Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Durham Challenge Cup 1st Round Proper
What a transformation from Saturday's game, three defeats in a row and then a performance like this against a Durham City team flying high in the Evostick League who have just recorded six wins out of six. This proves that on good fast surfaces we can compete at any level, we need to take that mentality onto the not so good pitches.
There were a few forced changes with James Oates reverting to his more familiar role at centre back to replace team captain Carl Beasley, Brian Close took up the place relinquished by Oates in midfield and the most significant change was the introduction in goal of Kyle Donaldson for his first start this season replacing Gary Hoggeth who has been diagnosed with a double hernia an will be having an operation shortly.
A baptism of fire as Donaldson was called into action twice in the opening exchanges, conceding an involuntary corner at the post when he found an Amur Purewal shot too hot to handle before finger tipping to safety a Gary Brown low drive. In between, Mark Davison for the visitors cleared the bar with a shot from the edge of the box.
Stephen Thompson curled a well-struck free-kick round the defensive wall wide of the post in a game of few clear-cut chances thus far.
However, the visitors finished the first half in the ascendancy: Ian Maddison produced an excellent double reflex save from James Winter, who then caught an Andrew Jennings shot under his crossbar; but he stretched in vain to get a hand to James Oates’ header from a Stewart corner and the ball flew into the net. 1-0 to RCA and on the run of play well deserved.
City had only to wait two minutes after the break to get back on level terms when Maddison was alledged to have handled the ball in the box and Thompson equalized with a low drive into the bottom corner.
Chances then fell at both ends, Brown giving Donaldson a comfortable save with a half volley and sub Scott Richards blasting wide after a goalmouth scramble, but City were unfortunate on 55 minutes when Billy Greulich-Smith struck the crossbar at the back post with a crisp shot after receiving a fine Dan Madden right-wing cross.
The miss proved costly two minutes later when the City defence allowed Bryan Stewart an unchallenged run of some forty yards before he tucked the ball inside the post.
In the next moves Brown sent a free-header wide and cleared the bar with a distant pile driver.
RCA went 3-1 up when a long ball from Maddison was missed by Stephenson and fell to Stewart who kept his nerve to bury the ball into the bottom corner giving Winter no chance.
RCA could have increased their lead when Stewart once again broke away and with the goal at his mercy he took one too many touches and the final shot went wide.
City immediately went up the other end and pulled a goal back when Brown scored after Donaldson had spilled an earlier shot by Elliot Cutts.
City were forcing RCA back as they strove for a late equaliser, Shaw was only just off target with a fierce drive and Thompson had Donaldson at full stretch with a shot narrowly wide of the post before Amar Purewal headed home Thompson’s right-wing cross to square the match in the last minute.
Apart from Winter punching clear an Adam McGuinness free-kick it was a largely uneventful first quarter of an hour of extra time in which both sides maintained the level of attacking football but as tiredness set in so the accuracy and finishing diminished.
The second period of extra time saw Thompson’s left-foot drive go the wrong side of the post early in the second half, but then RCA's experience started to show as the started to dominate.
Stewart, Richards and Jones all had efforts on goal before sub Gary Shields put RCA through to the next round with a low left-foot drive into the bottom corner which gave Winter no chance. Then the celebrations began.
The crowd got their money’s worth with a committed performance by both teams tonight. Roll on the weekend only Spenntmoor at home.
On balance RCA were worthy winners of this match and were a million times better than the team that turned out against Tow Law Town. Once again we have set our benchmark and we know we are capable of these performances if we can add the secret ingredient, consistence to our game we will be near the top at the end of the season.
Great all round display.