FT NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY 1 RACA 1 Attendance 55
It was a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show as the Uni & RACA played out a fairly dull 1-1 draw following the excitement of Tuesday night’s cup tie. Adam Redford put the hosts ahead on 25 minutes but Louis Calvert levelled for RACA soon before half time. The draw effectively ends the University play off hopes while Albion found out they’d be playing Yarm & Eaglescliffe at Bedford Terrace in the semi finals of the E Armstrong Cup, the tie to be played on Tuesday 21st April.
MATCH SUMMARY
This was Albion’s third game in six days, fortunately this away game was only a short drive to Essity Park for this second encounter with the Uni in three days. With both sides fielding several changes to the line ups to Tuesday, the game almost got off to a horror start for RACA when seconds from the kick off the ball rolled to keeper Callum Corkhill who made a total Horlicks of an attempted clearance upfield, the ball landing at the feet of Jos Storr, who with just Corkhill to beat put the ball past him, but his touch was too heavy and it trundled out of play; an early let off for the visitors! There was arguably another let off after 5 minutes when Storr had the ball in the net from a Lucas Aldcroft pass, but the linesman had flagged for offside. After a quiet spell, the game stuttered into life on 23 minutes when from a Uni corner, Adam Redford headed home from close range, despite Corkhill getting a hand to the ball. The Students might well have extended their lead on 31 minutes when a neat move culminated in Aldcroft firing a shot low across the Albion box but it went narrowly wide. As it was RACA levelled on 42 minutes from a long Danny Driver throw which was flicked on by Louis Anderson to Louis Calvert who headed past Ross Logan to draw the sides level.
HT Newcastle University 1 RACA 1
The second half was mainly bereft of goalmouth action as both sides struggled to threaten the opposition keepers despite all the huff and puff & the defences were firmly on top in this game. In the 84th minute a tame shot by University substitute Julian Hayles was fumbled by Corkhill but he recovered the situation despite Joel Manning bearing down on him. The Ryton keeper was more decisive a minute into stoppage time when Uni substitute Jack McClarin’s powerful shot was tipped over the bar for a corner, & in the dying embers of the game Corkhill had to block a driving shot from Jacob Milner to ensure RACA took a point home.
FT NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY 1 RACA 1
RACA- Corkhill, Beesley, Skivington (Horley 68), Hyde, Dodds, Driver, Groves-Forbes (Adotey 79), Fletcher (Bewley 38), Anderson, Dart, Calvert. Substitutes not used- Ord, Oldfield
Thursday’s Other Division 2 Result
Durham United 0 Redcar Town 5 (Burton, Abdullah, Stares, Carmichael, Medcalf)