POACHER Peter Duffield confessed it was pay-back time after claiming his first senior goal to end 16 months of injury torment.

Duffield capped his first starting role since suffering a double fracture of his leg back in September 2000 with City's decisive second goal in the 2-1 win over Hull City.

The former Darlington hit-man, whose comeback was delayed by a second leg break at the start of this season, said it was so long since he last found the back of the net on senior duty he had forgotten how to celebrate.

He was swamped by his team-mates following his first-half blast last night and was also given a standing ovation from the home faithful when he was substituted just minutes from the end..

"It was nice for the lads to celebrate with me like they did," he told the Evening Press.

"The fans, the lads and everyone at the club have been absolutely magnificent to me.

"It's been very frustrating for me but it must have been for them to be paying someone who they can't use.

"I didn't actually know what to do when I scored, that was probably the craziest celebrations I've ever done.

"I ran like an idiot and I was absolutely shattered at the end."

Duffield, who also played a decisive hand in Michael Proctor's opening goal, believed City were fully deserving of their win.

"The lads were on fire and not just the forwards but the defence too," he said.

"Everybody put themselves about and if you apply yourselves in the right way you'll get a bit of luck.

"I thought in the first-half especially, we really gave them the run around and I thought it was a tremendous team performance.

"The communication was good too. Nobody was quiet, we all talked, we all did our jobs and we had a go at each other at the right time and you just felt."

Duffield believes the off-field uncertainty was playing a part in City's improved form of late.

"With what is happening around the club at the moment the crowd is on our side now," he reasoned.

"They are being vocal which does make a difference. They are cheering every challenge and every shot."

Updated: 11:22 Wednesday, January 30, 2002