UniBond League

DURHAM City manager Lee Collings admitted that he was “emotionally drained” after his side came back from 3-1 down at half time to secure their second successive title in a nail biting finale to the UniBond League First Division North on Saturday.

City played badly in the first half, and with nearest rivals Skelmersdale winning at Curzon Ashton, it looked as if dejected City would have to go into the play offs. But a magnificent second half turned the game on its head, and they battled back to win 4-3 and win promotion to the UniBond Premier.

“I’ve never known a game like it,” said Collings. “We defended terribly in the first half, and a few of the lads were dejected, because they knew what the other score was. Woodley had only been in our box three times, and they scored on every occasion.

“But shall we say that we had a good committee meeting in the dressing room at half time, and we rattled a few cages, and they were completely different in the second half. “After half time, they were magnificent. They just kept attacking and attacking and worked extremely hard to get back into the game and then win it. They had a mountain to climb, and did it with sheer desire. It’s a great achievement to win two successive championships.”

Woodley took an early lead through Gary Gee after 13 minutes, but Mattie Moffat pounced on a poor back pass and set up Steve Richardson for the equaliser on 16 minutes before Liam Hogan and Gavin Salmon made it 3-1 to the home side at half time.

Moffat pulled a goal back on 54 minutes and they equalised through Richardson midway through the half before the latter clinched it ten minutes from time.

Newcastle Blue Star ensured that they have home advantage in the play offs after they drew 1-1 with Colwyn Bay, whom they must play again on Wednesday, Paul Brayson scoring their goal.

In the premier division, Whitby finish fourth bottom and possible safety from relegation after beating second in the table Ilkeston 3-0 . Whitby will stay up as long as Cammell Laird are relegated because their ground isn’t up to standard. Steve Huggins, Tony Hackworth and Karl Charlton scored their goals.

In the Blue Square North, Gateshead were held to a 2-2 draw at Hucknall to put them into a play off with Southport over two legs, while Blyth won 3-2 at Burscough to finish eighth from bottom.