2006/7 Northern League Division 1
Durham City 2 : Bishop Auckland 3
14 November, 2006
Team: Jon Collinson, Steven Larkin, Steven Baynes, Paul Crager (Max Applegarth 60 mins), Richie Ward, Steve Newham, Dale Mendum (Joe Fairish 80 mins), Levent Yalcin, Jamie Clarke, Gavin Parkin (Brian Healy 87 mins), Bryan Stewart
Bishops headed to the synthetic New Ferens Park on the back of two good wins, but in the knowledge that the evening's opponents would provide a stiff test on their own "turf".
The match was played on a difficult surface slicked by the evening rain, and one in sharp contrast to Dean Street as the ball just loves to bounce here. Still, at least the bobbles are always consistent!
Durham had the better of the opening exchanges with Bishops getting used to the surface, and the home team should have lead on 7 minutes when a free header was put wide. As the half wore on Bishops came into the game in great fashion. On 31 minutes Newham's curled cross caused chaos in the Durham defence, but was eventually knocked clear.
A minute later Yalcin unleashed a shot which flew a foot wide of the upright. The third chance in as many minutes came from Bryan Stewart who latched on to a clever through-ball and rounded the 'keeper but was forced too wide to finish.
Against the run of play, Durham were ahead when Bishops failed to defend an in-swinging corner and Richardson knocked the ball home from close range.
Bishops continued to go at Durham and Yalcin again came close on 43 minutes with a long range shot which had the 'keeper parrying and the defence once again hacking clear. In first half injury time, Parkin struck a deserved equaliser when Yalcin pushed the ball through for the forward to unleash an unstoppable 20 yarder which flew in at the far post.
The second half started in similar fashion and in the opening minute Clarke's long range shot was inches wide.
On 54 minutes Yalcin charged through the middle and passed to Jamie Clarke's whose initial shot was blocked. The ball rebounded to Stewart who left two Durham defenders on their knees before firing under the 'keeper's body to make it 2-1.
The lead was short lived as another corner created danger in the Bishops area and the ball was prodded home after a header back across goal on 57 minutes.
The match was an end to end affair from then on, with both teams confident that they could clinch the points.
Crager crumbled to the carpet on 60 minutes and left the field on a stretcher to join Collins, Griffith and Mohan on the Bishops central defenders injury list. Applegarth replaced the unlucky defender.
The next two big chances fell to Durham with a long range shot hitting the bar on 68 minutes, then on 76 minutes a first time volley missed the far post by a couple of feet.
However, it was Bishops who had the final say. A ball through to Clarke was half controlled by the prolific forward and the ball bounced unnaturally up to head height for the forward and the 'keeper to contest. The custodian got their first but only succeeded in punching the ball into Clarke's head and the it rebounded into the net to give Bishops the points.