Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Durham Challenge Cup 1st Round.
Goalscorers: Darlington, Moore, Johnson, Turner, SRCA: Home-Jackson.
As always the Durham Challenge Cup gives teams a chance to try out different formations and give fringe players a chance to impress. Both teams made substantial changes from the teams that started in the respective games on Saturday.
Into the RCA team came Aaron Brown, Josh Home-Jackson, Daniel Wray and debutant Jack Stanger even with the changes this was still a good line up.
Darlington also gave a chance to their youngsters but added the fire power of Stevie Johnson, Nathan Fisher and Paul Robinson to the team.
Both teams started well with the emphasis on attack. The first real chance of the game came when Home-Jackson's shot was blocked by Jordan Robinson who sent the ball forward to Fisher who was allowed to run 30 yards with the ball unchallenged before unleashing a shot which Spence did well to turn away for a corner.
The corner was defender by Wray who headed the ball clear but only as far as Moore who crossed the ball back into the area where it was picked up by Fisher who turned and shot but it was blocked by Clough.
A throw in by Aaron Brown fornd Barton who slipped his marker before setting up Patton, his shot seemed to be deflected by the hand of Mitchell and Jameson was able to make the save.
Darlington responded with a great ball from Robinson into the path of Thomas who ran at the RCA defence, twisting past two challenges, before seeing his effort blocked by Brown.
Darlington looked to be getting a grip of the gavme and it was robinson again in the thick of it as he received a ball from Moore before firing in a shot which Spence saved with his feet.
RCA were a little unlucky when a freekick from Clough cleared the Darlington defence and fell to Home-Jackson inside the area however his strike at goal was blocked away for a corner by Galbraith.
Minutes later and the tide seemed to be changing as Morris found Patton with a clever crossfield pass, the RCA striker controlled the ball but shot wide of the target.
These two efforts seemed to lift the pace of the game as Darlington reacted to the pressure RCA were exerting on them, a quick break by Thomas saw the RCA defence split and when he crossed into the box, it took a great bit of defending by Wray to clear the ball for a corner.
A minute later and Pilatos dispossessed Morris before setting off on a run which saw him beat 3 players before sliding th eball to Davis who ,moved the ball on to Thomas who went on a mazy run which saw him beat 3 defenders before falling over, picking himself up and still getting in a shot which flew over the bar.
Then came the clearest chance so far when after a bit of scrappy play by both teams saw the ball sent forward by Robinson into the path of Johnson, the Darlington Striker rounded the keeper but fired into the side netting.
RCA might have taken the lead in the 40th minute when a goal kick by Spence was picked up by Morris who played the ball back to Horsman he sent the ball forward into the opponents area where Barton was on hand to beat the advancing Jameson, unfortunately he could only steer the ball wide of the post.
However they did take the lead on the stroke of half time, a freekick taken by Clough found Home-Jackson inside the Darlington box, with time to control the ball and curl it round Jameson and into the net.
The second half saw Darlington fully committed to attack and RCA looking to break on the counter attack.
In the 50 minute another good run by Fisher saw him burst beyond the last defender only for his shooting to once again let him down.
Moore was starting to cause RCA problems down the right and in the 55th minute a great dribble and cross to the far post had to be headed away by Wray under pressure from Johnson.
As the pressure increased on the RCA defence it was left to Patton to try to hold the ball up front which he was doing to some effect.
In the 75th minute a great move by Darlington gave them a deserved equaliser Robinson picked the ball up on th ehalf way line and sent a 40 yard inch perfect cross to Moore who in turn played a quick 1-2 with Johnson which opened up the RCA defence and Thomas was able to side foot into the net.
Darlington were now going all out for the win and when Pilatos sent a great through ball forward for Johnson he looked certain to score but Spence managed to pull off a supurb save.
RCA, after a good move were awarded a freekick which was taken by Clough, the ball was headed down by Morris into the path of Patten who dragged the ball back before shooting wide of the far post.
With time running out RCA looked to be carrying some luck as a shot from Moore was saved by Spence th eball fell to Johnson 8 yards out but he somehow managed to hit the underside of the bar and the ball was cleared.
EXTRA TIME:
The first half of extra time was pretty much nondescript with few chances and little in the way of goal mouth action, a poor clearance by Spence fell to Johnson who chippe dthe ball back to th egrateful keeper and a shot from Jury cleared the Darlington bar and headed towards Sainsury's garage.
The second period had more to offer if you were a Darlington supporter, both teams were tiring noticably and it was going to take something special to win the game and so it was that in the 111th minute Moore took on the RCA defence, got a yard of space and sent in a telling cross which fell into the path of the sliding Johnson who found the net from close range.
3minutes later and it was all over when, Darlington were keeping possesion well inside the RCA half, when the ball looked to have been retreived by Jury, a tackle from Mitchell saw the ball spring to turner who fired in a low shot which although Spence got a hand to he could not prevent the ball from going into the net.
RCA did well for 90 minutes but were unable to cope with the fitness of their opponents in the final 30 minutes. Their was no disgrace in this defeat and we can move forward knowing that the squad is capable of competing against anyone on the day.