Durham City 6 - 19 Cleckheaton

Durham City's front row injury crisis, which prevented them from being able to fulfil their fixture against Morley the previous weekend, provided a distraction for Cleckheaton leading up to this game. In the end Durham were able to field a very competent team, who played with 100% commitment but ultimately did not have the firepower to break through Cleckheaton's last line of defence.

Iain Gordon was given an early chance to open the scoring for the visitors but his penalty attempt from 35 metres drifted wide. Durham displayed their ability to recycle the ball and spent a good five minutes playing phase after phase close to Cleckheaton's try line. The defence remained resolute however and eventually the home side knocked on in contact. Jack Bickerdike reacted swiftly and scooped up the loose ball and then interpassing with James Wilson, ran it out to the halfway line. Wilson then hacked the ball forward and Durham's fullback had little choice but to kick the ball out of play close to his own line under tremendous pressure from Jonathon Marshall. A good catch and set by Ryan Piercy saw the forwards drive for the line and after Richard Piper was held up inches away, Ollie Akroyd picked up and dived over for his first try since returning to the club during the off season. As the try was awarded a fight broke out amongst players on the ground and following Iain Gordon's narrowly missed conversion attempt, Danny Nolan was sent to the sin bin for retaliation.

Cleckheaton weathered the 10 minute period with a man down and very nearly increased their advantage when Ross Hayden made a sublime break and then put in a tantalising cross-field kick. The ball skipped quickly over the firm ground and just out-ran James Wilson, who dived on the ball a split-second after it had crossed the dead ball line. At half time the score remained 5-0.

Coach Dave Harrison called for more control in the 2nd half but it was City who opened the scoring, when fly half Arnie Stevenson kicked a penalty. Cleckheaton reacted well and pressurised Durham's line, eventually being held up over the whitewash. Cleckheaton looked to be driving the ensuing scrum over the line but the referee adjudged that the scrum, at least at the front, had gone through 90 degrees. Durham however, did not clear their lines and were driven into touch 10 metres out. Akroyd secured the ball from Steve Worsley's throw and the pack marched to the line. Danny Nolan and Richard Piper broke off the maul and dived over in unison with the latter, inevitably, getting the touch down for the ninth time this season. Gordon added the conversion.

City reduced the arrears to six points with another Stevenson penalty, leading to a nervous last ten minutes for Cleckheaton. Fortunately the visitors kept their defensive shape as they conceded a number of penalties which gave the home side important territory. With time running out Durham made a last push into Cleckheaton's 22 but one too many drives saw City's forwards run out of support and Steve Worsley turned over the ball in the tackle. Craig Blackburn and Iain Gordon combined well, passing a number of times between themselves, before Blackburn was released down the touchline side to complete a 70m try. Gordon added the extras with the last play of the game to bring the final score to 19-6 to Cleckheaton.

This week Cleckheaton play Harrogate in the Yorkshire Cup at Moorend. The men from North Yorkshire are currently sitting at the top of National League 3 North and remain unbeaten after the first 10 rounds of the season. Kick off is at 2.15pm