Trafford Sport
Trafford 2 Durham City 3
6:33pm Monday 30th January 2012
TRAFFORD’S winning start to 2012 came to an end on Saturday when they fell to a disappointing 3-2 defeat at the hands of Durham City at Shawe View.
Garry Vaughan’s side started brightly with Paul Ashton flashing a shot just wide from the edge of the penalty area after just two minutes.
However, they fell behind in the seventh minute when Durham striker David Dowson strode forward and unleashed a drive from 25 yards that appeared to wrong-foot keeper Andy Robertson and flew into the bottom corner.
This was the first goal that Trafford had conceded in 2012 but they battled back gamely with Joe Shaw curling a free kick just past the far post and Andy Smart heading over from eight yards.
As half time approached Trafford paid siege to the Durham goal and they were rewarded for their superiority in the 44th minute when Steve Mason lashed a magnificent drive into the top corner from 20 yards.
Five minutes into the second half the home side took the lead when Paul Ashton finished off a neat move with a blistering shot inside the near post past the bewildered Lewis Graham.
In the 56th minute Michael Oates had a great chance to make it three when he was released by Farrell Kilbane but he fired past the far post with just Graham to beat.
The Durham strike force of David Dowson and Steve Thompson were causing problems for the Trafford defence with their pace, strength and skill, and Dowson fired over on three occasions as the visitors sought the equaliser.
And that equaliser duly arrived in the 76th minute when Thompson cut in from the left and unleashed a powerful, low drive that squirmed under Andy Robertson and nestled in the bottom corner.
Disaster struck in the 81st minute when another incisive move by the visitors ended with Amar Purwal neatly clipping an angled shot in from ten yards that Robertson got a hand to but could not prevent from crossing the line.
Trafford poured forward in search of the equaliser and left back Andy Smart pulled his shot across the face of the Durham goal.
Paul Ashton then skipped past a Durham defender and appeared to be tripped but referee Illingworth ignored Trafford’s appeals for a penalty and amazingly cautioned Ashton for ‘simulation’.
The game came to a close with Trafford devastated by a shock defeat but determined to make amends this coming Saturday when they travel to play high flying Lancaster City, kick off 3 pm.