Saturday, 11 September 2010
STL Northern League Division 1
Click here for a slideshow of photos from the match.
A Micky Coghlan brace was not enough to secure RCA their first win of the season but a draw at Synners ground is not a bad result. We can feel a little agrieved that we lost a two goal lead but then on reflection a draw was probably a fair result.
Billingham Synthonia started the game well and a shot from McPhillips was deflect wide by Gordon. Iley's flag-kick fell to Marron but he shot wide. This should have been a warning to RCA not to allow the big defenders of Synners space in the box.
Synners maintained their early momentum and a 25 yard shot from Jameson flashed wide of the upright. RCA, having weathered the early storm, came forward and Gordon was unlucky with a snap shot from 20 yards out after some good inter play with Coghlan.
With the game becoming bogged down in midfield chances were few and far between. In the 30th minute a piece of inspiration saw a long range effort from Parkin land on top of the net with Porter beaten.
At the other end Billingham were awarded a freekick which was headed into the path of McPhillips who shot over the bar. In the 40th minute RCA han a strong shout for a penalty when Martin Smith hooked the ball goalward and it was turned round the post by the hand of a Marron.
RCA opened the scoring in the 41st minute. when McLeod forund Coghlan in space and he volleyed the ball past Porter from 25 yards out.
Within two minutes RCA were 2 - 0 up as Synners looked all at sea at the back and Coghlan raced onto pass from Smith and sent a cracking shot low into the bottom corner.
The game ebbed and flowed at the start of the second half as RCA went for the goal that would kill of f Synners and Synners for their part tried to get back into the game. McPhillips shot wide for Synners, then Walton headed over the bar.
In the 60th minutes Richard Logan had a great opportunity to finish Synners off, but his driving run and shot was expertly saved by Porter. A succession of corners to RCA emphasised their superiority at this point and only some great defensive work by Marron kept the score at 2-0. Synners seemed to heart from this defensive display and the move of Iley into a more central role caused problems for the RCA defence.
In the 65th minute a corner fell to the unmarked Storr who forced a great save from Hoggeth. RCA came forward again and in the 70th minute a Walton shot on goal saw Porter save. Within a minute Synners had pulled a goal back when a Jameson free-kick close to the right hand corner flag found Smith at the back post and he powered a header home.
RCA started to drop deeper to protect their lead and Synners now looked threatening with every attack.
The second penalty appeal of the game was turned away by the referee when Gordon appeared to handle the ball.
Synners continued to attack and got their reward in the 88th minute when Iley crossed for Marron to shoot from inside the six yard box. His shot cannoned of a number of RCA players before crossing the line for the equaliser.
