Albion survived a late onslaught from Boldon to take all three points at the Oldhaulage Stadium. Leading from Luke Page’s 22nd minute goal Ryton were very comfortable at the interval as the visitors barely laid a glove on their hosts. The second half was a different story as the longer the game went on, the more Boldon dominated & the home fans were relieved to hear the final whistle without conceding an equaliser as has been the case in the last three home games. The three points propel Ryton up to 4th place, our highest position since October.

MATCH SUMMARY

Albion welcomed Boldon to HQ needing to build on last Saturday’s win, but facing a side enjoying their recent away days having won their last six on the road and no doubt keen to avenge the 7-0 drubbing in the reverse fixture on South Tyneside.

The first half chance fell to Ryton’s Luke Page in the 4^th minute, being set up by a Morgan Dart cross, but he rather scuffed his shot and the ball went harmlessly wide. Page did much better in the 22^nd minute when a fine RACA move ended up with the opening goal. Louis Calvert ran down the right wing and played the ball to Matty Hayton in the box, who after some neat footwork laid the ball to Rhys McLeod who was closed down by a yellow wall of defenders so played the ball back to Page whose low shot went in the corner of the net past the despairing dive of keeper Oliver Walker.

Boldon offered little threat up front, a shot from distance from Harrison Hart on the half hour mark that was comfortably smothered by RACA keeper Brogan Colquhoun being the sole effort of note. Hayton had half a chance to make it 2-0 in the 38^th minute when a Josh Skivington shot was blocked by a Boldon defender, the ball spinning to the feet of Hayton but he put his effort over the bar, and that was it for the first 45 minutes.

HT RACA 1 Boldon CA 0

Ryton were desperate not to let this lead slip as they had done in the last three homes & could have doubled the advantage in the 49^th minute when Calvert picked up a loose ball & struck it goalwards only for Walker to pull off a fine save pushing the ball out to his left. The visitors responded with a shot from John Murray who benefitted from Alex O’ Donnell’s persistence in harrying Albion’s Charlie Grieveson, finally dispossessing him & squaring the ball to Murray whose first touch let him down and a a consequence he could only poke the ball straight to Colquhoun. Hayton had another chance for Albion in the 55^th minute, shrugging off his marker but again he put too much air to his shot and the ball sailed over the bar. O’ Donnell was in the thick of things a minute later when Page broke through into the Boldon box & from certain angles the Boldon defender looked to have pulled off a fine defensive tackle on Page, but on reviewing goal-cam footage it did rather look like a foul. Having to make a decision in real time, referee Mr Rowe had to make a snap decision & thought O’ Donnell played the ball cleanly and so the visitors maybe got away with one. As the game progressed Boldon began to look more and more dangerous although the Ryton rearguard were restricting clear cut chances. Boldon substitute Joshua Houghton brought a comfortable save out of Colquhoun in the 85^th minute & the Albion keeper equally easily gathered a Robbie Gateshill free kick three minutes into stoppage time. Mr Rowe was embroiled in another penalty area moot point in the last minute of stoppage time when there was a loud appeal for handball from the Boldon players and bench, but the referee declined to give the spot kick. There was still another chance for the visitors to grab a draw, Aaron Williams looped the ball over the Ryton defence but it was just beyond the reach of Gateshill’s outstretched leg & RACA held on for the win.

Albion keep their unbeaten record against Boldon, now eight games since they joined the Northern League, and move up past Chester-le-Street and Esh Winning into 4th place with the win.

