Northern League Division 1
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Goal scorers: SRCA: Guerin-Lokonga, Beasley, Paxton Shildon: Flynn, Briggs.
The injury list just seems to be growing at the moment and so it was that Nikolas Gibson was given a debut in the number 11 shirt; there was also a recall for the Assistant Manager Carl Beasley.
After the quiet game on Saturday against Penrith came the cauldron of Dean Street, and how RCA responded was truely magnificent as they repelled the attacks of Shildon and gave back twice as much. They looked like a team who were brimming with confidence and why not as they continue to be undefeated away from home.
Shildon played well and looked in control in patches but it was RCA who dominated and controlled the ball and the tempo of the game.
To go to Dean Street and beat a good Shildon team is testament to the strength in depth and the team spirit that is in abundance at RCA.
Both teams looked to attack from the start and the initial reaction from both defences was that they were up for the challenge.
RCA looked to give the ball to debutant Gibson at every opportunity and he showed a willingness to get forward and deliver crosses into the box but both Flynn and Hall were in no mood to let the RCA strikers get the ball and cleared up effectively.
The first real threat on goal came when Garvie picked up a long ball from Flynn and cut inside Henderson at pace before unleashing a low shot which brought a terrific save from Atkinson.
RCA's response was immediate, Davis won the ball in midfield before slipping it through to Hudson. The midfielder then played a quick one-two with Guerin-Lokonga before powering a shot just wide with Finch scrambling across his goal.
In the 26th minute RCA took the lead when Gibson chipped in a cross which caused problems for the home defence and Barton was able to get a shot at goal which Finch parried into the path of Guerin-Lokonga and he headed home from eight yards out.
As the game progressed there was a lot of good football being played but there was no final penetration into the dangerous area and both defences looked reasonably comfortable.
Within two minutes of the restart Shildon had leveled when a left wing corner was headed in by ex-RCA man Flynn giving Atkinson no chance.
Back came RCA and they should have taken the lead again when Finch dropped a freekick from Hudson and Paxton, following up shot wide.
RCA did regain the lead when Close found McGuinness free on the left and he crossed to the far post where Beasley was on hand to head home past Finch.
As the game ebbed and flowed there were chances at both ends, Garvie had a shot which went over the bar and Barton had a shot well saved by Finch.
Shildon equalised once again in the 70th minute when a Clarkson freekick was passed square to Briggs who thundered in a terrific low shot from 30 yards out which flashed past a crowd of players and settled in the bottom corner of the net.
Shildon almost went a head but a weak effort by McCabe failed to test Atkinson and when a long free kick into the box evaded the RCA defence McCabe could only shoot into the side netting.
It was to be RCA's night as they restored their lead once more, this time Hudson drove in a corner which Paxton was able to steer into the net.
RCA should have extended their lead in the 88th minute when Guerin-Lokonga was tripped in the box for a penalty, Mark Hudson stepped up but Finch made a brilliiant save diving to his left.
A truely entertaining game which on balance ended with the right result. In the end it was the defenders who won the day, 3 of the 5 goals scored by defenders and only one goal scored by a forward.