jack Elliot whose cross was spilt by Dryden and Anderson was in the right place to bundle the ball home. Sunderland immediately responded with a powerful shot from Chris Thompson that looked to be goalbound until deflected by a RACA defender. Substitutions seemed to galvanise Albion late on and they even began to look dangerous at times without ever threatening the unlikely comeback, but the damage had been done in the first three quarters of the game. Sunderland get their first win while RACA lose their second away game by the same scoreline and much to ponder for the RACA management team.

FT SUNDERLAND RCA 3 RACA 1 Attendance 109

RACA– Corkhill, Fletcher (Bisset 54), Ord (Groves-Forbes 52), Russel (Skivington 45), Caygill, Dodds (Salkeld 14), Elliot, Luke, Anderson, Lynch (Scott 69), Dart (Scott 69)

Position 14th

Saturday’s Other Division 2 Results

AFC Newbiggin 5 (Barber 2, Cooper 2, Smith) Billingham Synthonia 1 (Raby)

Billingham Town 0 Darlington Town 3 (Coles, McMahon, Dixon)

Durham United 3 (Bramwell 2, Boothroyd) Park View 3 (Siyanbola, o.g. Robson)

FC Hartlepool 4 (Daley, Close, O’Gorman, McGee) Esh Winning 0

Grangetown BC 0 Alnwick Town 6 (Potts 3, Clark 2, Patterson)

Jarrow 1 (Hudson) Yarm & Eaglescliffe 2 (Roberts, Atkinson)

Newcastle University 2 (Morris, Aldcroft) Chester-le-Street Town 1 (Nelson)

Seaham Red Star 5 (Porrit, O’Connor 2, Appleby 2) Prudhoe YC 0

Tow Law Town 1 (Adams) Boldon CA 1 (Robertson)

Hot on the heels of playing one Sunderland side on Wednesday, we visit the other on Saturday as Albion travel to Meadow Park to face Sunderland RCA who play their first home game having drawn at Prudhoe and lost at Seaham in their two games to date. We did the double over RCA last season but hadn’t played them since 2011 before that & have a good record against the Wearsiders, having won nine of our ten league games against them. Like with West End, RACA and RCA haven’t played out a draw in the 13 competitive games to date. Callum Johnson (hamstring tweak) and Ryan Bailey (knee) are doubtful for Saturday so the RACA management team might have to do some rejigging of the side.

If you’re coming to the game the address for your sat-nav is Meadow Park, Beechbrooke, Ryhope, Sunderland SR2 0NZ

Friday Night’s Division 2 Result

Sunderland West End 1 (Norton) Redcar Town 3 (Smith, Carmichael, Robinson-Coley)

A Kurtis Dodds header was the difference in the sides in RACA’s first home game of the campaign in a match that won’t live long in the memory. The deciding goal was a bullet header from a corner on 12 minutes in a fairly even contest but although Albion claim the three points, it might be at a price with possible long term injuries picked up on the night.

MATCH SUMMARY

Albion welcomed Sunderland West End to the Oldhaulage Stadium for the opening home fixture with both sides keen to get points on the board having suffered defeats on Saturday.

It was the Wearsiders who created the first chance in the 3^rd minute when Mark Davison blasted a shot from the edge of the Ryton box which Callum Corkhill had to dive to push out for a corner. But it was Albion who opened the scoring on 12 minutes when the second of a brace of Louis Calvert corners was headed home by Kurtis Dodds amid a crowded penalty area. On 24 minutes Ryton were dealt a blow when Ryan Bailey pulled up with what looked like a pulled hamstring & had to hobble off. Sunderland created a half chance on the half hour mark when Harvey Hope had time to collect a lay off & try to lob Corkhill, but his effort went narrowly wide. Calvert was in the thick of it for Albion on 35 minutes when he magnificently controlled a punt upfield to him, then shrugged off the attention of two markers as he racad towards the Sunderland goal, but his shot was a weak one, straight at keeper Neal Bussey who gathered comfortably. West’s Zohair Benali went on an eyecatching run on 43 minutes to the RACA byline and tried to squeeze the ball past Corkhill from the narrow angle but the keeper was able to push the ball out for a corner that came to nothing. Two minutes later Benali caused the Albion defence more issues after dispossessing Josh Skivington then squaring the ball across the box where Glenn Caygill was able to deflect it out for a corner though a yard the other way & it would have been an own goal. During this move Calum Johnston’s turn to pull up lame in another blow for RACA. The corner was the last action of the first half & it featured a mini scramble in the Ryton box before the referee’s whistle blew,

