On Saturday Ryton are back down that all too familiar A19, this time to face Billingham Synthonia hoping to carry on the momentum from Tuesday night’s win over Alnwick. The Synners are still very much in the relegation mire, that six point deduction earlier in the season doing them no favours, but they have witnessed an upturn in results, netting nine times in their last three home games which included a 5-0 thumping of Seaham Red Star on the back of our 5-1 win over them. We’ve played Synners 27 times in all, including the E Armstrong Cup (last season), the Durham Challenge Cup (the 2010 final), the FA Vase (our first meeting) and even the FA Cup (way back in 2008/09), but most recently at the Oldhaulage Stadium in September we won 2-0 with goals from Kurtis Dodds and Louis Calvert separating the sides. Josh Skivington’s ban for his red card on Tuesday doesn’t kick in until next Tuesday so he’s eligible for the trip to Stockton Town’s Bishopton Road West ground (TS19 0QD) where the Synners are now based.

We have found out who we meet in the quarter finals of the E Armstrong Cup should we beat Chester le Street Town in our 2nd round tie, and it’s a home tie against the winners of Newcastle University v Boldon Colliery being played tonight at Essity Park

Thursday’s E Armstrong Cup Result

Newcastle University 4 (Cassidy, Pennington 2, Allen) Boldon CA 1 (Cowburn)

ALNWICK TOWN 1 RACA 4 Attendance 55

RACA found their shooting boots again with a comprehensive 4-1 win over Alnwick Town at St James’ Park. A first half Dylan Lawson brace, his first goals of the season, and a Louis Calvert thunderous free kick had Albion 3-1 up at the interval & despite playing the last 15 minutes with ten men following Josh Skivington’s dismissal, Louis Anderson scored a late fourth goal to put the cherry on the Ryton cake. Ryan Smith scored Alnwick’s goal

MATCH SUMMARY

RACA made the trip north to Alnwick striving to end their three match losing run & hoping to do the first double over The Wick since the 2012/13 season. Defeat in this one would all but end Albion’s play-off hopes, a similar sentiment could apply to Alnwick.

On a pleasant evening for February, the first effort on goal came from an Alnwick boot on 6 minutes but not at the right end as Joshua Iley’s attempt to block a Ryton cross resulted in him poking the ball narrowly wide of his own goal, but near enough for keeper Benjamin Luke to fling himself over to try and block the potential o.g. Luke was on the floor again on 16 minutes, this time to pull off a routine save from a Louis Calvert strike from distance, but he was powerless to stop Dylan Lawson’s looping header on 23 minutes. Nathan Beesley had pumped a cross over into the box & Lawson looped it over the keeper to put RACA ahead and nab his first goal of the season. It’s said in football you’re at your most vulnerable just after you’ve scored, and Ryton added weight to that theory when Alnwick were on level terms within two minutes. On a foray forward,Yannick Aziakonou spotted Ryan Smith moving down the right win & played a fine cross to him, Smith managing to outpace his marker & chip Callum Corkhill in the Albion goal who had come out to try & block any shot, and the Wick were level. RACA restored the lead on 37 minutes when Aziakonou was jointly dispossessed by Lawson & Louis Anderson, the former running on to take a shot that Luke looked to have covered, but somehow the ball went past him & into the net. 2-1 became 3-1 just two minutes later when Calvert curled a free kick round a three man Alnwick wall & into the top of the net beyond the reach of Luke & it was beginning to look comfortable for Albion. Alnwick had a chance to halve the deficit in first half stoppage time when Smith, who was the home side’s first half danger man, found Lewis Fairbairn in the box, slightly off balance whose first shot hit a wall of bodies, his second being blocked by Corkhill wearing an unfamiliar grey shirt, and the two goal cushion was maintained.

HT Alnwick Town 1 RACA 3

The hosts started the second half brightly and on 48 minutes Usman Ogidan had the ball in the Ryton net from a Fairburn cross, but it was ruled off-side to the relief of the visitors. It was Albion’s turn to come close to scoring again on 57 minutes, this time from a corner that Calvert flicked against the bar before the ball was cleared to safety. Town were given a boost when Ryton’s Josh Skivington was red carded for a reckless tackle on 75 minutes, but they failed to make the numerical advantage count and as the game became more scrappy and stop start which suited Ryton, it was RACA who finished the scoring in stoppage time, Calvert finding Louis Anderson in plenty of space & he slipped the ball past the exposed Luke & celebrated his 17^th goal of the season with a couple of well executed backflips.

