The Durham County FA Under 18 team got their challenge for the Association of Northern Counties League title underway when they entertained West Riding County FA at the Hetton Centre last Saturday.
In a game that neither goalkeeper was tested the first half produced plenty good build up play by both teams but very little in front of goal and the teams went in level 0 – 0 at half time.
West riding started the second half brighter and were rewarded with a penalty after 53 minutes when a defensive mix up resulted in Durham Keeper Pickering tripping an attacker.
West Riding captain Sam Hewitt fired hard and low into the bottom right hand corner, and although Pickering got a hand to it he could prevent the visitors taking the lead.
The goal raised the tempo slightly but it was West Riding who took the incentive when Hewitt rose highest to head home his second from a cross given for a free kick on the edge of the Durham box.
Durham let themselves down in front of goal but managed to pull one back in added time when a visiting defender headed past his own keeper.
Durham now travel to Lancashire on the 10th October hoping to pick up much needed points.
The management team of Jim Thompson, Ian Raine and Physio Martin Richards chose the following squad:Joe Grant (Bishop Auckland), Robert Briggs, Jonathan Evans, Rhys Jukes, Andrew Kelly, Adam McHugh, Adam Reach, Alex White (Chester le Street), Joshua Knox (Newton Aycliffe), Dan Colling, Danni Lay (Sunderland Nissan), Lee Andrews,Luke Olabode, Graeme Pickering (Sunderland RCA), Lewis Brown (Wallsend BC),
James Howarth (Willington)