It’s that time of the season again as FA Vase fever hits the Oldhaulage Stadium. This season we welcome Garstang FC to the Tyne Valley in a 2nd Qualifying Round tie, as we play host in a cup tie again (currently seven home draws in a row in cup competitions) . Garstang, which is roughly equidistant from Blackpool and Preston, play in the North West Counties League First Division North, which is Step 6, the same as the Northern League 2nd Division, but while RACA sit in third from top in NL2, Garstang are third from bottom of their division so on standings & current form, Albion should be fancied to progress. However that combo of cup football and playing teams from a different part of the pyramid can seriously cloud the issue so an Albion win is far from guaranteed. Garstang will be the 7th NWCL side we’ve faced over the years in the FA Vase, the most recent being Cheadle Town who beat us 5-3 last season, although they were from the Premier League, a level above Garstang. This is such an important fixture for clubs our size, as thanks to Isuzu’s generous sponsorship of the competition, the winners of the tie stand to win £975, a very welcome cash injection for whoever wins the game. For the optimists amongst the ranks we are only eight wins from a Wembley appearance, but realistically speaking each round we can progress from brings increasing prizemoney plus the prestige of progressing in a national competition and the opportunity of a fun away trip if we can stop being drawn at home in these cup competitions. Today’s game will be resolved one way or another with no replay and the game going to penalties if level after 90 minutes.

We’ll be producing a match day programme for this game so if you do intend coming you can pick one up at the entrance hut. Really hope we can get a good turnout for this game to cheer on the black and blue. HOWAY THE RACA!

Albion made it six wins from seven games with a hard fought 2-1 win over Redcar Town despite being well off their best form. All the goals came in the first half, Jack Errington & Fergus Lynch scoring for RACA with Chris Dickinson netting from the penalty spot for Town. The win moves Ryton up to third place in the table.

On a perfect moonlit night for a football match, Ryton made it six wins and a draw from the last seven games against an out of form Redcar Town. This wasn’t a classic despite the strips resembling the Milan derby, more like two industrious sides giving it their all without much in the way of end product. It was the Teessiders who created the first key chance on 16 minutes when a Jack Chapman free kick was flicked on by Chris Dickinson to Matthew Crossen who’d crept into the box but he put his flick from close range narrowly wide. So it was to be Ryton who’d break the deadlock with a goal as scruffy as they come. A 24th minute Rhys McCloud corner was flicked on by Daniel Craggs into a mass of players, Jack Errington shooting goalward into the melee & somehow the ball found its way into the net with a suspicion of own goal about it but the RACA captain was credited with his second goal of the season. Redcar should have levelled the score just two minutes later when a cross across the box from the right wing was missed by everyone except Foster Garton, but his shot was cleared off the line by Albion defender Josh Skivington. Dickinson wasn’t too far off with a speculative shot from distance in the 32nd minute, but he was to get on the scoresheet five minutes later from the penalty spot after Oli Locker was brought down in the RACA box by Errington, making no mistake with his strike. However parity only lasted six minutes when an Abu Salim cross was beautifully headed home by Fergus Lynch giving Redcar keeper Michael Algie no chance & ensuring Albion went into the interval ahead.

The second half had lots of huffing & puffing but was typified by fouls & injuries rather than goalscoring chances with neither keeper being inconvenienced too much by the opposing forwards, the exception being Algie’s top drawer one handed save from a Louis Calvert strike on 79 minutes that could have wrapped up the points for RACA. Other than that it was a case of Albion keeping Redcar at bay and keeping the surge up the table in full swing with another three points.

FT RACA 2 REDCAR TOWN 1 Attendance 212

RACA- Colquhoun, Skivington, Ledger (Walker 62), Lynch, Oldfield, Errington, Craggs, McLeod, Calvert (Lawson 82), Salim (Bisset 76), Groves-Forbes (Todd 75)

ENL Pos: 3rd.

In Albion’s third game in the home tetralogy, Redcar Town provide the opposition at the Oldhaulage Stadium on Wednesday evening. After a dream start to the season beating Washington 7-1 when they had the opening weekend Friday night stage to themselves, the Teessiders’ fortunes have waned a little with the club sitting in 18th place. However eleven of their thirteen points have been gained away from the Mo Mowlem & our record against them is dismal losing five of our six games against them since they joined the Northern League & losing all three of our home games. That said, Albion are in a rich vein of form while Redcar have lost their last three, so the expectancy at RACA that we’ll take at least something from the game is high. Town’s 21 league goals have been spread around 12 players (including two own goals) with Carl Williams leading the way with four goals. With five sides just beginning to break away at the top of division two, it’s important that Albion keep up the fine form shown of late & make it 7 unbeaten. Kick off on Wednesday is at 7:30pm if you fancy popping down to see if the boys in black & blue can extend the unbeaten run. Look forward to seeing you there.

