Arngrove Northern League

14 August 2007

Rasher saves City’s bacon

by Ken Milgate

Morpeth Town 1
Herron 89

Durham City 2
Clarke 31
Graydon 90+

It took a wonder goal from Keith Graydon deep into added-on time for City to record their second successive win at Craik Park, for so long a veritable graveyard for League points.

Despite an increasingly greasy surface and stotting rain, both sides played a neat passing game and showed commendable ball control.

On 6minutes Stephen Young was upended on the edge of the box in a dangerous central position, but City’s wall kept together and defended well.

Seven minutes later a great right-wing cross from Calvin Smith gave Jimmy Farrell a chance with his head, but the final effort cleared the crossbar.

Jak Wells was well positioned to save Jamie Clarke’s low shot from a Lewis Dodds pass before Graydon appeared to have put City in front, his floated free-kick clearing the defensive wall and somehow the bar, much to the eye’s deception.

Graydon was revelling in the conditions and on 25minutes he let rip with a thirty yard snap shot, but Wells had a good sight of the ball all the way. 

Six minutes later City made the breakthrough their more adventurous and cohesive play deserved when Graydon intercepted a home clearance and crossed with the outside of his right foot, aiming at the far post for the on-rushing Clarke to head home, a superb goal whatever the initial strike’s intention.

Both Smith and Stephen Capper were whipping in quality crosses from the flanks and on 36minutes Clarke attempted an overhead kick from the latter’s left-wing delivery, but the speculative effort was off target.

Chris Phillipson whipped over a right-wing cross two minutes before the interval to remind City that their 1-goal lead was but a slender one, but fortunately for City the chance went begging.

For whatever reason, City failed to pick up the momentum of their game at the beginning of the second half and churned out some disappointingly sluggish football and had John Mohan to thank after ten minutes when he saved well with his feet from Ian Herron on a breakaway attack.

City’s reply was another superb right-wing cross from Smith to Clarke but the latter could not get enough purchase on the ball to trouble Wells.

City soldiered on, trying to find their original shape, but they were too often guilty of conceding possession and thus allowed the hosts more and more into the game.

On 72minutes City survived a double whammy when Young headed against the bar from a right-wing cross and an unidentified colleague smacked the loose ball against the upright. 

With a minute of play left it looked as if City had paid the penalty for their lesser efforts when they allowed Herron a free run from the halfway line and time enough on the ball to look up and beat Mohan from distance with a thunderous rising drive.

However, man-of-the-match Graydon proved City’s saviour with an even better strike: seeing Wells off his line, he beat the home keeper from 40yards plus to send City with all three points.

Morpeth Town – Wells, Phillipson, Bell, Warwick, Nickalls, Grant, Scope, Herron, Young, Henderson, Mullen (Rue 30)

Durham City – Mohan, Butler, Capper, Dodds, Bowes, Low, Smith (C), Graydon, Clarke, Farrell (Harrison 87), Price (Smith (R) 90+)

Subs not used – Ball, Morris, Chapman