FT RACA 1 GRANGETOWN BOYS CLUB 0 Attendance 167
Albion came out on top of a scrappy physical game against Grangetown BC, a 63rd minute goal from recently introduced substitute Evann Jardine the difference in the sides. RACA also had two efforts cleared off the line while Boysie had a goal disallowed for offside in what looked a tight call.
MATCH REPORT
Albion made just one change to the starting XI that won at Alnwick with Keros Lizinde replacing Dan Craggs. The other key change was the weather conditions with a bright, dry & still day in the Tyne Valley.
Ryton had an early chance to get ahead in the 4th minute when Thomas McIntyre launched a great ball upfield to Aaron Costello who looked odds on to score, but a combination of keeper Sam Pinnegar and defender Oliver Puckrin just managed to deflect the shot beyond the post and for a corner. Costello was provider in the next chance when he flicked the ball on to Louis Calvert who despite stumbling, managed to outpace his marker and round Pinnegar, only to see his shot blocked on the line by Barry Lennox on 13 minutes. Next, a ball pumped into the box by Albion keeper Callum Corkhill on 21 minutes saw George Hayton take a shot that was well saved by a full stretched Pinnegar. From the resultant corner Costello outjumped everyone & headed narrowly wide. Boysie were struggling to make much of an impact up front though they were awarded a 33rd minute free kick which Kieran Stares took but the edge of the wall took the sting out of the shot and it was an easy gather for Corkhill. The last action of the half came in the 44th minute with another ball in the Grangetown box, Hayton finding Calvert whose shot was well saved again by Pinnegar, the ball rolling in front of the goal line, Alex Carr clearing to safety before Costello could prod the ball over the line.
HT RACA 0 Grangetown BC 0
Boysie thought they had taken the lead six minutes into the second half when Stares found Tafari Nicholas whose lob ended up in the Ryton net, escorted in by Jake Williams-Mutham, but fortunately for the hosts, it was flagged as off-side though it looked a tight call. The deadlock was finally broken in the 63rd minute from a RACA attack when Joe Groves-Forbes ran down the right wing & squared the ball in the box. Dan Marriott flicked it on & while it looked kike it had gane past Sam Davison and Evann Jardine, the latter collected the ball, beat a defender then hit the ball pin point into the top corner of the net for his second goal of the season. Grangetown never looked like getting an equaliser, though a 76th minute visitors’ free kick into the Ryton box was headed on by Owen Hayton to Paul Young, but he could only aim his header into the arms of Corkhill. Marriott came much closer in the 83rd minute, his header from a Groves-Forbes cross, having to be pushed over the bar by Pinnegar, and from the resulting corner, Lizinde fired narrowly wide. Boysie had a fine chance to rescue a point in the 87th minute when Stares spotted Nicholas racing down the left flank and played an inch perfect pass to him, but with just the goalkeeper to beat, his shot was well blocked by Corkhill’s legs and the chance had gone.
FT RACA 1 GRANGETOWN BC 0
RACA- Corkhill, Beesley, Fletcher, McIntyre, Hayton, Plunkett, Lizinde, Hutchinson (Davison 59), Calvert (Groves-Forbes 49), Costello (Jardine 59), Marriot (Gascoigne 86). Substitute not used Craggs
Two consecutive wins moves us within three points of the last play-off place, though the top four might have flown the nest, fifth place is most certainly there for the taking. Just a single yellow card in the last two games as well, so has a corner been turned? Next up is cup action at first division Marske United on Tuesday followed by another long drive to newcomers Seaton Carew next Saturday for our first ever game there.