RACA extended their unbeaten run to six games with a narrow 1-0 win over Chester-le-Street Town at the Oldhaulage Stadium. Jack Errington’s 49th minute goal was the difference in a game which saw a drab first half followed by a pulsating second period. Despite the win, Albion stay in 5th place though have put daylight between them & 6th place Cestrians.

Two sides in fine form met at a blustery Oldhaulage Stadium, but the sides cancelled each other out in a first half devoid of much excitement. In the 5th minute, Albion’s Louis Calvert found himself in a 1on 1 with Chester keeper Alex Lawrence having been set up by Rhys McLeod but the stopper’s outstretched leg diverted the ball out for a corner. Town’s nearest thing to a goal came following a 27th minute corner when Matt Soulsby fired across goal, his shot cannoning off teammate Kealan Huddleston, the ball spinning over the bar. RACA did have the ball in the net on the 30th minute when a Josh Skivington free kick looked to be fluffed by Lawrence & Jack Errington was there to stab home but referee Mr Alexander harshly disallowed the goal for a foul on the Chester keeper. There was little else to enthuse the 222 spectators as the teams went into the interval goalless.

The second half was a different affair, only 4 minutes old when Ryton opened the scoring, a Daniel Craggs corner stabbed home by Errington to make up for the disappointment of having his first half effort chalked off. Rhys McLeod brough a fine save from Lawrence in the 52nd minute, his free kick forcing the Cestrians’ keeper to dive low to save. It was Chester-le-Street’s turn to come close in the 55th minute, a mazy Aaron Hardy run culminated in a cross which William Cornish crashed against the RACA post. Back at the other end, in the 61st minute Abu Salim laid the ball off the Calvert whose powerful shot was just deflected wide by the Chester defence. Town’s top scorer Michael Gray had a good opportunity to drew his side level in the 65th minute when a deflected ball forward landed at his feet, he raced forward with just keeper Brogan Colquhoun to beat, but perhaps the attention of an Albion defender in his slipstream caused him to fire high & wide. Chester sub Josh Akal made Colquhoun work much harder as he saw his low drilled 82nd minute shot well saved by the RACA No1. That was to be the Cestrians’ last chance of note, but Albion weren’t finished, McLeod bringing a carbon copy save from Lawrence on 84 minutes as he did in the 52nd, & then in stoppage time following a breakaway, Dylan Lawson poked the ball under Lawrence, but backtracking defender Luke Collins was there to clear the ball off the line to ensure Albion would only win by the narrowest of margins.

Six unbeaten for RACA now as we look forward to Wednesday night’s home game against Redcar Town

FT RACA 1 CHESTER LE STREET TOWN 0 Attendance 222

RACA– Colquhoun, Skivington, Ledger, Burrell (Lawson 78), Oldfield. Errington, Craggs, McLeod (Symons 90), Calvert, Salim, (Mitchell 81) Groves-Forbes (Todd 67).

ENL Pos: 5th.

Albion have yet another home cup draw, this time as a reward for beating Darlington Town on Wednesday, we have been drawn at home to in the 1st Round (last 32) of the Durham Challenge Cup against recent bogey side Horden CW in a tie likely to be played on October 9th

Tomorrow we welcome Chester-le-Street Town to the Oldhaulage Stadium in the second in a run of four home games. The Cestrians sit one place & four points behind us in 6th place & have kept a clean sheet in their last three games, winning four & drawing one of their last five league games, where as RACA have won four & drawn one of our last five games in both league & cup. Chester are one of our most regular opponents over the years & this will be our 31st competitive game against Town in our Northern League era, the highest profile game probably being the 2018 E Armstrong Cup final which Chester won 2-0. On to more recent games, last season we lost 2-3 at Moor Park & drew 1-1 here & another close game is expected tomorrow. They haven’t been too prolific in front of goal this season however, having spread their 18 goals around the squad with Michael Gray their top scorer with four goals.

Abu Salim reached double figures on Wednesday with his goal against Darlington & with RACA scoring 17 times in the last five games pitted against the Chester-le-Street Town’s mean defence, it should lead to an intriguing game.

If you fancy taking in this clash of two in-form sides, kick off at the Oldhaulage Stadium @ Kingsley Park is 3:00pm. Look forward to seeing you there

RACA overcame the challenge of Darlington Town to advance to the 1st Round of the Durham Challenge Cup with a 3-0 at the Oldhaulage Stadium. In an entertaining game for the neutral, Ryton lead 1-0 at the interval thanks to an Abu Salim lob & two late goals from Noah Adotey & Declan Bisset from the penalty spot gave the full time score a slightly lopsided look as the game was closer than the scoreline suggests, but it’s RACA in the hat for the next round,

In the second match between the clubs in five days it was Town who created the first chance when some intricate play by Liam Jarvie in the 5th minute saw him beat two defenders then square the ball across the Albion box but Lewis Walton was just a yard or two off making contact to what would likely have been a quick opener. However it was RACA who got their noses in front on 37 minutes in a frenetic fist half when a punt forward saw Abu Salim run between two defenders & lob the ball over the advancing Darlington keeper Tyler Dickinson to score his 10th goal of the season.