FT ALNWICK TOWN 1 RACA 4

RACA- Corkhill, Beesley (Groves-Forbes 50), Skivington, Dart, Hayton, Caygill (Driver 33), Lawson, Lynch (Borley 65), Anderson, Fletcher, Calvert. Substitutes not used- Bailey, Ord

Tuesday’s E Armstrong Cup Results

Billingham Town 3 (Watt, Mitchell, Littlefair) Sunderland West End 1 (Appleby)

Tow Law Town 1 (Farrier) Durham United 0 (at Durham United)

Wednesday’s Division 2 Result

Park View 0 Seaham Red Star 2 (Charlton, Leonard)

Wednesday’s E Armstrong Cup Result

Jarrow 5 (Hardie 2, Twinn, Karim, Barber) Sunderland RCA 0

With just ten league games left, Albion make the trip to Alnwick Town on Tuesday to face a Wick side in a similar situation to ourselves, still mathematically able to reach the play-offs but unlikely to do so due to mixed form although they are two pints better off than us with a game in hand. Nathan Beckham’s charges will be keen to end a three match losing run that has only yielded a single goal in that time, while Alnwick will be smarting from the 5-1 defeat at Yarm & Eaglescliffe on Saturday. RACA won the corresponding game at the Oldhaulage Stadium in August 2-0 thanks to a Louis Calvert brace & only another victory will do to keep the feint flicker of reaching the play-offs alight. We might also come up against a former player in Antonio Agostinho who got the Northumbrian’s sole goal on Saturday, his eighth goal of the season in all competitions. If you’re heading up the A1 then the address for St James’ Park is Weavers Way, Alnwick, NE66 1BG. Kick off is at 7:45pm. Howay the RACA

FT RACA 1 DARLINGTON TOWN 2 Attendance 204

Albion suffered a second defeat in five days, this time letting a lead slip to Darlington Town who moved ahead of RACA in the table. A 21st minute Louis Calvert goal had Ryton deservedly ahead but Darlo levelled just below half time. The second half was a scrappier more even affair & Town went ahead on 58 minutes and defended that lead resolutely despite RACA’s barrage particularly in the closing stages. This setback plus results elsewhere possibly puts an end to any play-off ambitions for this season.

RACA– Corkhill, Beesley, Oldfield, Bailey (Skivington 60), Hayton, Caygill, Lawson (Driver 75), Dart (Borley 64), Anderson, Johnston (Fletcher 60), Calvert. Substitute not used- Emmerson

MATCH SUMMARY

RACA were finally able to host a game for the first time in over a month, the visitors Darlington Town, yet to beat Albion but a win today would move them above their hosts.

It was Ryton who created the first chance on 9 minutes when Dylan Lawson found Nathan Beesley on the right flank. He cut in past his marker & fired a shot beyond the fingertips of Town keeper Tyler Smith, but it also cleared the bar, though not by much. The visitors had a great chance to open the scoring on 14 minutes following a Ryan Coles free kick out to Connor Woodford on the left wing. He launched a low ball across the box that neither Reece Brown or James Beauchamp could quite make contact with as defender Scott Oldfield intercepted & put the ball out to the relative safety of a corner. However it was Ryton who were to open the scoring on 20 minutes when Glenn Caygill hit the Darlo bar with a powerful header which bounced downwards before being partially cleared but only as far as Callum Johnston whose shot found Louis Calvert via a deflection & he fired home despite protestations from the Darlington players, but the goal stood. In a half short of key chances, the next opportunity to score fell to hosts on 33 minutes when a Calvert free kick was met by Caygill who leapt highest but his header was more up than forward & the ball went harmlessly over the bar. Darlington were to pull level on 41 minutes when a Beauchamp shot from way out on the left went over Corkhill, only to bounce off the bar and while it looked like Reece Brown‘s momentum had taken him past the ball, he dragged a leg back & the ball trundled into the empty net. Straight from the kick off RACA were on the offensive, Lawson finding Morgan Dart who got past his marker & drilled a low shot that Smith had to dive down to save, ensuring his side went into the interval all square.

