Team Dunston outclass City X1

by Ken Milgate

Durham City 0

Dunston Federation3

Pickering 30

Southern 64

Holmes 68

League Champions Dunston gave City a football lesson in teamwork and team spirit as, once again, City struggled to perform with any cohesion and passion as lack of confidence and a current loss of form continue to blight the whole team. City played eleven individuals on the park, while Dunston performed as a unit.

City got off to their usual bright start when Steven Stewart won a corner when his shot cannoned off a defender after link-up play between Stephen Halliday and Mark Patterson. That was in the third minute.

In quick succession Graeme Armstrong toe-poked wide and then saw a long-range effort flash past the post before only an outstanding tackle by Craig Rand denied the twin strike force of Benn Thompson and the lively Armstrong. Richard Pitt’s first-time effort after Thompson had been allowed to drift into the box was also narrowly wide, before Durham got a look in when Robbie Herbert left the visitors’ defence for dead, only for Halliday to shin the ball harmlessly away.

On the half hour Dunston’s more enterprising and cohesive football earned them a deserved lead which was hard luck on Paul Gilmore who twice made fine reaction saves from Kane Young and Armstrong before Steven Pickering turned the ball home in a goalmouth scramble.

The crossbar came to City’s rescue on half time when Thompson shot towards an unguarded goal, Gilmore having had to leave his line to clear a loose ball.

City started the second half with Jamie Mullarkey and Michael Mackay replacing the ineffective Patterson and Halliday but a move on 53minutes was to underline City’s woeful lack of confidence when a three-man breakaway produced a too-deep left-wing cross over Paul Chow’s head which Mullarkey kept in at the opposite touchline only to return the cross safely into the hands of Tom Phillips.

The visitors’ keeper did well to keep out a Chow shot five minutes later only for Stuart Niven to strike the resultant loose ball against the bar. City’s attacking interests were short-lived when on 64minutes they went further behind when David Southern’s near-touchline free kick deceived everyone in the box to whistle low past an unsighted Gilmore.

A disinterested City allowed Southern’s free kick four minutes later to drift to the back post where Steven Holmes had the easiest of chances to head home.

The sight of Rand being stretchered off did nothing to brighten City’s cause, apart from allowing Mr Reliable in recent games, John Hutton, to shore up a defence that had conceded nine goals in the last three games.

Lady Luck did smile fleetingly on a forlorn City when substitute Michael Pitt missed a proverbial sitter when he ghosted in at the back post but failed to convert a Southern free kick.

City are in freefall at the moment and yet only one point off top spot; only a return to basics can change the direction of their fortunes. No one starred for City this game, but at least Chris Copeland led the way with simple one-touch football and honest endeavour.

Primarily, it’s a matter of attitude; the ability has already been shown.

Durham City – Gilmore, Stephenson, Copeland, Niven, Rand (Hutton 78), Keegan, Patterson (Mullarkey 45),

Herbert, Chow, Halliday (Mackay 45), Stewart

Dunston Federation – Phillips, Pickering, Taylor, Robson, Irwin, Holmes, Young, Pitt (R)(Shore 30),

Armstrong (Hogg 73), Thompson (Pitt (M) 85), Southern