RACA 3 AFC NEWBIGGIN 2 (Attendance 140)
RACA made it five straight wins with a narrow win over AFC Newbiggin in a pulsating game at the Oldhaulage Stadium despite falling behind to an early Matthew Nelson goal. Callum Johnson’s equaliser had the sides level at half time & a second half brace from Declan Bissett either side of an Ethan Smith goal for Biggin ensured another three points for Ryton, though the fine sequence of clean sheets has ended. Both sides are to be commended for providing the drenched spectators with such a good game in grim conditions with heavy rain & an easterly breeze picking up in the second half to make it a difficult playing and viewing experience.
MATCH REPORT
AFC Newbiggin made their debut at the Oldhaulage Stadium amid a steady downpour of rain, but such was the extent of the dry summer, the pitch soaked up the water without issue & even at kick off the surface was still firm. Still these were challenging conditions for players & spectators alike & perhaps predictably it was a mistake that led to the opening goal on 6 minutes. Fergus Lynch having helped win the ball from a Biggin attack then played it across the box, but it didn’t reach its intended target. Instead Matthew Nelson picked up the stray ball & struck it sweetly first time past Callum Corkhill and into the corner of Ryton net to put Newbiggin ahead and end a run of 367 minutes of Albion not conceding a goal. The visitors created another good chance from a break in the 10th minute when Bradley Higgins outpaced the Albion defence & crossed from the right, the ball going over Corkhill but it was too far ahead of Ethan Smith who would have had a simple tap in, but instead the ball skidded out for a goal kick. At the other end, Callum Johnston went on a fine solo run to the edge of the Biggin box before unleashing his shot but it went over the bar. Johnston was to have better fortune on 31 minutes when he picked up a Josh Skivington ball launched upfield, then cut into the box, lobbed keeper Robert Hodgson, and slotted home past the despairing slide of defender Brendan Balmbra to ensure RACA would go into the interval all square
HT RACA 1 AFC Newbiggin 1
Albion got their noses in front following a fine 54th minute move involving Louis Calvert, Rhys McLeod and Declan Bisset, McLeod playing an accurate defence splitting pass to Bisset who struck the ball first time curling it past Hodgson to score his fifth goal of the season. The old adage of being at your most vulnerable when you’ve just scored, was endorsed when within two minutes AFC Newbiggin drew level. Nelson crossed the ball into Ryton box, reaching Smith who had time to control the it & while it wasn’t the cleanest of strikes, the ball ended up in its intended location, the back of the Albion net to restore parity. Johnston brought a fine save out of Hodgson on 69 minutes when he picked up a stray ball on the edge of the ‘D’ following a tackle, He struck it well but the Biggin keeper was able to push the ball out for a corner. Unfortunately for Hodgson, it was a spill from him that gave RACA what was to be the winner. McLeod crossed into the box & Hodgson dived down to smother the wet ball which slipped from his grip right to the feet of Bisset who had the easy task of tapping home to make it 3-2. Albion kept pushing for another & Johnston’s speed on 80 minutes saw him outpace the Newbiggin defenders & with just Hodgson to beat, tried the chip but it had insufficient height & the goalkeeper comfortably plucked the ball out of the air. Newbiggin pushed up for an equaliser, a scramble in the Ryton box was followed by a last second free kick with Hodgson also joining in up front. With the last touch of the game, Cody Short jumped up to get his head on to the ball, but he put it wide & Albion had their fifth win in succession to close up on the top three.
RACA– Corkhill, Skivington, Dart, McLeod (Whittaker 85), Lynch, Driver, Bisset, Fletcher, Calvert, Johnston, Anderson, Anderson. Substitutes Not Used, Cairns, Luke, Bailey, Dodds.
Saturday’s Other Division 2 Results
Alnwick Town 1 (Cherry) Esh Winning 0
Prudhoe YC Seniors 3 (Baty, Wilson, Berman) Durham United 2 (Kay, Bramwell)
Seaham Red Star 0 Chester-le-Street Town 1 (Marriott)
Sunderland RCA 0 Darlington Town 1 (McMahon)
FA Vase Results Involving Division 2 Sides
Barnoldswick Town 10 Sunderland West End 1 (McCabe)
Billingham Synthonia 4 (Hodgkinson, Grey, Evans, Connolly) Tow Law Town 2 (Tomlinson, Dominic)
Eccleshill United 1 Park View 1 (Wilkinson) Eccleshall win 2-0 on penalties
FC Hartlepool 1 (O’Gorman) West Allotment Celtic 2
Grangetown Boys Club 1 (Leka) Tadcaster Albion 4
Newcastle Benfield 3 Boldon CA 0
Pickering Town 0 Yarm & Eaglescliffe 1 (Roberts)
Thornaby 0 Jarrow 1 (Beattie)
Whickham 1 Redcar Town 5 (Carmichael 2, Robinson-Coley 2, Harrison)