Saturday, 17 September 2011
STL Northern League Division 1
Click here for a slideshow of photos from the match.
How this match remained goalless is beyond comprehension with both teams guilty of missing chances and both goal keepers bringing off outstanding saves.
RCA will, I have no doubt, feel that they should have won this match comfortably, but they remain unbeaten in the league and still sit proudly at the top of the Northern League Division 1.
Bishops have Simon Bishop to thank for some magnificent reflex saves and also Mr Wake the linesman who adjudged Jennings' goal to be offside even though the ball was headed back to him - a very strange decision.
Roll on next weekend and part three of this thrilling installment.
RCA were forced to make one change bringing in John Butler at left back to replace the unavailable Adam McGuinness. There was also the welcome return, albeit on the bench, of Joe Walton. The game kicked off on an unrecognisable pitch to that which was played on last year and it is a credit to the groud staff that they have been able to produce such a surface from the beach condition of last season.
Within minutes of the kick off a familiar pattern of play was established with RCA pressing forward at every opportunity and Bishops counter attacking with some effect. Once again Davison and Jennings were causing problems with their superiority in the air and when a cross came in from Stewart the header from Davison looped just over the bar. This was the signal for the game to pick up a bit of momentum and Johnson tested Hoggeth with a header at the other end, but the keeoer was more than capable of dealing with it.
Jennings looked odds on to score when free at the far post but his header from Ellison's cross was well saved by Bishop who then set up an attack by releasing Bell on the right; his cross fell to Wells but his shot was blocked. The next ten minutes saw the game develop into a contest between RCA forwards and Simon Bishop, Bishop's so called stand in Keeper.
A cross from Stewart was met by Cuthbertson who headed powerfully towards goal only for Bishop to somehow save low to his right, then a cross from Stewart found Davison free inside the area and his header was tipped over the bar by Bishop. Next up was Ellison who beat two players before slipping the ball to Jones; his low cross into the box was met by Stewart but the shot went tamely into Bishop's arms.
In a rare foray into RCA territory Johnson was set up by Walklate, but he shaot narrowly wide when in a good position. Back came RCA Jones and Ellison once again combined on the right but Jones' final shot went well wide.
In the 35th minute Bishops had their one and only real chance when a cross from Bell was completely missed by everyone and fell at the feet of Wells, but from 10 yards out and an open goal he shot wide. The RCA response was immediate with Stewart beating the Bishop's offside trap and racing clear before chipping in a cross which was met by Jennings, but he headed straight at Bishop.
The final minutes of the half were dominated by RCA's midfield, but there was no end product.
The second half was a continuation of the first, with Hoggeth in the RCA goal a virtual spectator and the crowd actually cheering every time the ball was rolled back to him.
In a mesmerising spell of play RCA made 18 passes before the ball fell to Jennings who somehow blasted the ball wide when a simple side foot would have sufficed. Minutes later and a move involving Close, Ellison and Davison once again saw Jennings in front of goal, but this time Bishop was on hand to make a great save.
In the 61st minute a cross from Stewart was met by Jones whose tremendous header was excellently saved by Bishop. A minute later and he was on hand again to save a Jennings header. Two minutes later and Ellison and Jones set up Davison, but once again Bishop pulled off a superb save. The dejection in the RCA forward's faces was evident now as they produced wave upon wave of attacks and each one was being blocked by Bishop.
RCA should have gone in front on 68 minutes when a freekick from Ellison was met by Davison who headed the ball across the box to Jennings who scored from five yards out. However the assistant referee adjudged that someone was in an offside position.
Hoggeth was called upon only once in the second half, but he did have to be at his best to get down to stop a fantastic turn and shot from substitute Waite.
RCA started to build up the pressure an the introduction of Walton almost had an immediate effect as the winger was sent clear, he moved into the box and unleashed a tremendous drive that Bishop could only parry away and as the ball came back to Walton it looked like an easy tap in but some how Lawson managed to do enough to put Walton off and the ball went wide. More RCA attacks came to nothing as they went in search of the goal that had eluded them all afternoon and Bishop stood firm in the home goal.
On another day this could quite easily have finished 6 - 2, but it was not to be and no one can take away the brilliant performance of Simon Bishop. On the plus side RCA are still creating chances and defensively they are looking a good unit.