The second half understandably lacked the energy of the first & Albion were the better of the two sides although Darlington brought two fine saves out of Brogan Colquhoun in quick succession. Firstly Ryan Coles 68th minute header from a corner forced Colquhoun into a fine save, pushing the ball past his post & a minute later he had to flick Jarvie’s powerful drive over his bar. But it was to be RACA who’d put the result beyond doubt in the 83rd minute when two substitutes combined to make it 2-0, Matty Todd finding Noah Adotey who rounded Dickinson & slotted home for his first goal of the campaign. The icing on the cup tie cake came on 87 minutes when Ryton were awarded a penalty for a clumsy foul on Todd & another substitute, Declan Bisset stepped up to open his account from the spot kick which had to be pin-point accurate as Dickinson guessed correctly & almost got his hand to it.

FT RACA 3 DARLINGTON TOWN 0 Attendance 120

RACA- Colquhoun, Skivington, Ledger, Craggs, Lynch, Oldfield, Lawson (Burrell 73), Walker (Mitchell 63), Salim (Todd 72), McLeod (Adotey 80), Groves-Forbes (Bisset 63)

Cup action returns to the Oldhaulage Stadium on Wednesday evening as we welcome Saturday’s opponents Darlington Town to the Tyne Valley for the first time to play our Durham Challenge Cup Preliminary Round tie. The tie will be settled on the night with a penalty shoot out should the scores be level pegging after 90 minutes as they were on Saturday, with no extra time being played.

Albion have a mixed record in the tournament reaching the final in 2009/10 losing 2-0 to Billingham Synthonia but have also endured a few preliminary round exits too.

The biggest win for us was not too long ago, a 6-0 win over Sunderland West End in the preliminary round in 2021/22, though we also beat Chester-le-Street Town 6-2 back in the 2009/10 quarter finals. We’ve also lost 0-6 on two occasions, to Sunderland West End in 2010/11 & more recently at home to Newton Aycliffe two seasons ago.

Kick off on Wednesday is at 7:30pm so if you want some midweek cup action we’d be glad to see you at the Oldhaulage Stadium to see if RACA can go five games unbeaten.

This month’s lucky winners are-

1st prize No 9 V Wilkinson who wins £100

2nd Prize No 43 G Pointer who wins £75

3rd Prize No 94 E Watson who wins £25

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. Thank-you

Goals from Louis Calvert and Glenn Caygill weren’t enough as Ryton & Crawcrook Albion were held to a 2-2 draw at Darlington Town on Saturday.

Albion faced Darlington Town for the first time, while on a fine run of three consecutive wins without conceding a goal. The opening period was fairly even, the nearest to trouble either keeper was a 16th minute speculative effort from distance by RACA’s Fergus Lynch which wasn’t far off the target. However it was Darlington who took the lead on 29 minutes when James Beauchamp held up the ball from a Town goal kick before laying it off to Jim Wilson who managed to score from a tightish angle for his third goal of the season. Wilson brought a save out of Ryton keeper Brogan Colquhoun on 33 minutes following a fine solo run through the visitors’ defence, but but while his shot was powerful enough & on target, it was a comfortable stop for Colquhoun. Just when it looked like RACA would be going into the break a goal down, they took full advantage of some sloppy defending from Darlington. Matty Todd intercepted Town keeper Phil Pentony’s clearance, laid the ball off to Declan Bissett who in turn found Daniel Craggs who set up Louis Calvert who fired home an equaliser to ensure it was all square at the break.

RACA started the second half as they finished the first by scoring again in the 47th minute. Matthew Harrison crossed the ball into the Darlington box, but although it was intercepted by a Town defender, unfortunately for him he scuffed his attempted clearance, the ball landing at the feet of Glenn Caygill who just had to slide in to push the ball into the net from close range. The lead only lasted for six minutes though as in the 53rd minute Liam Jarvie scored after Beauchamp laid the ball to him after speeding past the Albion defenders. The hosts were reduced to 10 men on 61 minutes when Ryan Coles was dismissed when the referee adjudged him to be last man when he brought down Calvert following an up and under. However, RACA were unable to make the extra man count although in an action packed stoppage time, Dylan Lawson brought a fine save out of Pentony, there was a strong claim for a Ryton penalty following a possible hand-ball in the box, and there was a mad scramble in the Town penalty area which was finally cleared by the hosts. Albion had to settle for the draw but it’s four unbeaten & the sides cross swords again on Wednesday in the Durham Challenge Cup.

FT DARLINGTON TOWN 2 RACA 2 Attendance 135

RACA- Colquhoun, Skivington (Groves-Forbes 63), Ledger, Lynch, Caygill, Harrison. Craggs (Walker 75), McLeod, Calvert (Lawson 67), Bisset (Mitchell 57), Todd (67 Salim)

ENL Pos: 4th.