FA CUP Preliminary Round

30^th August 2008

Dodds prompts power, pace and appetite in City victory

by Ken  Milgate

West Auckland Town 0

Durham City 5

Calvin Smith 32

Morris 37

English 61, 73

Tait 85

City ran out as convincing winners as the scoreline suggests, playing in the process quality free-flowing football with Lewis Dodds pulsating at the heart of mid field. 

It was his lofted attempt on two minutes to control a bouncing ball that prompted any number of subsequent distance shots, but John Toft set up David Tait five minutes later nearer goal, Nicky Farrell taking the pace off the shot before a defender cleared the untenanted goal. 

Both Tommy English and Dodds again let fly from distance to no avail before Stephen Flockett’s pass to Brian Stewart on the right wing produced a cross that deceived everyone but for a fortuitous deflection for a non-productive corner.

Toft was testing the home defence with his powerful runs and his pass to Calvin Smith was the precursor to a shot in the box that Farrell saved with his feet.

A minute later Farrell stood rooted to the spot when Calvin Smith nonchalantly buried a 25 yarder in the corner of the net.

On 35 minutes Flockett had his back to goal as he hit a half volley, but Craig Turns was wise to the danger and well-positioned to execute a comfortable save. 

Two minutes later the eager beaver Stewart Morris got his early reward in recognition of a power house display on the right wing, scoring with a low drive into the bottom corner that gave Farrell no chance.

Tait almost made it 3 before the break after Stephen Capper had provided the pass, but the angle on goal was too tight and he chipped past the keeper and wide of the far post. 

Early in the second half Durham showed they were in no mood to sit back on their lead, and English half volley and a Dodds left-foot drive being saved and passing the post respectively. 

Ian Maddison tested turns on 55 minutes, but the keeper palmed the fierce drive over the bar and then dived to his left to fingertip clear a Flockett header from a Stewart cross.

On 58 minutes the home defence was all at sea but Toft, Tait and English all missed out as the ball bobbled about with a mind of its own as keeper and sundry defenders tried to re-group.

Turns was again to deny Flockett before a superb move between Tait and Toft set up English who dinked the ball over the advancing Farrell with delightful aplomb. 

West were reduced to ten men on 65 minutes when Flockett spoiled his copy book with successive yellow cards for fouls on Toft and Calvin Smith within the space of a minute. 

Eight minutes later Dodds sent English away on the left wing before he cut inside and scored across the keeper into the opposite corner.

A flurry of substitutions on both sides gave Nathan Fisher and Gavin Cogdon a chance to stretch their legs.  Fisher wasted no time in battling for a goal, going close on 76 minutes and succeeding ten minutes later when he squeezed the rebound into the net after Farrell had palmed Cogdon’s initial shot skywards.

Subsitutes Paul Freary and Dale Jardine combined for the hosts in the dying stages, the latter’s shot flashing across the goal before a Calvin Smith shot was deflected for a corner just as two minutes of added-on time were announced.

This was an impressive display by City with many eye-catching performances, but Dodds in mid field was the lynchpin in a team of strength through from Turns’ calling and confident handling of crosses to English’s silky skills on the ball.

West Auckland Town

Farrell, Lowdon, Bromley, Barker, Heckley, Maddison (Freary 74), Stewart (Jardine 62), Richmond (Creamer 77), Barnes, Flockett, Owen.

Durham City

Turns, Harrison, Capper (Cogdon 77), Dodds, Dixon, Laws, Morris, Calvin Smith, Tait (Chapman 75), Toft (Fisher 75), English.

Subs not used – Riches, Richardson

Man of the match – Lewis Dodds