RACA have signed midfielder Dario dos Santos from Blyth Town. The 27 year old also played for Boldon earlier in the season where he scored five goals, three in the league (including one against RACA in our 2-1 win over Boldon at Kingsley Park) and two in the Durham Challenge Cup. Welcome aboard Dario
Next up, Albion face out of form Redcar Town at Kingsley Park who we’ve yet to play this season, on Saturday. The Teessiders have lost six on the spin their latest a 2-1 home defeat to the much improved Chester-le-Street United on Wednesday night, so both sides will be wanting to bounce back from midweek home defeats. They currently sit in 20th place & looked to have turned a corner in mid January with back to back away wins at Esh Winning (4-0) and Sunderland West End (3-2) but since then their form has taken a nosedive. Can Albion end the mini blip against a struggling Redcar Town? Find out first hand at HQ -Kick off on Saturday is at 3pm
Quick news about a departing player, Kevin Mirzakhanian, who has made one substitute appearance this season. Kevin has been signed by first division Birtley Town & he goes to the Hoops with our best wishes.
Albion’s six game unbeaten run was ended at Kingsley Park by leaders Blyth Town. A fairly even first half saw Blyth get the upper hand when a late first half free kick on their left flank was scored by Max Cowburn. While Albion created at least three good chances in the second half, as they pushed increasingly forward for the equaliser, Town broke away to nab two late second half goals, from Brandon Slater in the 88th minute then from Dan Wilson a minute into stoppage time to wrap up a slightly flattering 3-0 win.
While Blyth extend their lead to 12 points at the top, Thornaby’s win means we drop down to the bottom half of the table again to sit in 12th place.
FT RACA 0 BLYTH TOWN 3 Attendance 190
Albion host runaway leaders Blyth Town on Wednesday night as we look to make it seven games unbeaten. Town surprisingly lost their 100% home record on Saturday when Esh Winning beat them 2-1 at Gateway Park and they will be keen to get back to winning ways. The reverse fixture saw Blyth coast to an easy 4-1 victory with Joe Gibson, Brandon Slater, Robbie Dale and ex RACA man Gavin Dick scoring for Town while Aaron Costello got our consolation goal. If you want to head down to Kingsley Park to cheer on the lads in their quest to beat the top side in Division 2, the kick off is at 7:30pm
The new date for our away game at Brandon United is on Wednesday 10th April kick off time to be confirmed but likely 7:45pm
PRUDHOE YC 3 RACA 3
Misfiring Albion’s winning run came to an end at Essity Park as Prudhoe and RACA shared the points in a 3-3 draw in front of a record attendance of 410. Ryton’s poorest performance for several games still yielded them a point as they twice came back from being behind with Kristian Sands, Aaron Costello and Michael Baxter getting on the scoresheet to also end the losing run against the Seniors.
In this much awaited local derby it was Albion who came into the game bang in form & playing some eyecatching football to boot, but the stardust was missing at Essity Park as RACA’s passing in particular wasn’t up to recent standards. Prudhoe took advantage of RACA’s sluggish start by taking the lead on 11 minutes, Sam Dibb-Fuller poking home a cross from Darren Graham. It was to get worse for Albion on 34 minutes when Roman Sparks scored his first goal of the season for the Seniors causing some disgruntlement among the Albion fans making up a good proportion of the 410 spectators. Fortunately & a bit out of nowhere, the deficit was halved when Kristian Sands fired home from inside the Prudhoe box in the 38th minute and those of a black and blue persuasion were even more jubilant two minutes later when Aaron Costello equalised, the sides going into the break at 2-2
If the travelling fans were hoping their side would continue the momentum in the second half, they were to be disappointed as again the fluency associated with recent performances just wasn’t there. Prudhoe took advantage of Ryton’s off day on 55 minutes, Sparks finding Matty Law who rounded Albion keeper Brogan Colquhoun to make it 3-2. Ryton had to fight back again & Michael Baxter saw his powerful shot crash against the woodwork in the 70th minute. He had more success three minutes later when his in-swinging corner ended up in the back of the Prudhoe net, possibly taking a deflection on the way in, but the equaliser is credited to Baxter. That was the end of the scoring as the sides shared the points in what was entertaining fayre for the neutral.
FT PRUDHOE YC SENIORS 3 RACA 3 Attendance 410
Friday night is derby night as RACA make the short trip to Essity Park to play Prudhoe YC Seniors in the latest instalment of the eagerly awaited Tyne Valley Derby.
Albion are hoping to make it six wins on the spin in the league against a Prudhoe side with just one win in seventeen league and cup games.
Surely an away banker? Not so straightforward as that, as Prudhoe have the Indian sign over us, and turned us over 3-1 at Kingsley Park in the reverse fixture back in September.
Fergus Lynch got our goal for us that night and we had Aaron Costello dismissed. Prudhoe’s scorers were Ben Dibb-Fuller and former players Bradley Lowes and Kyle Cockburn.
The only positive for us that night was the bumper crowd of 422, still our highest attendance this season.
The Seniors also did the double over us last season winning 2-0 at RACA and 3-1 at Prudhoe in their first season in the Northern League.
If you want your Friday night football fix get down to Essity Park, Prudhoe, NE42 5EH, and get behind RACA’s push for the play offs! Kick off is scheduled for 7:30pm.
Don’t forget, you can follow our X/Twitter and Instagram feeds (@RACAFC1970) for live updates and build up; with the match report, reaction, photos and highlights to follow on the website and Facebook after the match.
Tonight’s game at Brandon’s Welfare Ground has been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. We’ll update the site with the revised date once it has been arranged.
Albion have signed attacking midfield squad player Connor Shaw from Chester-le-Street Town. Connor has scored eight goals for the Cestrians this season, all in the league.
RACA’s next scheduled game is a trip to bottom side Brandon United on Wednesday evening. United have had a well documented torrid season, sit rock bottom of Division Two with just seven points & are on a run of fifteen defeats in league & cup. Although Brandon’s future is looking brighter under their new administration, Albion will be hopeful of extending the winning run to six at the Welfare Ground. In the reverse fixture at Kingsley Park, we won 7-1 with Aaron Costello scoring a hattrick, the remaining goals being scored by Richie Hoggins, Fergus Lynch, Ryan Smith & Joe Groves-Forbes. Lennox Magalhaes got the goal for United. For any RACA fans wanting to head down to Brandon, the address is Welfare Ground, Rear Commercial Street, Brandon, County Durham, DH7 8PL. Kick off is 7:45pm