HT RACA 1 Darlington Town 1

Albion started the second half on the front foot, Lawson playing the ball forward to Johnston who put it into the box to Louis Anderson who managed to trip himself up while unmarked & the chance was gone. For all Ryton’s possession it was Darlington who’d get their noses in front on 57 minutes from a Brown corner which Jim Wilson headed home via a defender’s head, but Calvert’s head should have restored parity on 71 minutes when from a corner, Lawson struck the Darlo bar, the ball rebounding to the RACA no11 but he only managed to head it high and wide from close range for one of those head in hands moments. Meanwhile Wilson could have put the game beyond RACA on 85 minutes when a low cross was fizzed in from the right & any contact from the Town captain would have made it 3-1, but he was unable to get the crucial touch so it was left to RACA to try & get the equaliser in the remaining minutes. And in that closing period they saw an effort following a scramble cleared off the line by Hari Bonderenko & in the very last kick of the game Smith pulled off another save & Darlington hung on to record their first ever win over the Albion & move into 8^th place in the table.

FT RACA 1 DARLINGTON TOWN 2

Saturday’s Other Division 2 Results

Billingham Synthonia 4 (Lamb, Irvine 2, Healy) Boldon CA 2 (Robertson 2) FC Hartlepool 4 (Bayes 2, McGee, Bennett) Durham United 1 (Hopkins) Newcastle University 3 (Storr 2, Allen) Esh Winning 0 Park View AFC 1 (Gallagher) Prudhoe YC Seniors 0 Redcar Town P-P Billingham Town Sunderland RCA 2 (Ward, Harrison) AFC Newbiggin 3 (Smith, Elliot, Prichard) Sunderland West End 1 (McCabe) Jarrow 2 (Hudson, Beattie) Tow Law Town 0 Grangetown Boys Club 1 (Maloney) Yarm & Eaglescliffe 5 (Larkin 2, Proctor, Atkinson, Marshall) Alnwick Town 1 (Agostinho)

Albion host Darlington Town on Saturday hoping to extend the unbeaten record against them having won two and drawn two of our four matches against them since they were promoted to the Northern League at the end of the 23/24 season. This will be their first away day since Boxing Day, having played their last five games at the Eastbourne Stadium winning the last three of them. They sit just one place behind us in the table, on level points but have played two games more than us. RACA had a fine 3-0 win in the reverse fixture, with Louis Anderson (2) and Callum Johnston on target for Ryton that September evening. Kick off is at 3pm if you can make it. Howay the RACA!

FT BIRTLEY TOWN 2 RACA 0 Attendance 78

Albion’s League Cup campaign ended with a 2-0 defeat at Birtley, with a RACA side missing some key players putting in a flat performance appropriate for Pancake Day. Birtley did the damage in the first half with a Joe Hailes penalty & an Owen Lancaster goal putting the Hoops out of reach of the visitors.

MATCH SUMMARY

Albion finally got to play a competitive game after a hiatus of 24 days, this at 1^st Division Birtley Town in the League Cup, & it was a slightly unfamiliar looking starting XI with Harrison Borley handed his debut while the bench featured Callum Oldfield, recently signed from Barnard Castle, Dan Ord, back after his lengthy injury & new goalkeeper Zamo Khalil

On an understandably heavy pitch, it was the hosts who kicked off and went straight on the offensive, the move finishing with Reece Havelock-Brown drilling a low shot past the Ryton post. The game went through a tranquil period until in the 21^st minute when Town were awarded what looked a very soft penalty when James Proctor was adjudged to have been pulled back by Glenn Caygill as he advanced into the box. Joe Hailes stepped up to take the spot kick & fired it into the roof of the net giving keeper Callum Corkhill no chance. Three minutes later and Proctor was a key figure in Birtley’s next chance of scoring when he was brought down a few yards outside the Albion box & a free kick was awarded. Reece Harrison fired in a dipping shot that just went wide but Corkhill looked to have it covered. Careless defending from RACA on 26 minutes could have proved costly when an uncharacteristically weak ball to Corkhill from Scott Oldfield was intercepted by Hailes but the man who scored the penalty could only hit the post. From a corner a minute later, Corkhill had to pull off a couple of saves from close range to keep Ryton in the game. Birtley were on the offensive again on the half hour mark, Proctor raced down the left flank, cut inside & played a ball across the box which Kyle Wharton couldn’t make contact with, the ball running to Hailes whose shot was well blocked by Dylan Lawson. The Hoops got the second goal their dominance deserved on 36 minutes when Owen Lancaster took a long range shot which didn’t look to have much venom in it but it somehow foxed Corkhill and the ball ended up in the net to make it 2-0.

