Richmond avenged their Alan Hood Cup Final defeat of last season with a 3-1 home victory over Windscale in the Wearside League.
The Atoms again had to travel to the Dave Clark Arena 3G pitch with reduced numbers on the bench.
On a hot afternoon it took both teams a short time to settle, both failing to retain the ball and giving possession away cheaply. Richmond looked the more likely to score and created the first real opportunity after 10 minutes play, but Fin Stephenson comfortably saved the effort.
The Atoms came to life after 20 minutes when they dictated play in a 15 minute purple patch. Reece Fretwell, Jack Wordsworth, Elliot Lowrie and Will Rooke were all prominent but despite the period of dominance, they were unable to find the target.
With five minutes of the half remaining, Richmond had a perfect opportunity to take the lead, sending a close range shot wide of the target. Lewis Jolly was next to threaten a score for the visitors, his firm shot saved by the Richmond keeper leaving the game scoreless at the interval.
Windscale were the dominant team after the re-start peppering the Richmond goal but still unable to breach the opposition defence.
The Atoms eventually took the lead in the 70th minute courtesy of Jolly. After stealing the ball from the keeper, who then recovered his position well, but was unable to prevent the Atoms leading scorer depositing the ball into the far corner.
Windscale’s recent habit of conceding early after taking a lead came back to haunt them yet again. Within two minutes of gaining the advantage Richmond restored parity when a ball from out wide was whipped across the face of the Atoms goal to be volleyed into the back of the net from close range.
Shortly after this Windscale’s Lewis Selkirk had two efforts on the Richmond goal. In the 76th minute, driving towards the Richmond goa,l his shot was well saved by the keeper. A minute later meeting a cross from wide with a bicycle kick forcing the Richmond keeper to tip the effort over the bar.
Following a change by the Atoms the game imploded. Failing to effectively clear a ball in the box in the 83rd minute, panic ensued resulting in a foul and a penalty kick award, the spot kick deposited beyond Stephenson.
The flood gates were now open, from dominance to capitulation. In the 85th minute, following a long ball over the top and squared across the face of goal, Richmond completed the scoring with a simple tap in.
Windscale continue their League programme with another mid-week game on Wednesday evening. They host Hartlepool Youth at the Falcon Complex with a 7-45pm start.
Cumbria Crack spoke with Windscale manager Stephen Fawcett on the match…
