Spennymoor defender and captain, Daniel Moore, clears ahead of RCA's Jamie Clarke in the second half of the match.
Saturday, 16 March 2013
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Please click here for photos from the match.
Scorers: Spennymoor: Moore, Rae. SRCA: Shaw
After a late pitch inspection at the Brewery Field the game was declared on at the request of both managers.
Games are won and lost at all levels of football by inexplicable lapses by officials and today's match was no exception.
Spennymoor started the game with the advantage of the slope and made the most of it, applying the early pressure but RCA stuck to their guns and defended really well.
Cogdon forced the first corner of the game on five minutes when he danced past Preston, but Marron was on hand to clear. The corner was headed away by Richards and Guerin-Lokonga picked up the loose ball before sprinting into space, but unfortunately he could not deliver a meaningful cross and Moore was able to clear.
In Spennymoors next attack Ruddy was fouled on the edge of the box and Stephenson stepped up to fire in a shor which McGuinness headed away for a corner.
McGuinness was in action at the other end of the pitch minutes later when a loose ball was scrambled away from the Spennymoor area into his path and he hit a curling shot which Dean saved.
A slick move between Cogden and Capper saw the latter cross into the box and Davison, rising head and shoulders above everone else, headed down, but Ball was able to save at the second attempt.
In the 25th minute RCA were unlucky not to take the lead when McGuinness curled in a cross to the far post were Shaw chested the ball past Capper before curling in a superb shor which had Dean beaten but rebounded of the underside of the bar and was cleared by Dodds.
A long ball out of defence tried to find Cogden but RCA debut keeper Ball was aware of the danger and raced out to clear. Inexplicably the referee brought play back 20 yards to awarded a freekick to Spennymoor for an incident between Marron and Cogdon, neither of whom looked to have a chance of getting to the ball ahead of the Keeper.
Capper floated the ball to the far post where the ball was headed back into the box and Moore rose above the keeper to head into the net from close range.
Spennymoor upped their game and it was only some good saves from Ball that kept RCA in the game. A header from Davison was saved low down and he had to react quickly with Cogdon closing in on the rebound.
Ruddy was starting to make an impression on the right and when he cut inside and let fly on 40 minutes; it looked all over a goal, but Ball managed to get a fingertip to help it onto the bar. Stephenson's corner was once again met by Davison, but he headed wide.
RCA tried to rally and Clarke had a great chance in the final minutes of the half when Close fed the ball through the centre of the Spennymoor defence, but Clarke's shot lacked power and was easily saved by Dean.
RCA started the second half in determined fashion,.A freekick, awarded when Richards was brought down on the edge of the box, was taken by McGuinness, but his shot didn't trouble Dean.
The kick out by Dean fell straght to Wardle who played in Kane and the RCA winger shot straight at Dean.
Spennymoor were finding it difficult to get the ball out of their own half and it was RCA who carved out the next chance as Kane dribbled past two defenders, got to the by-line before sending in a dangerous low cross which Laws got to fractionally before Guerin-Lokonga.
RCA deservedly got the equaliser in the 55th minute when Richards won the ball in midfield, Close picked up the loose ball before sending an inch perfect pass to Shaw who calmly slooted the ball into the net past the outstretched arms of Dean.
As the pitch started to cut up so the game started to get a bit scrappy with the ball sticking sometimes and skidding away at other times it was very difficult playing conditions, but both teams were trying to play football and chances were being created.
The ever dangerous Ruddy sent in a terrific shot which went narrowly wide and the introduction of Richardson was causing concern to the RCA defence.
As Spennymoor started to turn the tide and start creating openings RCA were resorting to quick counter attacks and both Clarke and Guering-Lokonga had shots which were easily dealt with by Spennymoor's defence.
In the 80th minute a long range effort by Capper flew over the bar and looked to be the shot of a tired player.
Looking around the pitch there seemed a lot of tired legs on display. A lazy tackle on Richardson as the Spennymoor forward was bearing down on goal went unseen by the officials.
With the game deep into injury time Richardson received the ball inside the 18 yard area and in one movement fired the ball into the side netting; inexplicably the referee awarded a penalty for a late challenge by Wardle. (having seen the video it looks to me as if Wardle is trying to block the shot not tackle Richardson and the Spenny forward follows through falls over the defender. listening to the commentary the Spenny supporters are as shocked as the RCA players are that it is awarded).
Rae took the kick and made no mistake sending the keeper the wrong way.
For all the RCA supporters 2-1 was bitter pill to swallow after their team had given everything in the cause.
Once again a referee booking a player in the 98th minute of the game for a trip was ridiculous given the spirit and conditions the game was played in.
If RCA can continue to produce performances like this then they should have no worries.