RYTON & CRAWCROOK ALBION 1
TOW LAW TOWN 2
AFTER a string of good results in pre-season against the likes of Newcastle Blue Star, Easington Colliery and Birtley Town, hopes were high that Ryton & Crawcrook Albion would get their Ebac Northern League Division Two campaign off to a winning start at home to Tow Law Town last Saturday.
However, it was not to be as Nathan Beckham's side never got out of bottom gear and suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat with their consolation goal coming from the penalty spot in stoppage time.
Albion handed debuts to full-back Jacob Wilson (ex-Northallerton Town) and midfielder Rhys Hutchinson (ex-Burradon & New Fordley), while a much-changed Tow Law Town side included new signings Dan Staples and Dean Thexton, who were both playing at a higher level last season, Evann Jardine, Ben Chandler and Reece Brown.
The hosts had the benefit of a strong wind at their backs in the first half, but failed to make the most of it with far too many aimless long balls fired down both flanks and no end product.
There was a distinct lack of goalmouth action at either end in the first 15 minutes with the only effort on target coming from Albion centre forward Louis Calvert, who saw his 25-yard free-kick lose its sting after striking a defender on its way through to keeper Dan Staples.
Albion keeper Callum Corkhill's long clearance over the top looked as though it had released winger Callum Johnston in a one-on-one with Staples, but the attack was halted by a marginal offside call.
Soon after, Corkhill's long-range free-kick was headed out of the box, while another set-piece delivered from halfway by Glenn Caygill was overhit and sailed behind for a goal-kick.
At the other end, Tow Law Town were awarded two free-kicks in as many minutes and after a spell of head tennis in the box from the second one the ball eventually dropped for centre half Harry Laviolette who sent a 20-yard effort high and wide.
On the counter-attack, Corkhill's long throw picked out full back Nathan Beesley on the right flank and after a long-bursting run down the line his square ball to Johnston was fired low and straight into the arms of Staples.
On the half-hour mark, another long-range Albion free-kick was half-cleared to midfielder Charlie Grieveson in space on the right corner of the box but his final ball towards the back post was plucked out of the air by Staples.
In an increasingly scrappy contest with neither side able to build up any momentum, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock in somewhat fortuitous circumstances on 35 minutes through winger Harvey Walsh.
After being awarded a free-kick to the left of the area and around 20 yards from the byline, Walsh stepped up and curled a right-footed cross over the heads of his teammates in the six-yard box and beyond the reach of Corkhill at full stretch into the top right corner of the net (0-1).
New signing Rhys Hutchinson missed a gilt-edged chance to equalise for Albion just two minutes later when he was found unmarked 10 yards out, but his rising effort sailed over the bar.
More pressure from Albion in the closing stages of the half saw another clear-cut opportunity go begging when a long ball over the top sent Calvert clear down the right with only the advancing Staples to beat, but a neat lob on his less favoured right foot from the corner of the box drifted wide of Staples' right-hand post.
Appeals for a penalty in first half stoppage time were waved away by referee Chris Shield even though an Albion forward appeared to have been fouled on the edge of the six-yard box and went to ground.
Soon after the re-start, Tow Law Town winger Evann Jardine came off worst in an accidental clash of heads and was forced to leave the field with his replacement Charlie Bunton ultimately plating a pivotal role in his side's second goal on 65 minutes.
Starting inside his own half, Bunton made a surging run down the right touchline beating two men in the process and displayed great close control before his square ball from the byline wasn't dealt with and fell kindly for Walsh on the edge of the six-yard box.
The unmarked winger had time to calmly slot it home into the bottom left corner giving Corkhill no chance (0-2).
Either side of the goal, Beckham's last throw of the dice saw Grieveson, Hutchinson, Ryan Bailey and Wilson replaced by Ethan Bewley, Jack Elliott, Fergus Lynch and Albe Fletcher, but the changes didn't have the desired effect and the well organised visitors' defence superbly marshalled by the towering Rhys Groves continued to hold the upper hand.
Another two Albion corners were wasted with poor deliveries, while, at the other end, substitute Adam Metcalfe's speculative long-range wind-assisted free-kick was tipped over by Corkhill with the resulting corner rebounding off a defender to Groves who fired a first-time effort over the bar.
On 87 minutes, Calvert wasted a rare chance to test Staples after being brought down just outside the box in a central position when he blasted the resulting free-kick into the stand behind the goal.
Corkhill palmed away Metcalfe's 35-yard free-kick just before the hosts were handed a lifeline in the second minute of stoppage time when Metcalfe brought down Johnston inside the left corner of the box. Calvert confidently dispatched the resulting penalty into the bottom right corner as Staples dived the other way (1-2).
The visitors had no further scares and saw out the last three minutes of stoppage time to get their season off to a dream start in the absence of holidaying manager Mattie Thompson.
Elsewhere in Division Two, Prudhoe YC Seniors' inexperienced side got their season off to a disastrous start with a 5-0 defeat at Billingham Synthonia.
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