FT RACA 1 BOLDON CA 0 Attendance 220

RACA- Colquhoun, Skivington (Lynch 55), Ledger, Page (Hoggins 84), Caygill, Oldfield, McLeod, Grieveson, Calvert (Cairns 90), Dart (Groves-Forbes 79), Hayton (Burrell 62)

On Saturday Albion host Boldon CA at the Oldhaulage Stadium hoping to build on the win at Moor Park and end the run of 1-1 draws at HQ. At first glance it doesn’t look the hardest of games with the South Tynesiders sitting in 18th place & having lost 0-7 to RACA at the Villa earlier in the season, but Boldon are having a major upturn in form having won their last six games on the road in league and cup. Since losing against the University along the road in November, they went back to Essity Park to beat Prudhoe 3-1, won at Washington 1-0, at Esh Winning 3-1, beat first division Seaham Red Star in the League Cup, won 2-1 at Alnwick then on Wednesday beat Thornaby 2-0 in the E Armstrong Cup at Teesdale Park so they are not to be underestimated. RACA, while faltering a little of late have still only once in the last nine games, so it’s a clash of two teams in reasonable enough form. While RACA have drawn the last three at home, Boldon haven’t drawn since September, a run of 24 games, so something has to give, but hopefully not the run of 128 competitive RACA matches without a 0-0.

Kick off is the usual 3pm, hope to see a few of you there to cheer on the boys in black and blue, HOWAY THE RACA!

CHESTER LE STREET TOWN 0 RACA 2

Albion completed the double over the Cestrians for the first time since 2008-09 winning 2-0 at Moor Park in a game between two out of form sides. Glenn Caygill and Matty Hayton scored in the first half, with Ryton having been much the better side in the opening 45 minutes. The second half saw the hosts come into it more but in reality it was a poor spectacle littered with fouls and stoppages but most importantly RACA came away with the three points.

RACA- Colquhoun, Skivington, Ledger, Page (Harrison 81), Oldfield, Caygill, Dart (Fletcher 87), Grieveson, Hayton (Hoggins 71), Groves-Forbes (Baxter 46), McLeod (Lawson 78)

MATCH SUMMARY

 Albion travelled to Moor Park hoping to add to Chester-le-Street’s current woes, not having won in their last eight games. Missing top scorer Louis Calvert through illness RACA welcome back Matty Harrison on the subs bench as emergency cover. In spring-like conditions the visitors settled into the game better, Morgan Dart stabbing a ball narrowly wide n the 7^th minute in the games’ first half chance. The same player had Town keeper Alex Lawrence scrambling across his line two minutes later as his cross swung dangerously near to the top corner of the Cestrians’ net. RACA’s pressure paid off on 17 minutes when Josh Skivington’s diligence paid off as he found a gap in the Chester defence to find Joe Groves-Forbes whose cross was fumbled by Lawrence, the ball landing to Glenn Caygill who headed home from close range. Matty Hayton tried to double Albion’s lead on 24 minutes with a shot from outside the box that Lawrence was pleased to see go narrowly wide of his crossbar. Town’s first chance came on 29 minutes when Bailey Judson jinxed his way in to Ryton box and delivered a fine cross to Michael Gray who managed to fire wide from almost point blank range. Thereafter it was Albion on the prowl for a second goal, Cayhill with another powerful header in the 34^th minute from a Rhys McLeod free kick, this time over the bar, then McLeod on 39 minutes launched a screamer that was also only inches over the Cestrian bar. Just as many of the 112 spectators were heading for half time refreshments, a fine team goal had RACA 2-0 up. Charlie Grieveson dispossessed a Chester defender & found Luke Page who played the ball wide to Dart whose cross was headed on by Page for Hayton to volley into the net, Albion had a comfortable half time lead

HT Chester le Street Town 0 RACA 2

If Ryton thought they’d dominate the second half as much as they did the first half, they were to be disappointed although the early omens looked good when McLeod brought a good save out of Lawrence just two minutes after the break. The game became very even but very bitty as referee Mr Groves was forced to exercise his whistle due to the amount of niggly fouls. The hosts still weren’t offering a great deal up front, a move on 63 minutes where Kieran Hall headed a Kieron Beattie cross two yards wide about the most potent offering until Noah Cunningham’s header from a Hall head-on in the 74^th minute brough a fine diving save out of Brogan Colquhoun. Chester’s last chance of a consolation came on 90 minutes when once again the Ryton keeper had to push a powerful shot away, this time from Joel Pearson. Meanwhile RACA offered little up front in the second half, instead constantly being thwarted by the linesman’s flag, but nevertheless, held on to take the three points, end the mini winless run and keep slap bang in the hunt for a play-off place.

