FA Carlsberg Trophy First Qualifying Round

18 October 2008

Too early-madly deeply

by Ken Milgate

Durham City 4     English 9, Calvin Smith 12, Richardson 31, Johnston 36

Halesowen Town 4  Danks 8, 35, 90+3, Capper 89 (og)

City seemed to have learnt little from the home draw with Curzon Ashton in an earlier round of the Trophy: they defended ever more deeply a 4-2 half-time advantage, inviting their opponents to attack them; ironically, however, the goals that forced the replay came a minute before time and in the third minute of stoppage time from an own goal under self-inflicted pressure and an unstoppable shot out of the blue that would have beaten all goalkeepers.

The early left-wing over-the-top balls from Tommy English gave Steven Richardson two early runs on goal, producing a shot comfortably saved and a defensive block to prevent a shot.

On 7minutes an effort wide of the post from a Calvin Smith pass confirmed Richardson’s lively start to the game, but it was the visitors who went ahead against the run of play on 7minutes when Tony Kemp nodded down Darren Caskey’s free-kick to Mark Danks who poked the ball over the line.

A minute later, City were on level terms when English struck a low left-foot drive across Chris Sanna into the far bottom corner.

Parity became lead three minutes later with another close-range effort, Calvin Smith being the beneficiary after Adam Johnston’s header from a Richardson cross had been parried.

Caskey shot wide from distance before being yellow-carded for dissent.

Just after the half-hour Richardson maintained the close-range goal-scoring, stabbing home after a Lewis Dodds effort rebounded to him, but casual defending four minutes later allowed Danks to grab his second when he swept left-wing cross over the line.

The comeback lasted barely a minute when City pulled two goals clear with a well-worked goal, Richardson sending Johnston on his way and the striker rounding the keeper before scoring into an empty net.

Calvin Smith forced a full-length save from Sanna on 40minutes before Danks went close to his hat trick two minutes later, his frustration being recorded in a dent above the Helios City advertising board.

Five minutes into the second-half Johnston hit the crossbar, but the comparatively tame football was increasingly and frustratingly marked by City’s backpedalling.

English and Danks both registered distance shots wide and high respectively before Craig Turns saved with his feet from substitute Jermaine Palmer, and Chris Nurse shot over the bar from outside the box.

Turns scrambled a save from a Michael Briscoe free-header from an Aaron Cornwall corner as City’s usually sturdy defence survived ever hairier moments as forwards gave way to defenders and clogged up the works.

It was Palmer’s left-wing cross on 89minutes which Stephen Capper turned past Turns with not a Halesowen player in sight. 

In the opening two minutes of stoppage-time English lobbed wide of goal from a Calvin Smith cross and Palmer headed over before Danks completed his hat-trick with a stunning goal.

The jubilant team rush to the dugout was understandable, whereas City’s capitulation beggars belief.

My man of the match, Richardson, tore the visitors apart in the first half with his runs and lay-offs, scoring once and claiming two assists in the bargain.  Regrettably, he was substituted two minutes before time, still full of running.

City may need to negotiate Spaghetti Junction before they reach The Grove on Tuesday, but it will be a long journey home if they play like noodles again.

Durham City – Turns, Harrison, Capper, Dodds, Dixon, Laws, Toft (Fisher 87), Calvin Smith, Richardson (Richard Smith 80), Johnston (Morris 69), English

Subs not used – Jake Richardson, Duke

Man of the match – Steven Richardson

Halesowen Town – Sanna, Cannoville, Cowley (Palmer 69), Kemp, Briscoe, Denny(Smith 46),  Nurse, Caskey(Allward 46), Rowe, Danks, Cornwall

Yellow cards – Caskey, Cornwall