Town travelled away to Durham in high hopes, and returned dejected after two more contentious penalties were awarded to the excellent home side, tarnishing an otherwise close encounter between two outfits largely consisting of young players. Garforth started brightly, City responded with gusto and good free flowing football and the crowd were treated to a well-contested game ruined by official incompetence and ineptitude.
The visitors were almost immediately in the ascendancy, with good interlinking play leading to a Jason St Juste shot from 18 yards being blocked, as were the subsequent two shots from Andy Hayward - both desperately so - in only the second minute of play. Two minutes later the dependable Olly Hotchkiss tried his luck with a dipping thunderbolt from distance that was well saved.
Durham responded with a well-struck free kick that Gavin Phillis did well to save. The youngster’s long kick up field was laid off by Hayward for Chris Brown to strike at goal, narrowly missing.
The hosts were now coming into their own, playing football that was pleasing on the eye with good pace and movement. Phillis made another good save from a low shot and the ball was spread wide. Wayne Harratt received the ball 25 yards from goal and, after riding a challenge, fired an accurate strike into the top right corner to the delight of the travelling contingent.
After some enjoyable end-to-end fare Town conceded a corner, and the inswinger was cleared to Adam Johnston, who somehow rifled the ball through the mass of players and into the net to regain parity for his team.
Some excellent distribution by the busy Hotchkiss brought play into the Durham half, where Jason St Juste was fed the ball out on the left wing. St Juste beat his man for pace before firing a dangerous low cross into the six yard box, though the keeper claimed it before Hayward could. Five minutes later, the same keeper was lured out of position from a dangerous cross and Brown fired over under pressure.
On the very threshold of half time, a fiercely struck low ball struck a Town man on the arm, and a penalty was awarded in the wake of 230 screaming Geord… no, Mack…erm, Durham fans. Phillis did well to deny Johnston, but the rebounding ball sadly rolled straight out for the home striker to convert.
The second half saw a Hotchkiss free kick met by a Lee Connor header that beat the Durham shot stopper only to be cleared off the goal line by last ditch defending. Durham won a corner shortly after and in the wake of two horrible ricochets, the loose ball was fired into the Garforth goal.
The entertainment factor of the game was successfully killed off by the Man In Black on 73 minutes when a clear slip from a Durham attacker resulted in a ludicrous penalty, completing Johnston’s hat-trick.
Two minutes later, the disheartened visitors saw a nasty bounce allow Tommy English to try his luck with a lobbed effort that found the far corner of the net. Garforth responded with a Wayne Harratt header that was tipped onto the post, and a slightly more successful repeat that found the net to bring the score ultimately to 2-3, minus the penalties. Town next look to welcome Warrington to the Genix Healthcare Stadium on Saturday, after this test against an excellent Durham side with a hospitable club president. See you Saturday.
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