FT CHESTER LE STREET TOWN 0 RACA 2 Attendance 118

Albion make the trip to Moor Park to face old foes Chester-le-Street Town with both sides really needing the tonic of a win. While RACA have gone four games without a win, the Cestrians are in an alarming run of form having not won since before Christmas and since then picking up just two points from the twenty one available, though in their last game did get a creditable 2-2 draw at Billingham Town. While Town look too far off the pace to make the play-offs, Ryton need to get the promotion push back on track though it’s been helpful that the other play off hopefuls for the last two spots are also floundering. Jack Errington got the only goal of the game when the sides met at the Oldhaulage Stadium earlier in the season & a repeat result at Chester Moor would do nicely. If you’re heading down to cheer on the lads the full address of the Cestrians is Moor Park, Chester Moor, Chester-le-Street DH2 3BX. Howay The RACA!!

RACA 1  ESH WINNING 1

For the third successive home game, Albion let a 1-0 lead slip & had to settle for a point with another 1-1 draw. Tonight, Louis Calvert’s 22nd minute goal had the hosts a goal up at the interval having also spurned several chances, but the Stags came out much stronger in the second half & Cobi Jones got a deserved equaliser on 65 minutes to share the spoils.

MATCH SUMMARY

Ryton welcomed regular opponents Esh Winning to the Oldhaulage Stadium for this the 40^th meeting between the sides, both with play-off ambitions but both with jittery form in recent games. It was the Stags who created the first meaningful chance in the 7^th minute when the ball was lumped forward to Kobi Jones who ran between two defenders but couldn’t get a clean contact on the ball which trundled just wide of Brogan Colquhoun’s right hand post. Colquhoun was called into action four minutes later when Joe Bates found a stray ball landing next to him & his reflex shot had the Ryton stopper smothering the ball on the ground. Louis Calvert had Albion’s first goalbound attempt on 13 minutes but he fired narrowly wide from distance & was similarly close on the quarter hour mark, spinning round to connect with a knock on in the box to put it just wide of Harry Alderson’s left hand upright. Matty Hayton was next to test Alderson, latching on to a blocked 17^th minute clearance but the Esh keeper dived down low to block the shot. The Stags’ resistance was breached in the 22^nd minute when Mogan Dart played a great ball forward for Calvert to run on to & he notched his 20^th goal of the season, running past a ponderous Esh defence to fire high into Alderson’s net. 1-0 should have been 2-0 a minute later when the visitors were carved open again, Hayton ending up in a one on one with the keeper, but Alderson was able to push the ball from the RACA man’s control as he tried to round him. Esh were looking vulnerable at the back & another break on 24 minutes saw Hayton burst free again & instead of shooting, he unselfishly squared it to the unmarked Calvert but the ball was just behind the scorer and the chance was lost. Albion were in full attack mode & only an brilliant acrobatic save from Alderson on the half hour prevented Calvert from scoring his second of the game, powerfully heading a Dart cross before being foiled by the Esh goalie. The chances kept coming for Ryton, Joe Groves-Forbes heading over a Fergus Lynch cross on 34 minutes, but in the 45^th minute it was the visitors who created the last chance of the half, Tom Merryweather finding himself in space and with enough time to steady himself before unleashing a shot which Colquhoun could only parry into a crowd of players but the ball was cleared to safety & the Albion goal stayed intact.

