Durham City 3

Guisborough Town 1

TIME has almost run out for Guisborough in their battle to beat the drop into the second division.

Last Saturday's defeat at Durham City all but sealed their fate as it left them seven points adrift at the bottom of division one, having played more games than their rivals.

But nothing should be taken away from Durham, whose revival under caretaker player-manager John Watson continued at the Archibald Stadium.

The home side started the better and could easily have gone a goal up inside the first five minutes when Robbie Herbert's through ball found Michael Mackay. He surged around the last defender, but with only the keeper to beat, somehow looped his final effort the wrong side of the near post.

Durham went even closer three minutes later when a measured pass by Chris Copeland released Mackay down the left and the nippy winger neatly side-stepped his marker to fire in a cross which Michael Dunwell headed against the bar.

After a poor start, Guisborough started to find gaps in midfield and Peter Masters got free down the left on ten minutes. He crossed to the far post where Mark Foster had been allowed to arrive unmarked, but Durham keeper Kevin Wolfe reacted well to block his ten-yard shot before Dunwell nipped in to hook the ball away.

Minutes later Simon Kasonali broke through the middle and squared for Paul Wilson in space ten yards out, but the striker somehow put his shot wide.

That stung Durham into action and they started to play some neat, passing football. The relentless pressure was duly rewarded on 17 minutes when Mackay fired in a wicked shot which skimmed across the area before creeping under Guisborough keeper Vickers and into the net via the inside of the post.

Three minutes later, a cross from Herbert split the Guisborough defence and Dunwell sent in a shot which Vickers did well to hold.

But Guisborough kept plugging away and on 28 minutes a fierce 20-yard drive by John Woods left Wolfe with stinging palms as he pushed it round for a corner.

The visitors looked more comfortable in the second half as they switched to their more familiar 4-4-2 formation. This had an impact almost immediately when Kasonali got down the left and cut inside before firing in a shot which Wolfe just got to.

Herbert ballooned a rebound off Vickers high and wide, but made amends four minutes later when he rounded the Guisborough keeper to slot home his side's second goal.

Guisborough threw themselves a lifeline on the hour when Kasonali's dummy run allowed Masters to fire his free kick through the poor Durham wall.

The shot was so powerful that defender Craig Rand sliced his attempted clearance into his own net.

For a while Guisborough dominated and Durham completely lost their way.

Kasonali had a shot cleared off the line, then Wilson fired in a shot which somehow drifted wide and on 68 minutes Guisborough reminded Durham of their slender lead when Wilson sent over a free header from another Masters free kick.

But Guisborough's brief period of control came to an end when Steven Stewart replaced Copeland.

His first contribution was a fantastic solo run through the middle which ended with a low 20-yard shot which had Vickers scrambling on his knees to save.

Then Dunwell set up Mackay only ten yards out, but Vickers managed to parry the effort.

As the game went into injury time, Durham managed to grab a third when Mackay cut in from the left and danced round the last two defenders before firing a low shot past Vickers.

Guisborough face a tough task tomorrow when they take on fourth-placed Bedlington Terriers in a must-win match at the King George V ground, kick-off 3pm.

Club secretary Keith Smeltzer said: "It is good to see how the youngsters of Guisborough are rallying round their team and trying to help the club. Already several young lads have brought out a fanzine-style magazine and at 50p it is good value.

"It's a shame businesses in Guisborough are not following their lead and supporting their town club."

Guisborough: Corden, Vickers, Hamilton (Taylor 85), Burke, Forster, Woods, McMahon, Pennock, Kasonali, Wilson (Atkinson 85), Masters.