After 28 defeats Durham City finally win a game

Source: Newcastle Evening Chronicle

Mar 15 2010

Evening Chronicle


AFTER losing their opening 28 league games spanning seven months, Saturday turned out to be a red letter day for Durham City.

Against all the odds, Durham not only picked up their first point of the season but took all three with a shock 2-1 win at FC United of Manchester to leave them on -3 points.

It was a magnificent performance from City’s young guns in front of a bumper 2,164 crowd at Bury’s Gigg Lane stadium.

Carlos Roca’s header into an unguarded net after Durham keeper Rhys Jobling had gone AWOL gave FC United an early lead.

But a super strike from captain Andrew Stephenson – a stunning volley from the edge of the centre circle – put Durham level at half-time.

A needless handball in the second minute of the second half then put City in dreamland as Elliot Cutts drove home the spot kick.

Durham rode their luck as Gareth Ayers sliced a clearance against his own bar and Ben Deegan headed against the visitors’ bar in the second half.

Jobling saved a Deegan penalty to keep Durham on course for a famous win, while Stephenson should have had a penalty at the other end only to be booked for diving.

FC United missed a simple chance from two yards at the death as City held on to spark jubilant scenes on the pitch and on the terraces at the final whistle.

Assistant manager Richard Ord said: “This is right up there with anything I achieved as a player in the professional game.

“It was a very proud day and for it to happen in front of a big crowd at a Football League stadium made it extra special.

“We reverted to a 4-5-1 system and it worked well. The players were brilliant and young Jobling may not be the biggest keeper but he is as brave as a lion.

“It has been a long wait to get that first point and no-one gave us a prayer at Gigg Lane but we deserved the win and the lads couldn’t believe it at the end.

“I have worked with them at College level for three years and to see the joy on their faces was very emotional, but we now have to back this up at home to Whitby Town tomorrow.”