Match reports

Wayne Buchanan in defensive action.

Goal scorers: SRCA: Larkin Aycliffe: Campbell (2)

Please click here for more photos from the match.

RCA returned to league action today after eight weeks of cup matches and postponements. Our last league match on 19th December 2015 was against West Allotment Celtic. Today, we welcomed a revitalised Newton Aycliffe team to Meadow Park, who, like ourselves, are undergoing a period of transition and are pushing for a top six finish to the season.

The management team at RCA made three changes to the team beaten by Whickham in the Durham Challenge Cup with Richardson replacing Cook, Hatch replacing Cresswell and Charlton returning in place of Hughes.

Tremendous work by the groundsmen to get the pitch in a playable condition was rewarded with an entertaining match, although the constant rain / snow during the game did little to help the underfoot conditions and the pitch started to cut up badly towards the end of the game.

RCA took advantage of the slope in the first half, but faced a stiff head wind which was unusually blowing off the North Sea.

No way through for RCA's Michael Charlton in the second half of the match.

Goal Scorers: SRCA: Buchanan (2), BMF: Stamp (2), Sheppard.

Please click here for more photos from the match.

RCA welcomed Bristol Manor Farm FC to Meadow Park for this historic 5th Round FA Vase tie.

The billing for this game was fantastic, two teams on amazing runs, RCA one defeat in 21 games and Bristol Manor Farm unbeaten since 7 November last year and riding high on top of the Toolstation Western Football league.

Martin Swales and his backroom staff had a team selection problem when both Liam Hatch and James Armstrong declared themselves unavailable due to injury problems and Lee Cresswell was unavailable due to work commitments. The selection was further exacebated when the only central defender on the bench pulled up in the warm up. The good news was the availability of Clifford Byrne who was slotted straight in at No 5. Reece Noble returned to midfield after his suspension as the two changes to the starting eleven who performed so well last week against Sleaford Town.

There was also a welcome return to the squad for Joe Hughes and Andrew Brown after long spells of injury.

The blustery conditions were always going to be a factor in this match as the wind blew straight down the pitch.

Supermac: the photographer’s man of the match, Ross McNab, fires in a shot.

Please click here for more photos from the match.

The Durham Challenge Cup tie against Durham City FC at Belle View, Consett was the only game to survive the weather last night.

The RCA management team made a number of forced changes due to injuries and work commitments; into the starting eleven came Davis replacing the cup tied Pounder, In central midfield and making his debut for the club was Lee Cresswell who replaced the injured Proctor, McNab replaced Hatch and Gordon returned to replace the injured Callen.

There was also three unfamiliar names (this season) on the bench, New signing James Cook, back after injury Joe Hughes and the returning Stephen Bogie alongside Armstrong and Proctor.

Hat trick hit man Colin Larkin in early action.

Goalscorers: SRCA:  Larkin (3), Charlton.  Tadcaster: none.

Please click here for more photos from the match.

Please click here for Tadcaster Albon's match report.

After the disappointment of having the match postponed on Saturday due to the freak weather conditions which saw the pitch flooded inside 90 minutes and then a heavy snowfall compound the problems for the rest of the day it was left to the ground staff to try and get the pitch into a playable condition for tonight’s match.

They were rewarded when the match referee Mrs Lucy Oliver declared the game on.

The management team had a number of problems the main ones being the injury to Drysdale which will keep him out of the team for the rest of the season, the suspension of McNab and also the fact that both Pounder and Lane are cup-tied. The good news was the return of Club Captain Clayton Davis who passed a late fitness test and took his place at right back. Harkess replaced Talbot in goal, Hatch returned to take the place of Drysdale and Charlton also returning from injury to replaced Melvin.

Before the game the questions being asked were “How will the team respond to the defeat at West Auckland?”, “How would they play against a team in Tadcaster Albion who are riding on the crest of a wave at the moment table topping their league and beating their nearest rivals 4 – 1 in the last round of the Vase?” and “Will the rain hold off until full time?”