Below the 92: Redcar Athletic v Darlington Reserves

Venue: Redcar Athletic FC, Green Lane, Redcar TS10 3RW
Kickoff: 14:30 Saturday 2 September 2017
Competition: TWR Shipowners Charity Cup - Round 1
Weather: dry, mostly sunny, few clouds, cool breeze off the sea

LOCATION REPORT

SatNav: TS10 3RW
Staff: gate staff in club strip + clubhouse stewards
Parking: onsite free carpark, 100+ spaces incl disabled; don't park on the residential road outside as it's permit only
Public transport: good connections; bus (X3/X4 along coast road, or even 81 passing through adjoining estate) or train to Redcar East (14 minutes walk)

Refreshments: full service clubhouse (licensed + food)
Toilets: clubhouse (facilities within the ground currently being rebuilt, so you have to go out the rear/players exit to the main clubhouse)
Stands/Terraces: short roofed shelter at north-west corner, metal lean-on barriers on all sides
Floodlights: 6, along each flank

MATCH REPORT

Approx crowd: 80, great mix of all ages/genders, plus one well-behaved dog

Full-time [h/t] {pens} score (colours):
0 [0] {5} Redcar (red/blue)
0 [0] {4} Darlington (purple, change strip)

Bookings: 2 (Darlington, late tackle + reckless tackle)
Sent Off: 0

NORVENMUNKI's COMMENTS

Today's trip takes me the seaside. The late summer sunshine is strong and my shades are essential.

Redcar Athletic is probably the most 'professional' organisation that I have so far witnessed on my Quest from the bottom upwards. It sort of feels like a club set-up that would be OK at higher level.

The ground is set behind perimeter fences in the playing fields overlooking the sea, nestled between a housing estate and the coast road. It is a current state of flux, a club member explained that they are replacing the tatty wooden buildings with new metal ones, including a cafe that may have room to stay inside. At this level, that's ambitious!

The players walk out onto the freshly mowed turf, which is also immaculate, professional grade.

In the sunshine has gathered a pleasant crowd of mixed ages: little boys and girls, teenagers, mums and dads, grandparents. It's a lovely cross-section of the demographics. Add, of course, the obligatory canines; in fact, two scampering Staffordshire terriers even burst into the field under a gap in the perimeter fence half way through first half and scurry up the home side's right wing for a few seconds, whilst the play was conveniently on opposite side of pitch.

The game gets underway. The spirit is good, the players doing lots of talking, to teammates and the opposition, but there's limited talking-back to the referee and assistants (unlike my latest adventure a few days ago)!

It's competitive and energetic, with quite a bit of individual talent on show too. Today is a cup game, so league position is not relevant and it's a chance to play for fun not points; time for squad players to get a full game, apparently both sides are playing second-choice keepers, for example.

Redcar are the most creative team in the first half, and the Darlington keeper by far the busiest. Darlo do get possession of the ball but are less of an attacking threat, mustering a couple of shots later on which the young Redcar keeper was alert to as he makes an impressive double save that will give him a confidence boost (and won't do his selection chances any harm either).
Goalless at the interval.

During the half-time break, some clouds roll over and the sun hides away for a while, but I just put my hoodie on. Gloriously, the sun soon comes back stronger than ever. Perhaps I should have brought sunscreen?

As the second half commences, Redcar again take the initiative, squandering several chances, firing high over the outer fence a few times. They just need some composure in front of goal.
More and more, the Redcar forwards fashion great chances and spawn them, several times when it seemed easier to score. I must admit that, for the first time I can remember at any quest, I am getting really frustrated by what I see - as if I'm a lifelong Redcar fan! :-)
I think some of the regular old fellers are entertained by my own increasing animation!!

If only the Redcar attack could be as composed as the defence, who seem unflappable and soak up pretty much everything that Darlington tried to throw at them. Surely the Darlo dam will finally break?

Darlo are stretching now. Another reckless Darlington tackle earns a yellow card on 83 minutes. The free kick for Redcar is wasted. Again.

Full time. It's ended 0-0, so on to penalties. It turns out that the Redcar keeper is actually a 17 year old débutant: what a first game!?
The captains toss a coin and it's chosen to have the shoot-out at the far end of the pitch. I walk around to get a better view. The format of the kicks is traditional ABAB not the new ABBA style.

The spot kicks are generally good strong ones, but the young Redcar keeper makes the first save to give the home side an advantage. The Redcar kickers are actually very clinical, and I bet they (and their coaches) wish they'd been so cool during the match.
In the end, Redcar score all their kicks, so it ends 5-4. Definitely the best side won, albeit not in the way one might have expected.

After the match, I take a short detour across the road to walk along the beach for a while, enjoying the fresh air. A nice conclusion to a very pleasant quest.

GBA rating: yes. definitely. once they've finished the refurbishment