HT RACA 1 Sunderland West End 0

A quiet start to the second half awoke from its slumber on 63 minutes when Ryton’s Dan Ord played a fine cross-field ball to Calvert who cut in , his shot beating Bussey, but not the far post, the ball smacking off the upright and away to safety. Sunderland responded with a break of their own on 67 minutes, Ashley Davis finding Thomas Hunter whose powerful shot was saved by Corkhill. The visitors had another chance to level things up on 72 minutes when Benali found Hope in space, but his shot sailed over the bar. RACA looked to be in with a chance of doubling the lead on 86 minutes when Anderson found Jack Elliott racing down the wing in bags of space and only a fine intervention from defender Owen Smith prevented a 1 on 1 situation from arising with Elliott & the West End keeper. The Wearsiders went straight up to the other end where former Albion man Luke McCabe headed the ball to Davison who in turn headed down the ball to Benali whose cross-box shot was knocked out for a corner by Caygill. The last action of the game saw Anderson marginally outpace Smith as the two raced towards the Sunderland goal with only Bussey in front of them, eventually Smith knocking Anderson over. Referee Mr Studholme awarded the free kick to Albion and chose to give Smith a yellow card rather than a possible red. Declan Bisset, not long on as a substitute took the free kick which cleared the wall but also looped just over the West End bar. And that was that, RACA taking the three points in a fairly even game without really clicking into gear but moved up to 14TH place while West End remain pointless but have the stage to themselves on Friday with a tough task as they entertain Redcar Town at the Ford Hub.

RACA Line Up– Corkhill, Skivington, Fletcher (Dart 56), Ord, Caygill, Dodds, Johnston (Elliot 46), Bailey (Luke 25), Anderson, Lynch (Salkeld 89), Calvert (Bisset 81)

FT RACA 1 SUNDERLAND WEST END 0 Attendance 185

Position 14TH

Wednesday’s Other Division 2 Results

Billingham Synthonia 0 Chester-Le-Street Town 4 (Brownsword, Bainbridge, Hall, Little)

Esh Winning 0 Tow Law Town 2 (Herron 2)

Jarrow 0 Park View 2 (Young, Conroy)

Prudhoe YC Seniors 0 Billingham Town 2 (Stares, Mitchell)

Thursday’s Division 2 Result

Newcastle University 2 (Pennington, Foster) Darlington Town 0

Albion kick off the season at The Oldhaulage Stadium on Wednesday evening with the visit of Sunderland West End, one of the two teams who had a worse result than us on the opening day having gone down 4-1 at home to Seaham Red Star. Kick off is at 7:30pm, it’s forecast for dry evening so head down if you can to cheer on the RACA as we aim to get the first points on the board and begin the climb up the table.

Since they joined the Northern League in 2019/20 season, we’ve played West End 11 times in league and cup and there hasn’t been a drawn game to date with RACA winning 7 and losing 4. (and for those of you keeping count it’s 138 competitive games since Albion played a 0-0!) However the Wearsiders have done better in the Tyne Valley than at home in the league, having won three of their five trips to NE40, although we did thump them 6-1 at HQ in the Durham Challenge Cup 1^st Round in 21/22.

Tuesday Night’s Division 2 Results

Alnwick Town 4 (Potts 3, Clark) v Durham United 0

Boldon CA 1 (Williams) v Grangetown BC 1 (Dixon)

Redcar Town 3 (Smith, Carmichael, Robinson-Coley) FC Hartlepool 0

Seaham Red Star 2 (Robinson, Thynne) v Sunderland RCA 1 (Guy)

Yarm & Eaglescliffe 1 (Atkinson) v AFC Newbiggin 1 (Elliott)

RACA+ brings you all the best of the action from all of our matches on our social media platforms and YouTube channel.