Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Northern League Division 1
Goal Scorers: SRCA Guerin-Lokonga, Barton Newton Aycliffe : Hughes, Tarling.
The weather was miserable and so was the performance, bottom club Newton Aycliffe were well on top for the majority of this game and only some heroic goalkeeping by Neal Atkinson kept them at bay.
Their was only one change to the team,who performed so well at Dunston, with the inclusion of Gary Shields for the injured Nickolas Gibson.
Disaster struck as early as the 2nd minute when a woeful back pass by Henderson was intercepted 25 yards out and Hughes was able to carry the ball 10yards before smashing the ball past the helpless Atkinson and into the bottom corner.
RCA were almost allowed straight back into it as a misplaced pass from Young let in Shields, but Butterworth was able to get back and block the shot.
It coud so easily have been 2-0 when Young sent a great ball into the path of Earl who rounded Atkinson but was forced wide, he then squared the ball to the advancing Young who blasted the ball goalward only to see the recovering Atkinson pull off a tremendous save. Injuring himself in the process, there was a lengthy delay while he received treatment.
Hughes was causing all sorts of problems for the RCA defence and the Aycliffe 5 man midfield were well on top for the first 25 minutes.
RCA were resorting to the long ball to try and cut out the Aycliffe midfield but the ball was easily cleared by their defence.
RCA first real effort came when Guerin-Lokonga picked up a loose ball on the left wing, cut inside and then stabbed in a low shot which Pocklington was able to turn round the post for a corner.
This seemed to lift RCA and when Halliday won the ball on the half way line he slipped in a lovely ball to Guerin-Lokonga who dribbled past two defenders before unleashing a terrific shot across Pocklington and into the net.
For the first time in the game Aycliffe looked to be on the back foot and RCA were putting some serious pressure on the Aycliffe defence, Barton had a half chance which he fired wide and Shields also had a shot which was easily saved by Pocklington.
In injury time a cross from Fryatt was turned away for a corner which Halliday took. the ball was swung deep to the far post and was met by the unmarked Barton who headed into the net from 10 yards out.
Unbelievably RCA 2 Aycliffe 1 at half time.
RCA started well in the second half and Guerin-Lokonga was a real threat with his pace causing problems at the back for Aycliffe.
A good move between Guerin-Lokonga and Richards was blocked out by Butterworth at the expense of a corner, Aycliffe looked like they hadn't learned the lesson from the first half as Barton rose once again unmarked but this time his header flashed over the bar.
Within a minute RCA should have gone 3 -1 up when another corner was sent over to the far post and this time it was defender Forster who ghosted in but from three yards out he also sent his header over the bar.
Aycliffe looked a little shell shocked, but were not in the mood for lying down.
RCA were defending well and looking threatening on the break with Guerin-Lokonga and Barton trying to get in behind the Aycliffe defence.
It all changed when Aycliffe made a double substitution with Mellanby and Woodhouse coming on in attack and RCA looked happy to defend deep and break quickly.
A long ball out of defence from Atkinson was headed into the path of Fryatt who, from 25 yards out, thundered in a shot which although dipping went over the bar with Pocklington stranded.
As the game entered its final phase Aycliffe started to ramp up the pressure and in the last 10 minutes, they create a number of chances.
Earl crossed in for the unmarked Young inside the area, but his effort was hit straight at Atkinson. A minute later and Tarling cut out a pass and found Young on the right, his cross was volleyed over the bar by Mellanby.
Young who had threatened all night fired in a shot from 25 yards out forcing a save from Atkinson. The RCA goalkeeper then launched a long ball into the heart of Aycliffe's defence and only some good defending and a bad bounce denied Guerin-Lokonga his second goal as the ball veered away from him with only the keeper to beat.
In the 85 Close produced a slide rule pass to Hughes, but the winger was once again denied by the man of the match Atkinson.
In the second minute of stoppage time, a hopefull ball by Mellanby to the back post was met by the outstretched leg of Tarling and the Aycliffe skipper somehow managed to guide it into the net
There was still time for RCA to respond and they almopst made Aycliffe pay when a cross shot from Richards was defelected by Close towards the top corner of his own goal but Pocklington was able to get across and save.
RCA were lucky to get away with the draw tonight but it seems to be the way with the team at the moment. Great against the good teams in the league and medeocre to poor against the lower teams in the league.
Positives from tonight: Atkinson was supurb, solid performances from both Parker and Preston and Guerin-Lokonga will always be a threat up front. but why oh why do we put him on the keeper for set pieces when he has scored three of his six goals coming off the back post from corners.