Arngrove Northern League
20 October 2007
“It’s not exactly enthralling”
by Ken Milgate

Jarrow Roofing 1
Flood 85

Durham City 3
Butler 45+
Bowes 78
Capper pen. 90+

Jimmy Cairns’ comment at the beginning of the second half was the ultimate understatement of what was a poor game but nevertheless convincing victory for City.  Roofing were dogged opponents and City had to dig in deep and long before they asserted themselves with a late show of determination.  Such resilience is fast becoming City’s chief asset and a credit to the coaching staff and players alike.

Johnny Butler had Gary Frater clawing away his shot-on-the-turn on 6minutes but Stephen Capper’s long-range effort two minutes later flew well wide of the far post.

City seemed in control, but their play lacked any sense of purpose and urgency as chances came and went.

Jamie Clarke could do no better than register a soft left-footer after an interception and breakaway attack, while Steven Richardson shot wide on another breakaway.

City were cruising, much to the annoyance of fans and manager alike.

After Stewart Morris had given Frater another easy save, Richardson’s close-range shot was involuntarily saved by the fearless Frater and Clarke missed the proverbial sitter from the rebound.

City’s laid-back approach was also evident in hitty-missy challenges in midfield, but two headers well over the bar from Sean Flood and Richard Smith underlined the inability of both sides to trouble either keeper.

In first-half stoppage time City did manage to break through when Keith Graydon dinked the ball to Capper, whose left-wing cross was tapped in by Butler.

Before the hour was up City had missed three good chances to increase their lead, Richardson lobbing wide after a through ball caught him a trifle uncertain of his whereabouts in relation to goal and Clarke fluffing the easiest chances from a Richardson assist and then seeing Frater parry a left-foot drive for a corner.

With twenty minutes remaining City eventually upped the tempo and looked good for a decisive second goal – which was duly forthcoming on 78minutes when Andy Bowes gave Frater no chance with a bullet header from a Graydon corner.

Alas, the scorer blotted his copybook with a miss kick which allowed Flood to deny Mohan a clean sheet and set up a potentially competitive final five minutes.

City, to their credit, maintained their re-discovered attacking mentality, and Andy Appleby’s belligerence in the box forced Kyle Pendergood to concede a penalty which Capper dispatched with some ferocity.

For his all round commitment and decisive header Bowes was my man-of-the-match; what City’s play occasionally lacks in quality finds unfailing compensation in self-belief and effort to the final whistle, admirable qualities in my book.

Jarrow Roofing – Frater, Hassan, Thompson (Smith 69), Brown, Pendergood, Hodgson, Jenkins, Catto, Flood, Johnson, Smith (L) (Walker 72)

Durham City -  Mohan, Harrison, Capper, Dodds, Bowes, Smith (R), Butler, Graydon, Clarke (Farrell 72), Richardson (Bell 79), Morris (Appleby 79)

Subs not used – Pitt, Caffry