HT RACA 1  Esh Winning 0

The visitors started the second half brightly, Joe Bates coming close to a 47^th minute equaliser, heading a Reece Brown shot towards the goal which Colquhoun had to tip over the bar, then Sam Haynes found himself in space with the ball in the 50th minute but chose accuracy over power, giving Colquhoun time to dive low and stop his shot. It was end to end stuff but Esh were looking the more dangerous, Brown bringing another save out of Colquhoun in the 57^th minute. It came as no surprise when the Stags scored a leveller on 63 minutes, Bates floating over a pinpoint cross for Cobi Jones to head home to make it 1-1 to the groans of most of the 175 crowd who were witnessing yielding a lead for the third consecutive home game. Esh Winning’s defensive frailties re-appeared in the 67^th minute when a routine ball wasn’t dealt with, Hayton nipping in to nick the ball but he was crowded out by a combination of Andy Taylor’s fine defensive tackle and the advancing Alderson before he could unleash his shot. At the other end Merryweather pumped forward a fine cross which evaded the RACA rearguard, dipping at the far post where Bates had advanced to, but the ball was a fraction in front of the Stags number 9 and the 70^th minute chance went begging. Alderson was in the thick of things on 72 minutes when Albion substitute Rhys McLeod powered a shot that look destined for the top corner of the net before the keeper tipped the ball out for a corner. The match’s most controversial incident occurred on 82 minutes when Calvert was fouled more than once on a run towards goal, finally being chopped down by Taylor what looked a good three feet inside the box, but the referee only awarded a free kick from just outside the box much to the derision of the home fans in line with the edge of the penalty area. Esh’s own yellow wall did their job from the free kick & that was it for drama save for the floodlights going off in stoppage time but the referee was set to blow for full time anyway so after a minute’s wait he called time on this game in the darkness. So a point that Esh would be happier with, though both sides received a small boost when the news that Thornaby had lost at home to West End, though the current form of both sides will be giving concern in both camps. That said, the point does move Albion up a place into 6^th.

FT RACA 1  ESH WINNING 1

RACA- Colquhoun, Skivington, Ledger, Page, Oldfield, Caygill, Dart (Hoggins 76), Lynch (Fletcher 48), Calvert, Groves-Forbes (McLeod 46), Hayton (Baxter 78)

Albion’s next game is an important home one against fellow promotion hopefuls Esh Winning on Wednesday night. The Stags are sitting in fourth place with games in hand but are going through a lean time having lost their last three games, allowing the chasing pack of RACA, Chester-le-Street United and Thornaby to close up on them. RACA have won the last five encounters with Esh including a 1-0 at West Terrace in early August in this season’s reverse fixture, Matty Harrison’s goal the difference in the sides. On the flip side we have dropped points from winning positions in our last two games at the Oldhaulage Stadium, against Alnwick and Darlington Town, so need to get back to winning ways having not won in our last three games. Kick off on Wednesday is at 7:30pm, hope you can make it. Howay the RACA!

For the second consecutive home game Albion have let a 1-0 lead slip & had to settle for a share of the points, this time it was Darlington Town who did the damage, cancelling out Luke Page’s first half opener with a 51st minute James Beauchamp leveller to take a point back down the A68. However other results went our way in the chase for play-off places so the afternoon could have been a lot worse.

MATCH SUMMARY

Ryton & Darlington locked horns for the third time this season on a murky day & a heavy pitch at the Oldhaulage Stadium. Chances were at a premium in the early stages, the first falling to Matty Hayton for the hosts on 13 minutes whose shot was well blocked by Ryan Coles, but from the resultant corner Luke Page bullet headed home from Fergus Lynch’s cross to open his account for the club. There was plenty of end to end play but both defences were on top although on 26 minutes, Lynch’s 25 yard shot wasn’t too far above Philip Pentony’s bar, & Town were relieved to see Lynch’s 33^rd minute free kick scrambled to safety after the ball bobbled around the crowded Darlington box. In Albion’s best period of the game it was Lynch again in the thick of thing a minute later, beating his marker before firing across the goal but just going wide of the far post. A minute after that Louis Calvert had his initial shot blocked by Town defender Cameron Holiday but his attempt from the rebound wasn’t far over the visitors’ goal. The half finished without further significant goalmouth action, and at this stage things were looking comfortable for RACA as Town struggled to make any threat into the hosts’ goal.

