Team - Campbell D, Lyth(c), Yale, Ingram(Lambert 75), Burgess, Hanson, Scott, Beadle, Hassan(L Gildea 35), Leeson, Charlton(Gildea A 72). Subs not used: Escritt, Hackworth.
Report - by Andrew Snaith - Durham City, dubbed 'The worst team in England' after a run of 28 successive defeats, pulled off their second win in three days, with Whitby Town the latest victims on Tuesday night.
The Blues were unchanged after Saturday's draw against Ashton United, though skipper Tony Hackworth did at least make the subs bench.
Andrew Stephenson, one of the weekend's heroes, as the Unibond Premier's bottom team ended their losing run at FC United's Gigg Lane in front of a 2,000+ crowd, gave City a perfect start inside 20 minutes. The classy midfielder fired home from distance, beating a goalkeeper more than 20 years his senior in Whitby's Dave Campbell.
Three minutes later, it was 2-0 as Elliott Cutts' cross decieved Campbell who could only claw the ball into his own net. Then unbelievably, it was three as a clumsy challenge brought a free-kick on the edge of the area that Craig Harboard expertly curled around the wall and past a helpless Campbell.
Whitby finally woke up at this point but lost makeshift striker Ibby Hassan on the half hour to a suspected broken nose with the combative Liam Gildea on in his place. Town desperately needed a goal before half-time and Jimmy Beadle duly delivered it, firing a swerving effort past City's former Hartlepool keeper James Winter. Karl Charlton hammered inches wide after Gildea chested down a long ball and an almighty scramble somehow stayed out as Durham's nervous young defenders twice stabbed off their own goal line in first half added time.
The second period opened as the first ended with the visitors laying siege. Leon Scott's ferocious effort proved too hot for Winter to handle but Leeson, following in after the youngster spilled, was given offside as the ball hit the net. Winter copped an accidental knee to the head for his trouble, but was soon back on his feet to save from Scott again, with the midfielder's low drive headed for the bottom left corner.
At the other end, Stephenson chipped narrowly over the top after recieving a tremendous crossfield ball that cut the Whitby defence in two. Faced by three defenders, Gildea then fired over the bar himself, before Campbell saved well from Conor Winter's header. But Stephenson was to beat the veteran again with what's fast becoming his trademark, an outraegeous 40-yard lob identical to the first goal against United which dropped beautifully over Campbell and into the net.
Whitby wasted no time but once again found the same linesman with his flag up as the ball hit the net from Gildea's older brother Alex, on for the limping Charlton. Campbell then made what looked a priceless reaction stop from Cutts, as Andy Leeson fired in off the inside of the post with five minutes remaining for 4-2. And when Liam Gildea was upended by Max Stoker, Beadle wasted no time slamming home from the penalty spot.
Understandably, the hosts' mainly teenage side had a combined look of panic in their eyes as the ball came back at them repeatedly during six minutes of injury time. But keeper Winter, who looked an impressive new signing saved well from Alex Gildea and was as much the saviour as Stephenson at the other end.
Three points then that takes Durham back up to zero points after their deduction for an ineligible player, the Seasiders now look ahead to a meeting with the league leaders Bradford Park Avenue desperately hoping to claw back some credibility and at least one injured striker.
