Following last week’s defeat in the Monkwearmouth Cup, Windscale got back to winning ways.
They took all three points from the home fixture with Farringdon Detached, edging a tight contest 1-0.
Farringdon were a place below the Atoms in the League table prior to the start of the game and would have jumped above them if they had secured victory.
It was clear in the early stages that the game would be a tight affair. Windscale had the majority of the play, however, Farringdon were untroubled and dealt comfortably with anything thrown at them.
The hosts looked the most likely to take the lead from two corner kicks, both of them causing confusion among the visitors defence, but Alan Paling who had a solid game between the posts for Farringdon clearing the danger.
Dean Fox made two great runs to the goal line but the resultant crosses were not converted. Fox then had to leave the field late in the half due to a hamstring problem.
Farringdon created a number of chances on the breakaway. The best of these was an angled shot on goal which was blocked by Steve Walker, leading the Atoms back line with a man of the match performance.
Despite both teams’ efforts, the game remained scoreless at the break.
Windscale, whose performance was much improved from last week, appeared more focussed at the start of the second half.
Regular scorer, Lewis Jolly was more involved out wide keeping Farringdon’s defence on the back foot.
However, it was from the other flank that the Atoms took the lead in the 74th minute. It was Fox’s replacement, the impressive Lewis Selkirk who engineered the only goal of the game.
Firing in a waist high cross into the Farringdon penalty box, Ray Sempill arrived to divert the ball beyond Paling into the back of the net.
The goal appeared to give the Atoms confidence, ratcheting up their attacking play to create a number of opportunities, all of which were either rebuffed by the visitors defence or were wide of the mark.
Farringdon’s response was to launch a series of high balls forward into the Windscale penalty area, none of which caused any major anxiety.
However, they did have Windscale scrambling to clear their lines on occasions. The Atoms held-on for the victory despite the seven minutes added time.
The result was another indication of the Windscale team’s determination to stay in games despite not being at their best and gain a reward for their endeavours.
Windscale are on the road again on Thursday evening when they travel to take on 4th placed Durham United. They return to the Falcon on Saturday to host Darlington Railway Athletic kicking off at 2pm.
