Durham City 1 Clitheroe 0

Jan 1 2012 by Steve Brown, Sunday Sun

IT JUST doesn't sound right. One-nil to the Citizens. For some time now, 5-4 or 4-3 has been the dizzying order of the day at New Ferens Park.

Yet after Boxing Day’s single-goal victory at Harrogate Railway Athletic, which ended a run of five defeats, Durham produced, and showing New Year resolution hung on to, another yesterday.

Signs of a maturing side, Dickie Ord hopes, and they look to make it a happy Hogmanay hosting Ossett Albion tomorrow.

For now, they can bask in this glory.

Though as anyone there will testify – and they were all there, former favourites Gary Bennett and Lewis Dodds, three from Bournemouth, one from Dubai – there was little else to bask in.

Because while 1-0 may be alien to City, failure to make the most of frequent dominance is not, and so it was . . .

First though, they went in front.

On six minutes Arjun Purewal sent Clitheroe keeper Zach Hibbert’s kick back whence it came, Stephen Thompson picked up possession and advancing at goal, left to right, slipped a cleverly disguised reverse pass to the onrushing Elliot Cutts, who from the left edge of the box curled in off the bar, liner Stephen Moran correctly adjudging the ball, which instantly bounced back into play, to have crossed the line.

Talk about a Cutts above, but the goalscorer was soon outshone by ex-Port Vale starlet Thompson.

Apparently, he makes ball-bearings for a living. Yesterday, he made the ball do what, virtually, he willed.