The Windscale club’s depth of squad proved its worth for their Wearside League trip to Darlington Railway Athletic.
Starting the game with three regulars missing the Atoms delivered a battling performance against a physical Darlington team, coming away with a 1-0 win.
Matt Pilkington appeared to have been given the first scoring opportunity of the game in the 4th minute.
Following a good passing move Pilkington found himself one v one with the RA keeper but was judged to have received the ball in an off-side position just as he was about to strike for goal.
It was Pilkington again who provided the next chance. After getting beyond the Darlington midfield he pushed the ball through to Lewis Jolly, whose resultant shot narrowly missed the target.
It was Darlington who then came close with two attempts on the quarter hour mark.
Dan Morgan headed away a dangerous cross which was hooked up the line to safety by Andrew Begbie.
The second effort, from another cross into the box, was met by the Darlington centre forward, his effort going well wide of the Windscale goal.
Following this, it was the Atoms who took the lead. Matt Metcalf broke up a Darlington move in midfield, sliding a first-time ball into the path of Jolly wide on the left.
After taking a touch, Jolly rifled the ball into the top right hand corner, giving the keeper little chance.
Jolly was a constant thorn in the side of the home team delivering several dangerous crosses into their penalty box.
Pilkington almost added to the lead from one of these with a header that rattled the post.
As the game drifted towards the interval, Darlington created a further chance and Windscale were grateful to keeper Ian Studholme who made a spectacular double save to keep the lead intact.
The Atoms made an indifferent start to the second period during which Darlington were on the front foot, but Morgan and Studholme remained steadfast to deny the home forwards.
Windscale soon reasserted their dominance again with scoring opportunities carved out for Kieran Fraser, Jolly and Pilkington, none of which were converted.
There was a defining moment to the game in the 79th minute. Studholme was advancing from his goal to meet a Darlington player who had been put through on goal.
Following a collision between the two, the referee adjudging the attacker had been brought down unfairly, awarding a penalty.
Studholme picked himself up to redeem himself with a great save from the resultant spot kick.
Windscale saw the rest of the game out comfortably with sensible use of their four substitutes providing fresh impetus.
