Northern League Cup
18 September 2007
Quiet City lack passion and the will to win
by Ken Milgate

Durham City 1
Smith (C) 17

South Shields 3
Ramsey 38
Feasey 51
Johnson 73

 
City were on the receiving end of a basic football lesson tonight: a team of skilled individuals is no match for a team of passionate want-to-win players.

The Mariners should have taken the lead on 2minutes when a patient build-up presented Stephen Ramsey with a shot on goal from five yards, but he blazed over the bar.

Thereafter, it was all City as Steven Richardson’s looping header beat Ben Holden in goal only to be headed clear by Graham Irving before Jimmy Farrell spooned over after a corner.

City’s urgent need for a reliable striker was no more evident than on 14minutes when Stephen Capper ended a great left-wing move with a cross to the back post – but there was no-one following up.

Three minutes later, Calvin Smith shot a low drive from 25yards to put City in front but they failed to force home the advantage, and on 23minutes Mark Johnson contrived to miss the easiest of chances after receiving a pass from Chris Feasey.

In general, the visitors were the quicker side and playing infinitely better football than City.

The equalizer, on 38minutes, was no less just reward for the visitors’ patience and diligence: City lost possession in midfield and Ramsey turned the ball into an empty net after John Mohan hesitated in coming off his line.

Two minutes later, Andy Appleby, on for the injured Farrell, headed against the crossbar and the keeper saved the rebound header.

Within six minutes of the restart the Mariners were duly rewarded for their corporate application when Feasey followed up to capitalize when Mark Brocklehurst’s initial shot had been blocked.

Tommy English had Holden stretching to fingertip away a low drive, but City’s attacks were all too often breaking down as they infuriatingly eschewed the simple ball.

On the hour mark City seemed to have given up trying, sad to note, and it is to City’s shame that the visitors did not feel the need to defend their lead and often had four men available in City’s box in support of attacks.

The third goal, however, was a gift from City’s crestfallen defence: Andy Bowes chose to leave a through ball and Mohan wisely feared being lobbed if he quit his goal line, but Johnson was decisive while City dithered and made them pay the ultimate price.

But for Mohan, Ramsey might have added a fourth on 83minutes.

In a game City will want to forget, Stephen Capper for one maintained a consistent form throughout the game.

Durham City – Mohan, Harrison, Capper, Dodds, Bowes, Smith (R), Morris (Butler 60), Smith (C) (Chapman 85), Farrell (Appleby 30), Richardson, English

Subs not used – Connell, Pitt

South Shields – Holden, Oliver (Gillespie 77), Irving, Perry, Scorer, Oates, Brocklehurst, Scroggins, Johnson, Ramsey, Feasey