Monday, 16 April 2012
The Brooks Mileson League Cup
Scorers: Spennymoor: Graydon, Cogdon, Andrews 2
As one RCA player commented after the match "Just to come here and score would do, never mind get a result". The Spennymoor Cup curse continued with this defeat. Although the final result somewhat flattered Spennymoor, in the end the best team overall on the night probably did win.
Preparation for this match was almost catastrophic with Paxton unavailable through work committments, Davidson, Jardine, Davies and Berj all cup-tied and Owens unavailable due to family matters. RCA only had 11 fit player and two of those were goalkeepers. Mark Davison passed a very late fitness test and give credit to the lad he played through the pain barrier for almost three quarters of this game.
The team therefore was changed from Saturday with Cuthbertson coming in for Davidson, Beasley replaced Paxton and Craig Shields the only other fit player on the bench.
The game as expected started briskly with the inevitable onslaught by the nippy forwards of Spennymoor being repelled by some stubborn defensive work by a resilient RCA defence. The opening five minutes was almost entirely spent in the RCA half, but the only opportunity fell to Johnson who curled his effort well wide of the target after some good build up play by Cogdon. It took RCA ten minutes to mount their first serious threat on the Spennymoor goal when Walton received a through ball from Cuthbertson before crossing into the box, but Jones at full stretch could only head straight at Dean. Spennymoor were quick to respond and from the throw out the ball was collected by Ruddy who crossed the half way line before sending in a sublime cross which was met by Moore who headed over.
In the 14th minute, Moors were awarded a contentious freekick when James seemed to hold off Peacock to let the ball run for a goal kick, Graydon took the freekick aiming his shot at the near post and it took some great defending by McGuinness to clear the danger. From the clearance RCA broke quickly and it was the unlikely appearance of Beasley heading the charge inside the Spennymoor half; he seemed to get caught in two minds whether to shot or to pass to Davison and in the end the cross cum shot was saved at the second attempt by Dean with Davison in close attendance.
In the 20th minute a good run by Johnson across field was rewarded when his cut back was deflected for a corner. Spenny brought up the big guns for this and Ruddy sent in a beautiful kick which Ryan met but could only poser his header onto the roof of the net.
After a couple of niggling fouls RCA were awarded a freekick on the edge of the box, Walton and Davison lined up to take. Walton squared the ball to Davison who fired over the bar from 20 yards out.
Another Codgon run ended with the ball running on to Atkinson and his long clearance was headed out of defence by Mason straight to Walton who volleyed over the bar from 35 yards out.
On the half hour Spennymoor seemed to up the ante and when Moore found Cogdon with a great ball the little forward went on a mazy crossfield run past four or five defenders before unleashing a terrible shot which went well wide.
The game changed in dramatic fashion when a long ball from Ryan found Johnson on the edge of the RCA box. Initially Beasley did well to make the Spennymoor forward go towards the corner flag however in doing so he was adjudged to have fouled Johnson. After a long discussion with the referee Beasley was cautioned and up stepped Graydon with a trademark freekick straight into the corner of the net at the near post 1-0 to Spennymoor.
RCA tried to respond and were unlucky with a couple of attempts, Dean was first to react to a through ball from close and got to the ball just in front of the tiring Davison. Then Davison fired in a freekick which took a wicked deflection for a corner. At the other end Foster struck the bar with a superb header from a Ruddy cross.
RCA looked to get back into the game early in the second half with Walton making a number of good runs early on but none coming to anything and the Spennymoor defence held firm.
In the 55th minute a cross from Cogdon was met on the volley by Ruddy, but McGuinness was on hand to clear off the line.
RCA were committing men forward and leaving gaps at the back but it was to be an uncharacteristic defensive mix up which would lead to Spennymoor extending their lead, when Mason’s long clearance fell between Beasley and Atkinson neither looked to take charge and Andrews nipped in to steer the ball into the net. Spennymoor looked well on top at this point and it was only some resolute defending that kept the home side at bay.
In the 75th minute RCA were forced to bring on substitute goalkeeper Craig Shields to replace the struggling Davison up front.
RCA continued to pose a threat when they were going forward, but Dean in the Spennymoor goal had little in the way of saves to make mainly due to the great defence he had in front of him. The final chance for RCA fell to Shields, but he managed to slice his shot wide of the target.
As the game entered the final ten minutes Spennymoor tightened their grip on the tie. Andrews hit the post with a terrific shot.
A rare attack from RCA saw Walton break into the box before firing wide. Then Atkinson was forced to make a great save from Harwood and the ball was cleared up field by James.
In the next attack Cogdon attacked the RCA defence at pace before curling the ball into the top corner from an acute angle a breathtaking goal.
There was still time for the rare sight of Shields taking a free kick from 20 yards out and managing to almost decapitate the corner flag.
Deep into stoppage time Andrews finished off the scoring piece of clinical finishing. From just inside the area he unleashed an unstoppable shot into the corner of
RCA even in adversity still came together to produce another example of the team spirit that has seen them stay at the top of the league for so long.