HT RACA 1 Darlington Town 0

 Darlington in their fetching mauve and yellow change kit came out a much different side to their first half selves, Brennan Fitzpatrick fining a shot not far wide in the 49^th minute, & it was Fitzpatrick who was instrumental for Town’s equaliser on 51 minutes, looping the ball to James Beauchamp who controlled it well before firing the ball home past Brogan Colquhoun to make it 1-1. Ryton’s first chance of note after the interval was Morgan Dart’s 61^st goalbound shot defected narrowly wide, while Hayton’s cross-come-shot three minutes later bounced off the top of the Darlington bar. RACA were back on the ascendency & on 69 minutes Hayton put in a cross from the left which Calvert just couldn’t make contact with from a yard out, else it would have been a certain goal with his marker left & Pentony at the nearside of his goal. A minute later Joe Groves-Forbes brought a comfortable save out of Pentony, while on 72 minutes, George Pinder forced Colquhoun into a tougher save having been set up by Beauchamp. RACA substitute Michael Baxter was next to chance his arm on 83 minutes having been set up by Hayton. He turned his marker but his shot from inside the box was blasted way too high. Albion kept on pressing for a much needed three points, Calvert on 85 minutes bringing a save out of Pentony having done well to get his shot on target from an acute angle & with the attentions of defender Coles to deal with too. Hayton brought another low save out of Pentony on 88 minutes, but in stoppage time Hayton thought he’d grabbed the winner with a great lob over Pentony but the keeper was just able to tip the ball over the bar & Town were able to hang on to their point.

 Two points dropped at home but with Esh Winning & Chester-le-Street United both losing it may not be such a bad result after all.

FT RACA 1 DARLINGTON TOWN 1

RACA- Colquhoun, Skivington, Oldfield, Page, Caygill, Errington, Dart (McLeod 74), Lynch, Calvert, Groves-Forbes (Baxter 78), Hayton

RACA welcome reigning Wearside League champions Darlington Town to the Oldhaulage Stadium for their league debut in NE40 but for their second visit this season as they were Albion’s opponents in the preliminary round of the Durham Challenge Cup. Ryton ran out 3-0 winners that evening the scorers being Abu Salim, Declan Bisset and Noah Adotey, the latter two named getting on the scoresheet for the only time this season. The corresponding league game at the Eastbourne Community Stadium saw the points shared in a 2-2 draw in which, Glenn Caygill and Louis Calvert converted for us with Jim Wilson and Liam Jarvie scoring for Town. Before Friday night’s games, Darlington sit in 17th place but have slightly better form on the road than in DL1 having won five league games on their travels, at Alnwick, Sunderland RCA, FC Hartlepool and twice down the road at Essity Park defeating both Prudhoe and the Uni. Albion will be hoping to get back on track with a win after the poor showing on Teesside on Tuesday and move back into the play off places, while Darlington are safe from any threat of relegation.

Kick off is at 3pm on Saturday & hopefully we can get a decent attendance in the cheer on RACA in the quest for promotion. Howay the RACA!

Albion’s play off hopes took a knock with a 0-3 defeat to Yarm & Eaglescliffe who moved to the top of the table with the win. Trailing 0-1 at the interval, RACA’s cause was made harder when Jack Errington was dismissed on 47 minutes & the hosts went on to score another two goals to inflict Ryton’s first defeat of 2025

MATCH SUMMARY

Albion came into this clash with second placed Yarm And Eaglescliffe unbeaten since before Christmas, but facing a side high in confidence and unbeaten in eleven games across all competitions.

