Arngrove
Northern League
Price brightens low-key opener
11 August 2007
by Ken Milgate
Durham City 2
Bowes 16
Clarke (55 pen)
Bishop Auckland 1
Richards (80 pen)
City bagged maximum return in their opening match of the new campaign
in a dull encounter which was nevertheless enlivened by an eye-catching
performance by Craig Price who featured in all of City’s
promising moves: his crosses and corners alone deserved more clinical
finishing.
Stephen Harrison’s floated free-kick on 5minutes was cleared
for a corner under pressure by James Crossman and Jamie Clarke at the
back post headed wide from Stephen Capper’s left-wing cross
six minutes later.
The early pressure paid off when Andy Bowes stooped low to head a Price
corner through a crowd of legs and over the line. The
visitors should have drawn level two minutes later when Bryan Stewart
sent Daryll Evans clear but his shot-on-the-hoof ballooned over the bar.
City continued to make all the early play and smart ball control on the
edge of the box by Capper presented Price with a shooting opportunity
but his effort, too, sailed high over the woodwork.
John Mohan, up till now a virtual spectator, dived smartly to his right
to concede a corner after Stewart had worked his way in to a shooting
position on the edge of the box; it was the former’s opposite
number, Christopher Porter, who brought the first half to an end with a
smothering dive to deny Clarke after Lewis Dodds had entertained with
some nifty footwork in the build-up.
Five minutes into the second half one of many left-wing crosses by
Price almost produced a second City goal when substitute Stewart
Morris, on for Harrison, timed his back-post run to perfection only to
forfeit power with his final shot in the process.
City went 2-up when once again Price instigated the move on the edge of
the box to set up Clarke who was felled unceremoniously but converted
the resulting penalty with a clinical drive into the bottom corner,
sending Porter the wrong way.
A third goal was denied the fully-deserving Price when his
shot-cum-cross on the hour hit the far angle of post and crossbar.
With ten minutes to go City paid for their missed chances when Scott
Richards scored from the spot after City were penalized for
shirt-pulling as Bishops tried to power themselves back into the game.
The final result should have been beyond doubt three minutes later when
City were awarded another penalty when Morris was upended. If
Clarke had provided a copybook spot-kick for his first goal, his second
attempt was in direct contrast, psyched out verbally in the protracted
wait while the prone Morris received attention and too casual in his
approach to the ball.
Two late substitutes, Richard Smith for Price and Luke Ball for Morris,
saw a four-man back line snuff out any further attacks and City home to
three points.
With key players, Tommy English, Keith Graydon and Richie Pitt out
through suspension, City nevertheless won comfortably but still lack
menace in front of goal.
Durham City –
Mohan, Harrison (Morris 33) (Ball 88), Capper, Dodds, Bowes, Lowe,
Butler, Smith (C), Clarke, Farrell, Price (Smith (R) 85)
Bishop Auckland –
Porter, Crager, Hillary, Griffith, Winter, Richards, Stewart, Crossman,
Wilson, Evans, Mendum (Richardson 75)
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