skilltraining Northern League

17 February 2009

RCA Chairman Owen Haley observed that it was like watching Brazil as RCA ran out in their yellow and blue change strip for this reversed, evening fixture against Team Northumbria. For some early parts of the match, the remark did not seem, relatively, out of place, but at the end of the match it was the away side that had got out of jail and the hosts were justifiably frustrated.

After five minutes it was the consistently lively Team Northumbria who were through on goal with appeals for a penalty for holding dismissed by the referee. RCA were soon back in it with winger Steven Stewart crossing dangerously from the right. On nine minutes, Andy Jennings gathered the ball and evaded tackles, but his diagonal ball to the left wing was just too strong.

On 12 minutes, RCA pressure told, receiving the ball on the left wing Adam McGuinness made a good run and crossed strongly and accurately for Andy Jennings to collect unmarked in the centre of the penalty area. Lashing the ball home he gave the keeper no chance. Good stuff and a real early boost for Andy and the team.

Team Northumbria came back strongly from the kick off and shortly after had a corner which was only partially cleared, but North could only blast over the bar. RCA continued their good pressure - on 20 minutes the North keeper had to palm the ball away - but this was not a one-sided match: North broke strongly and with speed on many occasions and got into dangerous positions, but without delivering the killer final ball. The match got to half time at one - nil and RCA were worried that the lead was so slim - it should have been more both by chances and the perceived need for a cushion.

Two minutes after the re-start it looked as through RCA would rue missed chances in the first half as North very nearly equalized as the ball came back of the post from a strong cross shot.

Five minutes later and it looked as through skipper Steve Halliday must score as he broke the off-side trap to run through on goal. It looked as though he had the option to pass to Adsy, but shot only for a North defender to get back in time to deflect the ball behind for a corner.

RCA were looking ring rusty against a fit and lively Team Northumbria who won a disputed penalty on 57 minutes, which led to Paul Wardle being booked for his protests. Gary Hoggeth saved well parrying the ball after diving to his right, but North were quicker to the follow up and netted.

On 61 minutes, Scott Richards won a free kick 28 yards out. Manager Neil Hixon took the opportunity to bring off Wayne Henderson and put Glenn Moan into the fray in a like for like swap. From the free kick Scott Richards chipped the ball in, but it was just too high for Andy Jennings and when the ball broke out a Richards volley went wide.

Soon after Wyn Fremlin came on for Adam McGuinness (68) and Gary Shields for Mark Davison (76) as the RCA management tried to counter the liveliness and speed of North who were playing their wide pitch well.

RCA were increasingly harassed by North as the match went on and at this stage I would have settled for a point on the balance of threat - not that that's what we need as we try to make up ground. Not that we were without chances or hope. On 80 minutes RCA floated a free kick into the box which the North keeper missed and the header came back off the post. Five minutes later and a strong break from North down their right led to a strong cross-come-shot across the goal line.

Bit then our luck changed! Well into added time the referee blew for a penalty which I could not see from my position, but which drew great protests, ending in at least one red card, from Team Northumbria. Up steps AJ and blasts it into the roof of the net!

The push goes on! Come on you reds!

skilltraining Northern League

21 February 2009

Not a disaster at Thornaby as RCA battled well with a swirling wind and rough pitch to finish level with the bottom club. RCA will feel we should have won the game, and had plenty of chances in the second half to do so, but Thornaby worked hard, were well marshalled at the back by ex-Boro stalwart Nicky Mohan and will feel grateful for their point, not that it does them much good. Hicker made a couple of changes at the back with Andy Reay returning after suspension and Paul Wardle getting the nod to partner him. The game kicked off with Thornaby having the advantage of the breeze and for half an hour they made good use of it and were the better side. RCA were struggling to get going with passes going astray and the front two of Davison and Jennings not being able to hold it up. It was no great surprise therefore when Thornaby took the lead after 27 minutes with a simple enough strike from Morton.

The goal woke RCA up and we pressed from then to the break. Two or three decent chances were spurned before right on the stroke of half time Andy Jennings notched after good work by Davison and Stewart.

1-1 at HT.

The second half started in completely different mode with RCA totally on top. Jennings had a goal harshly disallowed for offside on 50 minutes, but the pressure was continuous and finally Adam McGuinness struck home from a narrow angle after 59 minutes. It looked like game over as we continued to push forward. Five minutes later however, during a rare Thornaby attack, Andy Reay was harshly adjudged to have pushed former RCA player Dean Fox in the box, and Foxy made no mistake from the spot: 2-2 with 25 minutes to go, certain to be more goals?

There should have been, as virtually every RCA midfielder and striker had chances to score. AJ hit the bar, Sparky headed over when he should have scored and in one ten second spell the keeper made two good saves before the ball went narrowly wide, and AJ had another disallowed for offside. But it was not to be and we have to settle for a point. Unbeaten in five though and need to keep going. A setback, but not the end of the world.

skilltraining Northern League

28 February 2009

Hicker started with Paul 'Delta ' Wardle at centre half today, playing alongside Glenn Moan who was recalled to the side. Dava Lee was missing through illness so Adam McGuiness played left back and a fit again Sean 'Taz' Joseph took his place wide left. Andy Reay, Wayne Henderson, Anth Laidler, Gary Shields and Wyn Fremlin took their places on the bench.

The Guisborough pitch was in very reasonable condition after a light rolling pre-game and the match started in very fair conditions, although with a few spots of rain. Both sides started quite brightly and within the first few minutes both keepers had to look lively against threatening attacks. The game soon settled into a pattern with RCA probably having the bulk of the ball, but with Guisborough showing good control in midfield and getting forward well when they got the chance. Taz seemed to have the regular beating of his man on the left though, and from one good attack Mark Davison rattled the post with a firm header.

Scotty Richards was getting forward regularly and hit a good shot over the bar, before making a great break into the box, again getting onto the end of a Taz cross and looping a shot again over the bar, when he had a lot more time than he thought. Andy Jennings also had opportunities, but could not force the ball home, particularly from one desperate scramble. At the other end the lads were having to stay alert, and after 30 minutes Delta went into the referee's book for a shirt pull, when it looked to many like half a dozen of one and six of the other. But worse was to follow in the 43rd minute when again the ref reached for his pocket as Delta went in on the edge of the box. Two fouls, two bookings and off! It looked very harsh indeed.

HT 0-0, and Hicker had a problem. To be fair draws are not much better than defeats to us in the present circumstances so it was understandable that he chose not to replace the missing defender from those on the bench, and instead went with three at the back, hoping to take the lead before making the change. And the pattern of the second half was much as the first despite the numerical disadvantage. We pressed, Guisborough looked dangerous when they could and chances came at both ends.

The Boro centre forward, Dave Onions is always a handful and you could tell he fancied his chances of leading his side to victory now. After the hour Guisborough took the lead with a well-worked goal which saw them exploit the gaps as one of their midfielders made it into the box and finished well. Hicker still kept pressing, brought Wyn Fremlin and Gary Shields on to refresh the attack, and we continued to press. But it wasn't until Guisborough made it two after 75 minutes, with what looked like a bit of a spawny goal as the ball spun in off the post, before we made some real chances again. As always happens we now had four or five good efforts, a great shot from Wyn Fremlin well saved by the keeper the pick of them, in the last 15 minutes, but it wasn't to be. A 2-0 defeat against a very decent young Guisborough side was no disgrace, but a real blow all the same.