Windscale continued their good run of form in the Wearside League with a 3-2 win over the Durham College team in an entertaining match.
The Atoms took an early lead in the third minute with Laurie Black playing the ball over the top of the Durham defence to Lewis Jolly who turned his man and after cutting inside slotted the ball home.
Durham responded from the re-start with a dangerous cross into the Windscale penalty area, but the danger was averted by the safe hands of Lee Jolly.
The hosts had a great opportunity to double their lead in the 16th minute. Lewis White was sent clear on goal by Reece Fretwell,but the Durham keeper Rueben Bull finger-tipped the ball to safety as White attempted to go round him.
Durham regained parity in the 32nd minute. Following a long ball forward, a slip from the Atoms Steve Walker allowed Durham striker Ben Jones to fire the ball beyond Jolly.
It took Windscale six minutes to edge ahead again. Walker, making amends for his earlier error, played a delightful pass to Ross Leeson running from deep and evading the offside trap. Leeson found himself one on one with Bull and had no trouble drilling the ball into the back of the net.
Despite some good attacking moves from both sides, the Atoms maintained their 2-1 lead at the break.
The second period continued as the first, both teams playing open attacking football.
Will Rooke in particular was the catalyst for a number of Windscale attacks. His height and physical presence created opportunities for Black and Jolly, but an alert Bull between the Durham posts minimise any threat.
After 66 minutes Jolly was unfortunate not to increase the Atoms lead. After working his way into the Durham penalty his angled strike was brilliantly pushed away by Bull, his second effort cannoning back into play off the post and hammered away to safety.
There was a double substitution by the Atoms in the 74th minute, Pierce and Black replaced by Dan Morgan and Lewis Selkirk. The change had an immediate effect on the score line. The Atoms were awarded a corner kick which Selkirk delivered perfectly to Man of the Match Fretwell who made no mistake from six yards.
With five minutes left Durham were denied a goal by the heroics of Windscale keeper Lee Jolly. He pushed away a close-range effort from Joe Bryant and dived at the attackers feet again as he pounced on the loose ball.
Two minutes from the end Durham reduced the arrears to 3-2 when Bryant forced the ball over the line following some scrappy play. Windscale, however, saw out the remaining minutes comfortably to take all three points.
