Jamie Davis attacks down the right wing in the second half against Consett on Saturday, 18 August.
Northern League Division 1
Saturday, 18 August 2012
Please click here for photos from the match.
RCA started their EBAC Northern League campaign in the same vein as last season with a 2-2 draw against a well drilled and organised Consett outfit.
The manager brought in new signing Abubaker Salim on the right wing and started Dale Jardine up front as support to Aristote Guerin-Lokonga.
The match will be remembered most for the amount of missed chances by both teams. It would not have been a suprise if the game had ended 6-6.
Consett took advantage of the slope in the first half and pushed RCA back from the off and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the 6 minute when Davidson found Bell with a 50 yard pass which split the RCA defence in two. The Consett defender crossed into the path of Mackay who’s shot was blocked by Preston but the ball rebounded to Smith who made no mistake from 10 yards out.
RCA started to get into the game and were unlucky not to equalise when McGuinness sent a lovely pass into the path of Gordon, he slipped the ball to Jardine who dribbled into the box before passing the ball to Guerin-Lokonga but he fired over the bar.
The threatened equaliser arrived courtesy of a penalty, Close receiving the ball from Jones turned in the area and was tripped by Scorer. Hudson made no mistake from the spot to make it 1-1.
A minute later and Guerin-Lokonga latched onto a long clearance and looked odds on to score but Martindale had other ideas with a well timed tackle which cleared the danger.
Martindale was soon in the action at the other end as RCA’s defence back off and allowed him a clear run at goal, fortunately for RCA his shot was deflected wide for a corner. The corner kick was met in the box by Scorer and his well struck shot was brilliantly saved by Atkinson.
Consett looked to be getting a hold of the game when a curling shot from Davidson was saved by Atkinson and a minute later Mackay in a good position shot over the bar.
RCA were finding it difficult to get hold of the ball and when they did Consett were quickly closing them down and not letting them settle on the ball.
A long throw from Atkinson found Salim and the RCA winger slipped past the first defender before being brought down 25 yards from goal. Close took the freekick quickly and although he found Hudson who volleyed the ball over the bar he was adjudged to be offside.
RCA seemed to have weathered the storm and were coming back into the match, a Jones freekick to the far post was cleared by Martindale but only as far as Close who laid the ball in to Jardine who blasted his shot over the bar.
The game was shifting from end to end and chances were being created and wasted at both ends, a shot from Robson deflected into the arms of Atkinson, the a shot from Teasdale being saved by the keeper. At the other end Salim found Guerin-Lokonga in the box and the strikers shot was blocked by Martindale and Jardine bustling his way into the box saw his effort saved by Jameson.
The breakthrough came in the 41 minute when a Jones throw in was picked up by Salim, he crossed to Guerin-Lokonga and his rasping volley was well saved by Jameson, the ball looped up into the air and Jardine was on hand to acrobatically fire the ball into the roof of the net.
The second half opened with a great save from Jameson from a close range header by Jardine.
From the corner Salim was dispossessed on the edge of the box and the ball was cleared up field to Teasdale, he played a quick 1-2 with Mackay before shooting, his effort took a deflection off close and then another off the head of McGuinness before settling in the top corner of the net.
McGuinness was in the thick of the action a minute later when he missed the ball completely when making a clearance and the ball fell to Teasdale who set off for goal however McGuinness redeemed himself in recovering to make a wonderful tackle to clear the danger.
A move between Jardine and Guerin-Lokonga ended with the ball falling to close but he fired over.
Teasdale was causing all sorts of problem for the RCA defence and in the space of 5 minutes had chances saved by Atkinson.
As the half wore on RCA started to make inroads into a shaky Consett defence, Guerin-Lokonga combines with Youldon on the left to set up a great opportunity for Close but the RCA captain could only steer his shot wide under pressure from Jameson.
A minute later and RCA produced a great move as Hudson passed to Gordon who slipped the ball inside to Guerin-Lokonga then back to Hudson who split the Consett defence with an inch perfect pass but close sent his shot narrowly over the bar.
As the pressure continued to mount Youlden had a shot blocked by Scorer and the rebound fell to Davis who fired in a tremendous shot which was also blocked by Scorer.
RCA looked the more likely to break the deadlock at this point and were unlucky when a corner from Hudson was met by Jordon but he could only steer his header over the bar.
Guerin-Lokonga was unplayable in the last 10 minutes of the game as time and again he took the ball to the Consett defence, dribbling past players and on two occasions setting up great opportunities for RCA to find the winner.
The first was a great cross into the path of Hudson who met the ball well to drill in a powerful shot but Jameson somehow managed to get a hand to it and the ball went over the bar.
The second saw him dribble round 3 defenders before pulling the ball back into the path of Jones but the RCA defender could only steer the ball over the bar.
Late in the game Mackay proved that Consett were still a threat when he burst past two defenders but put his shot well wide of the upright.
This was a really entertaining game with thrills and spills aplenty. If this is anything to go on the rest of the season promises to be one to look forward to. RCA supporters don’t forget the Heartache tablets it looks like it might be a bit of a rollercoaster season.
MOM Aristote Guerin-Lokonga.