Arngrove Northern League
15 March 2008
City recover from early reverses to find top gear
by Ken Milgate

Billingham Synthonia 2
Jameson 3
Magowan 46

Durham City 4
Johnston 28, 29
Richardson 78, 89

Despite conceding an early goal in each half, City proved why not for nothing they sit on top of the League with a quality team performance of one-touch flowing football once they had stretched the home defence by playing wide.

Michael Jameson gave John Caffry no chance after just three minutes when he scored with a rasping drive from outside the box from a defensive clearance.

Keith Graydon’s floated free-kick on 12minutes had John Jackson watching prudently rather than anxiously as the ball cleared the crossbar before John Toft shot over the bar to round off a left-wing move that gathered pace in midfield.

These efforts were all that City could muster in a lethargic opening quarter of an hour, while Caffry dealt comfortably with a James Magowan header on 20minutes.

As City’s game took on a better shape and more width, two goals in a minute exposed a less than convincing back line although there was an element of good fortune which went City’s way on both occasions: first Adam Johnston lobbed Jackson on 28minutes before a peach of a Tommy English pass to Steven Richardson allowed the latter to cross for Johnston to stab home his second.

Three minutes later Richardson set up English who sliced wide of the far post; Toft had an effort saved by Jackson’s legs and the home keeper also denied Stephen Capper before City left the pitch with the prospect of the wind in their favour in the second half.

Such are the vagaries of the English weather that the advantage had dissipated to a mere breeze in the meantime; to make matters worse, City were caught cold in the opening minute, allowing Jason Honeyman to cross for Magowan to beat Caffry from close range.

The game squared, there followed a tense twenty minutes when both sides were alternatively on the attack and defence looking for a result.

A post denied Toft City’s third when his shot on 70 minutes clipped a defender’s heel and hit the post; two minutes later, Richardson shot wide of the far post.

With twelve minutes remaining, Richard Smith and Andy Bowes pushed up front as a never faint-hearted City went for broke: the bold move proved decisive when Bowes crossed from the left for Richardson to tap in from close range.

It is a measure of City’s confidence that they stayed on the offensive and improved their goal difference when Johnston set up Richardson for his second goal of the afternoon in the penultimate minute.

Three substitutions in the final five plus minutes gave Toft, English and Richardson solo exits to warm applause and allowed Ian Dixon, Ian Davison and Calvin Smith to stretch their legs in containment rather than anger.

As City completed a 9-match winning sequence, the standard of play was such a coordinated combination of so many individual talents that the team itself get my nomination of man of the match.

Billingham Synthonia – Jackson, Honeyman (Guy 88), Baynes, Shaw, Hanson, Cater, Perry (Atkinson 75), Close, Magowan (Iley 65), Flanagan, Jameson

Durham City – Caffry, Harrison, Capper, Dodds, Bowes, Smith (R), Toft (Dixon 85), Graydon, Richardson (Calvin Smith 90+2), Johnston, English (Davison 90)

 Subs not used – Morris, Farrell