Tuesday, 7 April 2015
EBAC Northern League Division 1
Goalscorers: SRCA: None, Ashington: Taylor (2), Stephenson, Williamson.
Injuries once again played a big part in the selection of the team to face Steve Harmiston's rejuvenated Ashington side. Wood and Larkin were both casualties of Saturday's match and were replaced by Hughes and Davis. Charlton passed a late fitness test on a calf injury.
Ashington started with the advantage of the slope in the first half and were soon on the attack. A ball from Downey found Johnson on the left and his driven cross was sliced clear for a corner by Brown. Ashington took the corner short and caused panic in the RCA defence but eventually the ball was cleared by Preston.
Ashington took the lead in the sixth minute after a foul on Johnson. Williamson took the freekick and whipped it into the six hard area where Taylor was on hand to deftly head past Carmichael.
RCA almost equalised immediately from the kick off, Megran sending the ball forward for Hughes who broke through two challenges before sliding the ball to Charlton who crossed to Callen, but Grant was able to make the save at the second attempt.
In the 10th minute Ashington were awarded a freekick in almost an identical position to the one that they scored from; again Williamson took the kick, this time Carmichael was able to punch clear but in the process was injured as Taylor and Bythway challenged for the same ball.
RCA looked to be weathering the storm to some extent and when Hughes was fouled on the edge of the box it gave them an opportunity to regroup. Bythway fired the ball into the wall and it was cleared, but only as far as Charlton who switched the play to the other side of the pitch where Jury picked up the ball before crossing into the box to Callen but he scuffed his shot and it fell into the open arms of Grant.
Back came Ashington, a long throw on the right was was headed down by Taykor into the path of Loughborough who fired just past the post, the resulting goalkick was met by Harmiston who sent the ball forward down the left to Johnson who once again looked to have acres of space before crossing into the box where Taylor was unmarked at the far post to slot home to make it 2-0.
RCA tried to get back into the game and had a great chance in the 23rd minute. A Megran freekick found Davis free at the far post, he elected to pass inside to Callen who once again fired straight at Grant.
RCA's best chance of the half came on the half hour mark when Callen won the ball in the air, and Hughes pounced onto it, dribbled into the box before curling a shot toward the far post but Oliver was on hand to clear off the line.
In their best spell of the game RCA looked capable of getting back into the game, but when Hughes fired over when in a good position it seemed to re-ignite Ashington.
They poured forward in the final five minutes of the half, a long clearnce by Grant was flicked on by Taylor to Johnson who crossed to Stephenson but Preston was able to block the shot and clear.
The relief was short lived as Ashington made it 3 - 0 a minute later. Williamson picked up a cross field pass on the right wing before crossing into the box where Stephenson was on hand to blast home.
In the second half RCA struggled to get any advantage from the slope and although Davis almost broke down a the Ashington defence in the early exchanges the ball was forced away by Harmiston for a corner.
From the corner the ball was quickly sent forward to Williamson who chipped the ball over Carmichael and into the net to effectively kill the game off at 4-0.
Both teams made substitutions in an effort to freshen up the game, but it became a midfield battle with few clear cut chances.
In the 75th minute RCA were awarded a freekick 30 yards out which was taken by Armstrong. Ashington elected not to form a wall and almost rued the decision as the RCA substitute hit a terrific shot which swerved viciously forcing a great save from Grant and the Ashingto defence cleared the ball.
In the final flurry of the half Bogie picked up the ball on the left, cut inside before thundering a shot against the near post, the ball came back to him and he inexplicably sent a pass into the centre of midfield where Loughborough picked it up and sent the ball forward to Johnson who looked certain to score, but substitute goalkeeper Morris was able to get a hand on the ball deflecting it wide of the far post.
It has to be said that Ashington have well and truly turned a corner, they are a different team to the one that we played only a few weeks ago, full of confidence going forward and solid at the back.
RCA on the other hand looked a little jaded and it is possible that the events of the weekend have caught up on them. Where we have shown a great competitive spirit and togetherness in recent games, that was missing tonight, and Ashington exploited our weaknesses to great effect.
As another result went in our favour, i.e. Celtic Nation losing, we only need three points from out final five games to guarantee First Division survival.
It will not be an easy game on Saturday against an improving Crook Town team who have nothing to lose. There will also be injury worries over Carmichael, Callen, Wood, Larkin and Charlton, five first team squad players.