 It was the hosts who created the first chance of note in the game from a 9^th minute Sam Lawrence corner which swung dangerously towards Dan Jones’ head but Brogan Colquhoun in the Albion goal was able to push the ball to safety before Jones could make contact. Yarm almost did open the scoring just a minute later when from a breakaway, Tom Atkinson laid a ball through to Harry Williams whose shot beat Colquhoun, but Josh Skivington was able to get back in time to clear the ball off the line. The Eagles continued to create the chances, Colquhoun plucked an Atkinson header out of the air on 13 minutes & on 26 minutes Josh Marshall saw his goalbound shot deflected for a corner from which a Joe Dalton header clipped the top of the Ryton bar. Josh Larkin brought a comfortable save out of Colquhoun in the 32^nd minute while Atkinson fluffed his lines just seconds later when set up by Williams. At the other end of the park, Yarm keeper Lee Roberts was a virtual spectator as RACA lacked their usual punch up front, & on 40 minutes the hosts deservedly went ahead, Josh Larkin’s chip up front finding Atkinson whose shot bobbled off Colquhoun’s leg and just had enough to trickle over the line. Out of nowhere RACA could and maybe should have had a penalty just before half time when Michael Baxter was brought down by Jack Dalton from what looked a good two feet inside the box. However referee Mr Batty only awarded a free kick just outside the box & Fergus Lynch’s effort was charged down by the two man wall.

HT Yarm & Eaglescliffe 1 RACA 0

 RACA got the second half off to a bad start when Jack Errington was shown a straight red card for an industrial lunging tackle on Josh Marshall, & the Tyne Valley outfit were now right up against it. Following treatment Marshall responded by putting his side 2-0 up in the 48^th minute, heading home from Lawrence’s free kick awarded following Errington’s tackle. The game was put beyond Ryton’s reach on 62 minutes when Williams found an unmarked Larkin in the box & he duly fired home to make it 3-0. All a bit late but thereafter Albion became more dominant in the game and even had Roberts in the Eagles’ goal stretching when substitute Joe Groves Forbes’ shot from distance wasn’t too far from the top corner on 82 minutes. Five minutes later & Skivington’s ambitious 30 yard shot at least got Roberts’ kit dirty as the stopper had to dive down to block the shot though in fairness it was a routine save. Tom Atkinson almost had the last say in the game, his stoppage time short range shot deflected on to the post by Glenn Caygill’s block but despite a late rally from Albion following the substitutions, they were second best throughout and produced an uncharacteristically punch-less performance, though will be facing easier opponents than this in the run in to the end of the season.

FT YARM & EAGLESCLIFFE 3 RACA 0 Attendance 64

RACA- Colquhoun, Skivington, Oldfield, Lynch (Fletcher 72), Caygill, Errington (s/o), Dart (Lawson 83), Page, Calvert (Todd 69), Baxter (Ledger 63), Hayton (Groves-Forbes 69)

Albion head down the A19 to face second placed Yarm and Eaglescliffe on Tuesday night at Bedford Terrace no doubt buoyed by how the results went on Saturday with our fellow play-off chasers. The Eagles look to have flown clear of the chasers along with Horden and Jarrow leaving two play-off places up for grabs but RACA will have to be at their very best to take something back home as Y&E have lost just once at ‘home’ in the league and that was back in August to Chester-le-Street United. The Eagles so enjoy playing at Bedford Terrace, they hammered their landlords 5-0 last Tuesday before a 2-1 win over Redcar Town at the same venue on Friday night meaning they’re unbeaten since November, an impressive feat as this is just their second season at Step 6. As a result the two clubs have only met three times to date, Albion winning both games at Crawcrook & Yarm winning the one game on Teesside.

Albion will be up against Division 2’s top scorer in Tom Atkinson who has netted 35 times this season, 34 in the league, so Brogan might have a busy night. That said we kept them at bay in the opening game of the season at the Oldhaulage Stadium with our 1-0 opening day win in which Joe Groves-Forbes got the only goal of the game.

If you are heading to Billingham the post code for your sat nav is Bedford Terrace, Billingham, Cleveland, TS23 4AE. Drive safely & Howay The RACA