HT Birtley Town 2 RACA 0

Albion had barely laid a glove on their opponents & needed to up their game in the second half & they looked more lively post interval. On 57 minutes they might well have had a penalty when Louis Calvert went on a solo run evading the challenge of a defender & then taking a tumble when trying to round Birtley keeper Ryan Hammer but the referee wasn’t interested in awarding a spot kick. A minute later and RACA were back to sloppy passing and were nearly made to pay when Proctor found himself bursting between two defenders & with just Corkhill to beat, tried to lob the keeper but didn’t get enough height on the ball and Corkhill was able to palm the ball down. At the other end Josh Skivington had half a chance to halve the deficit when a free kick was lofted towards him, but he could only find the side netting with his shot. The game petered out thereafter as Town ran down the clock to ease through to the 3^rd round while Albion still have the Ernest Armstrong to look forward to

FT BIRTLEY TOWN 2 RACA 0

For the second time this season RACA have been eliminated from a cup competition by a first division side but the absence of key players played a part in the performance. It’s back to league action with a home game against Darlington on Saturday as the quest to reach the play-offs resumes

RACA– Corkhill, Beesley, S Oldfield, Borley (Bailey 45), Caygill, Driver, Lawson, Skivington (C Oldfield 71 Ord 82), Calvert, Fletcher (Groves-Forbes 63), Dart. Substitute not used Khalil

Other Tuesday League Cup Results

Carlisle City 2 Boldon CA 2 (Watts, Williams) Boldon win 4-2 on penalties

FC Hartlepool 3 (McGee, Bayes 2) Shildon 4

Grangetown BC 2 (Urwin. Jones) Seaham Red Star 1(Shodeinde)

Newcastle Benfield 4 Sunderland West End 2 (Dionicio, Appleby)

Newcastle Blue Star 1 Tow Law Town 0

West Auckland 6 Durham United 0

Wednesday Night’s League Cup Result

Easington Colliery 2 AFC Newbiggin 1 (Elliott)

Wednesday’s E Armstrong Cup Result

Esh Winning 0 Yarm & Eaglescliffe 6 (Bulmer, Roberts 2, Atkinson 2, Dalton)

Tuesday night hopefully sees Albion travel to first division Birtley Town for the Brooks Mileson League Cup 2nd Round tie. This will be the first competitive game against the Hoops since their 2022/23 promotion season when they did the double over us winning 4-1 at Birtley & 5-1 at the Albion. We have met Town once before in this competition, also in the 2nd Round way back in the 2008/09 season when Ryton FC as we were then, won 2-0 at Kingsley Park. More recently, Birtley’s schedule has been hit almost as much as our own by the weather, but they did get to play at Boro Rangers on Saturday & despite a 3-0 defeat on Teesside, remain in the top half of Division 1. RACA haven’t played a competitive game since 24th January so will we be fully rested or ring rusty on Tuesday night? Kick off is at 7:30pm at the Arrowmark Home Improvements Stadium, Newtown Industrial Estate, Birtley, DH3 2QW but keep an eye out on this site & social media for the possibility of this game being postponed too.

Unfortunately our game at Billingham Town this afternoon has fallen foul of the weather. We’re building up a backlog of games that need to be rescheduled in midweek & we’ll let you know once this one has been re-arranged. Next up is a trip to Birtley Town in the League Cup on Tuesday but that is very much dependent on the weather.

Saturday’s Division 2 Results

Darlington Town 2 (Mallaburn, Brown) Seaham Red Star (Shodeinde)

Durham United 2 (Bedson-McMann, Williams) Tow Law Town 1 (Walsh)

Another ‘copy & paste’ but again news that tonight’s game at home to Boldon CA has been called off due to a waterlogged pitch. Details of the re-arranged date will be announced as soon as we get it. Thanks

Wednesday’s Division 2 Result

Redcar Town 8 (Smith 2, Carmichael 3, Robinson-Coley 2, Rowe) Esh Winning 0