Colin Larkin, scorer of RCA’s opener in the first half of the match, battles for the ball.
Saturday, 7 March 2015
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goal scorers: SRCA Hughes (2), Larkin, Bythway, Megran, Callen. CN: Read
Please click here for photos from the match.
Due to a major accident on the A66 the kick off of this important Ebac Northern League relegation battle was delayed 25 minutes. RCA players were given 10 minutes to warm up once they had arrived.
RCA’s management team once again made changes to the team with Weldon coming in at left back replacing the injured Richardson and Callen preferred up front to replace Hughes.
Celtic Nation started the game well attacking at pace down both wings and it was they who had the majority of the play in the opening five minutes.
In the fourth minute a good run by Roberts saw him get into the RCA penalty area before unleashing a low drive which Carmichael did well to save.
Slightly against the run of play RCA took the lead in the 8 minute when Bythway sent a hopeful ball forward to Callen, he controlled it before setting Jury away down the right, the RCA captain measured his cross to the near post where Larkin managed to flick a header over the outstretched arms of Casson.
The lead was to last only 5 minutes as Celtic Nation pushed forward again and when Renyard was fouled 25 yards out Boyd stepped up and struck a fierce drive past the RCA wall and although Carmichael produced a good save he could not hold onto the ball and Read was able to pounce on the loose ball and stab it home from two yards out.
RCA were finding it difficult to get their passing game going and Celtic Nation were taking full advantage as they swept forward a good move between Roberts and Tucker set up Renyard who powered in a low shot which went narrowly wide of the upright, then Read set up Tucker but the tall striker could only poke the ball forward and Carmichael collected.
In the 17th minute Roberts won a corner on the left, he took the corner which was headed clear by Bythway but fell to Cummersky who shot through a crowd of players but Carmichael, who must have seen the ball late, pulled off a terrific save.
RCA next real effort on goal came in the 20 minute when a ball over the top of the Celtic Nation defence by Brown fell to Callen, he cut the ball back into the six yard area towards Larkin but Jardine got there first slicing the ball onto the crossbar and over for a corner, Armstrong’s corner was headed wide by Bythway.
Eventually RCA started to get their passing game together and a good move between Wood and Megran saw the latter pick out Callen who laid the ball off for Wood whose shot was scrambled away for a corner.
The game was starting to swing RCA’s way with Celtic Nation reduced to counter attacking and long range efforts.
RCA should have retaken the lead in the 24 minute when a lovely floated pass from Wood split the Celtic Nation defence and fell between Armstrong and Larkin, Armstrong elected to try and lob the keeper but sent his shot wide of the post.
Back came Celtic Nation, forcing a corner on the right, this time taken short to Boyd who fired in a low shot wide of the target.
The first half ended in a flurry of activity, firstly Callen was put clean through by Megran but scuffed his shot wide of the post then a great move involving Larkin and Jury saw the RCA captain cross into the six yard area for Armstrong but Those managed to block the shot for a corner.
At the other end another direct run from Roberts caused panic in the RCA defence and when he crossed into the box Tucker stepped over the ball allowing it to run to Boyd but he fired wide of the target.
In the final effort of the half Larkin, whose pace was causing problems for the CN defence, crossed into the box for Armstrong but a great covering tackle by Bowman sent the ball away for a corner.
The second half started in explosive style for RCA. A Larkin run was spotted by Charlton who played an inch perfect pass to the striker, he looked up and sent in a great cross onto the head of Armstrong, but Casson was on hand to make the save.
Two minutes later RCA took the lead, Megran spotted Weldon overlapping on the left and fed the ball to him, the young full back sent in a beautifully weighted cross onto the head of Callen who powered a header beyond the reach of Casson and into the net.
RCA were rampant at this point and CN were in disarray, so it was no surprise when another defence splitting pass found Megran inside the area and the midfielder calmly slotted into the bottom corner of the net.
As the game progressed it was all RCA attacking and CN defending, shots were raining in from RCA players as they took command of the game and CN resorted to physical tactics which quite frankly didn’t work and earned their captain his marching orders after a number of Altercations with RCA players and the referee.
RCA put the game beyond doubt when another great Larkin run ended with his cross into the box for Hughes who finished with some aplomb past Casson.
It got even worse for CN when a free kick was awarded twenty yards out, up stepped Bythway to curl and dip a great free kick over the wall and into the bottom corner of the net past the despairing dive of Casson.
RCA were not finished scoring and in the 80 minute Larkin once again was the provider as he swooped onto a through ball from Wood drifted past the defence before squaring the ball into the path of Hughes who fired straight into the net.
Celtic Nations only effort in the second half came from a free kick which was fired through a crowd of players by Boyd but was well saved by Carmichael.
RCA controlled the final 5 minutes of the game against the ten men of Celtic Nation.
At half time all the talk was of the missed chances by both teams in the first half. At full time it was all about how well RCA had played in the second.
There were some outstanding performances in the second half of this game notably from Bythway, Larkin, Megran and Callen. But when everyone pulls in the same direction as a team we look very good.
We have to make this a stepping stone for the rest of the season, there are no easy games in this league you have to work for every point.
Next up Dunston UTS away on Tuesday.