Durham City 0 Dunston UTS 0

Saturday 21st March 2015
Ebac Northern League – First Division
Durham City 0 Dunston UTS 0

Dunston were back in League action and on their travels to Belmont to meet another rebuilding side in Durham City who now have Ian Chandler as their manager. After a brief revival when the former Whitley Bay manager took charge, Durham seem to be once again struggling for points even though they have assembled a good squad.
.
Dunston are also going through a rather lean spell of form with several players missing through injury and unavailability. Dale Burrell and Andy Bulford are not considered in the starting line-up but are on the bench. Dan Halliday, Michael Dixon and David Coulson are missing from the squad with David Scorer and Ben Cattanach continuing in the back-four.
.
Dunston started brightly and within 5 minutes Ben Cattanach broke into the box and shot past City keeper Jordan Harkess only to be ruled offside. From then on, although Dunston managed to mount some promising attacks, they were unable to penetrate the Durham box. On 8 minutes ex-Sunderland striker Ryan Noble headed over the Dunston bar after Stephen Stewart sent in a good cross and a minute later Dan Wilson tested Harkess at the other end. On 13 minutes Dan Smith made a good run at the home defence only to be upended by a crude foul 25-yards from goal. Gareth Williams sent in the powerful free-kick but the Dunston forwards were unable to get a decisive touch and Harkess was able to gather.
.
On 20 minutes Liam Connell was called into action to block another effort from Ryan Noble and in the 25th minute Durham centre-half Ross Wilkinson headed wide from a Chris Wallace corner. Two minutes later, Walid Abeid sent in a free-kick from just outside the box but Connell made a confident save. Wilkinson managed to get on the end of another Wallace delivery in the 35th minute but Connell was equal to the header. The injured Gareth Williams was forced off after only 38 minutes to be replaced by Dale Burrell who was immediately in the thick of the mid-field action. On 39 minutes Lee McAndrew made a tricky run on the left but when he put in his cross, Harkess collected under pressure.
.
The next Dunston attack saw them work a good short-corner which ended with Nicky Kane hammering a shot over the bar from a Stephen Harrison cross to the back post. Both sides were striving for a break-through but were finding both defences determined not to give an inch. On 42 minutes Dale Burrell received the ball 25 yards out and tried a low shot which went narrowly wide of the target.
.
Half-time Score: 0 – 0
.
Durham had the first chance in the second-half as Johny Davis tried an audacious 30-yard lob as he spotted Liam Connell off his line only for the ball to go just over the bar on 48 minutes. On 58 minutes Dan Wilson crossed but it was cut out and cleared before Durham’s Chris Wallace broke on the right wing and put in a deep cross which was returned back across the face of the Dunston goal before it was cleared. A minute later Connell saved another Wallace effort before he stopped another shot, this time by Lewis Gibbins.
.
On 61 minutes Dale Burrell got a shot on target after a Dan Wilson lay-back but Harkess was alert and saved. On 62 minutes a cross from Walid Abeid caught in the wind and bounced on top of the Dunston cross-bar and out of play. Dunston replied with a dangerous Stephen Harrison cross to the back post being met by Gary Ormston but his shot went wide of the near post. The play was going from end-to-end as both sides were giving up possession and a minute later Connell had to save from another Abeid shot. On 70 minutes Burrell had a 35-yard shot which flew just over the cross-bar.
.
On 72 minutes Wallace put in a long throw which Ormston cleared under pressure. At the other end, keeper Harkess was very fortunate as he twice failed to effectively punch away a clearance from a Stephen Harrison cross before finally claiming it and alleviating the danger. On 78 minutes Dan Wilson was unlucky when he retrieved a loose ball in the area and tried a back-heel attempt rather than turn but it went straight to the keeper’s hands.
.
Dunston were applying a bit of pressure and on 80 minutes Jonny Wightman had a 35-yard shot which went just wide of the post before Burrell supplied a cross for Andy Bulford whose volleyed shot was blocked. Durham came into the game again but the Dunston defence held firm, and on 85 minutes Burrell played in Wightman on the left-wing and as he advanced into the box his cross was blocked and bounced out of play off his leg. Durham had the final chance in stoppage time as Chris Wallace headed wide from a corner.
.
Final Score: Durham City 0 Dunston UTS 0
.
Dunston Man of the Match: Luke Gilhespy - although not a perfect performance, Luke was a key defender with some timely tackles and interceptions. Dale Burrell also played well but he needed assistance from his fellow team members which was lacking at times.
.
Durham City: Harkess, Stewart, Alan, Wilkinson, Purewal, Gibbins, Davis (Hope), Wallace, Ryan Noble, Patton (Bakhti), Abeid (Fryatt). Subs not Used: Munro, Reece Noble.
..
Dunston UTS: Connell, Harrison, Cattanach, Williams (Burrell), Scorer, Gilhespy, Kane (Wightman), Smith, Wilson, Ormston, McAndrew (Bulford). Subs not Used: Clark, Hodgson.
.
Report By Tom Clark