Saturday 29th November saw Shildon AFC take on Durham City in an away fixture. Shildon were not to be disappointed as a 1st minute lightening downfield charge saw Abeid’s effort for Durham find the net, only to be flagged offside. Four minutes later a Moussa Bakhti corner was forced home by Callum Patton after rebounding off the bar for City’s opener.
The Railwaymen rapidly replied when, from a left wing cross, Darren Richardson fired home the equaliser on 8 minutes. Shildon took the lead when Bobby Moore fired home at the back post on 17 minutes. On 21 minutes Paul Connor’s one-on-one failed to beat Durham’s keeper Gordon Harkess, quickly followed by Callum Patton’s equaliser rounding his marker with ease and firing past Kyle Hayes to make 2-2. A minute later another hole in Shildon’s back line allowed City’s Kyle Fryatt to fire into an empty goal only to be thwarted by a superb goal line clearance by Darren Craddock. Almost immediately Shildon were ahead again when Bobby Moore picked up a long goal kick and beat the off-side trap to make it 3-2 at half time.
Two vulnerable defences were providing an exciting match with countless opening at both ends resulting in 5 goals in 21 minutes. The Railwaymen kept the pressure up early in the second half, with Doninger, Hudson and Moore spurning chances.
On the hour Callum Patton hit the bar and then the post with his rebound. On 70 minutes a left wing cross was flicked past the Shildon keeper to give Patton his hat-trick and City’s equaliser. Shildon continued to fight back with Ben Wood failing from a yard out. On 82 minutes another misplaced midfield pass allowed Patton to tank through another hole in Shildon’s defence only to hit the post with Hayes beaten. On 84 minutes Patton took further advantage of Shildon’s slack defence to hammer home his fourth goal and ultimate winner. In the closing minutes clear chances fell to Ben Wood, Mark Hudson and Daniel Moore but they were unable to rescue a point.
Final score Durham City 4 – Shildon 3.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
