Saturday, 16 April 2011
STL Northern League Division 1
Click here for a slideshow of photos from the match
With both teams assured of first division football next season and Ashington preparing for a cup semi final against Newcastle United Reserves, this had all the ingredients of being just another end of season, get it out of the road, match. In the first 45 minutes that is exactly how it seemed as Ashington looked a poor imitation of a footballing team and RCA lacked a quality finish. The one bright spark of the first half was Matty Tymon's first goal for the club. The second half served up four goals in an end-to-end game that RCA should have had sewn up after 50 minutes.
RCA took control of this game right from the off and only some poor finishing kept Ashington in the hunt. In the fifth minute a great cross from Shields evaded everyone to land at the feet of Walton whose shot beat Dryden, but was cleared off the line by Lough.
A good spell of play by Ashington saw Bell feed the ball to Godsmark who mishit his shot and Hoggeth saved easily.
In the 11th minute RCA took the lead when a great pass from Graydon found Tymon who took it in his stride before clipping the ball low past Dryden.
RCA should have doubled their lead two minutes later when Graydon shot from 20 yards out and the ball dipped just over the bar.
RCA were rampant now and Graydon was puuling all the strings from midfield. Another of his passes found Tymon again and although the striker's shot beat the keeper the ball was once again cleared off the line.
As the game neared the end of the half it looked to be one of those days when RCA would dominate and get nothing from it and Ashington looked woefully poor in the face of the RCA onslaught. In the final minutes of the half both Jones and Graydon were guilty of not testing the keeper when in good positions.
The first real opportunity of the second half for either team fell, against the run of play, to Godsmark for Ashington, but he fired high over the bar. Graydon, who was finding acres of space in midfield started to dominate and was really unlucky with a curling shot which had Dryden beaten, but flashed inches wide of the upright. A minute later and the same player forced a great save from Dryden who was pleased to see his parry cleared by Lough.
A promising move by Ashington saw Scott cross to the unmarked Bell, but Hoggeth easily saved the forward's header.
RCA went 2-0 up when Richards released Walton on the right and his curling cross was headed home by Tymon. The game then seemed to take off with Ashington playing some of the best football of the match and, for the first time, causing problems to the RCA defence. In the 58th minute a great passing move involving Scott Godmark and Bell saw the latter slot the ball home from eight yards out. RCA looked to be rattled by this and it was not long before the score was 2 -2 when a long ball out of defence found Godmark who passed to Bell on the right wing and his cross was met by Lough two yards out and he made no mistake from there.
Ashington looked to have gained the initiative and were pressing forward for the winner, but both Beasley and Oates were in no mood to concede further gaols.
RCA took all three points when Jones’ long ball out of defence was flicked on by Tymon into the path of Graydon who fired into the net, the ball taking a slight deflection on the way.
RCA played some good football at times in this match and thoroughly deserved the points, but they must also realise that they need to cut out the sloppiness in defence.
