Albion inflicted Division 2 leaders, Horden’s first league defeat at The Welfare this season with a thrilling 3-2 victory. Nathan Beckham was forced to blood recent signings Luke McCabe and Luke Page in the starting XI, plus had latest signing Michael Baxter, in his third stint at the club, on the bench. Despite falling a goal behind, RACA went into the interval level with a Rhys McLeod goal equaliser, and pushed on in the second half with goals from Louis Calvert and Matty Hayton. Horden made it 3-2 to ensure a nervy ending but Ryton held on for a fine victory
MATCH SUMMARY
RACA finally got to play their first competitive game of 2025 as they travelled to leading side Horden four weeks after the last game, the 1-1 draw at Redcar Town. With Dale Burrell likely out for the rest of the season, debuts were handed to the two Lukes, McCabe and Page. Both sides looked intent on going for it from the whistle & Horden brought a save out of Albion keeper Brogan Colquhoun within 90 seconds of kick off when Chris Wallace shot from the edge of the box following a Taylor Campbell free kick. Ryton reciprocated in the 7th minute when Louis Calvert, in the middle of some Albion pressure squared the ball to Rhys McLeod who struck the ball low, forcing Craig Foster into a fine save, diving low to push the ball on to his right hand post where it bounced back into his arms. But it was to be the hosts who opened the scoring in the 9th minute when Craig Hutchinson fired home from close range following a corner that was knocked on by Scott Close. RACA came close to levelling on 20 minutes when breaking forward, Calvert shrugging off the attentions of two defenders to launch a shot that Robson acrobatically tipped over the bar. Four minutes later and the equaliser came following a sweet move involving Matty Hayton, Calvert and McLeod which saw Calvert’s pass dummied by Luke Page and McLeod score his sixth goal of the season with a left footer that rocketed past Robson. The remainder of the half was a high octane end to end affair without any great scares and while Ryton probably shaded it, the Marras were presented with a decent chance with what was to be the last kick of the half. Ben Riding was fouled on the edge of the Albion box & Horden were awarded a free kick which had every Ryton player in defensive mode but Campbell’s free kick proved to be an anti-climax as the ball sailed harmlessly over the bar.
HT Horden CW 1 RACA 1
RACA got off to a great start to the second half when Jack Errington’s booted clearance on 47 minutes, bounced over two Horden defenders and to the feet of Calvert who sped forward, rounded the keeper and slotted home from an awkward angle despite the efforts of another two backpedalling defenders. While the hosts were now creating most of the chances, it was RACA who were to extend their lead on 69 minutes when a Luke McCabe free kick was headed on by Page to Hayton who was first to react & blasted home past a statuesque defence to make it 3-1. As Ryton’s exertions began to take their toll, Horden became the dominant side & on 81 minutes they pulled a goal back, Nathaniel Skidmore’s cross-field ball finding Taylor Campbell who volleyed past Colquhoun to put his side firmly back in the game. Campbell almost scored again two minutes later but this time his low drive was pushed out for a corner by Colquhoun. Marras substitute Martin Fowler also had a chance to get his side level on 88 minutes when he ran on to Ben Henderson’s forward ball, but his attempted dink past the advancing Ryton keeper was blocked and held by Colquhoun. A minute from time at the other end, Michael Baxter had half a chance to mark his return to RACA with a goal when he rounded the Horden stopper but the ball ran to an acute angle & his effort went wide. Horden pressed on for the leveller in stoppage time but Albion held out to claim a superb three points in a result that changes the dynamics a little at the top end of the table as Horden drop to third place despite this being only their second defeat of the season.
FT HORDEN CW 1 RACA 2 Attendance 77
RACA- Colquhoun, Skivington, Oldfield, McCabe, Caygill, Errington, McLeod (Hoggins 90), Page, Calvert s/o 90 (Baxter 58), Dart, Hayton (Todd 83)