A Dozen In Reserve For United As They Picked Up Superb Win

by Jeff King (With A Huge Nod To Colin Wotherspoon)

Wearside League Division One - Saturday 5th April 2025

Chester-le-Street United Reserves 12 v 0 Washington Athletic

After a goal for Joe Walls earned United's reserves a draw and a point at Wolviston last week, the youngsters were back home at The Riverside to face the Division's bottom side Washington Athletic.

The first problem for the Coaching staff was to solve a goalkeeping issue. The regular keeper Harry Telfer had been injured playing for Durham County on Friday night and was unavailable. Cue frantic telephone calls and Social Media messages.

All to no avail so regular centre back Dan Walton agreed to don the keeper's kit and gloves as a last-gap replacement completing the journey from focal point of attack at centre forward to last line of defence all in the same campaign.

Perhaps it was just as well that United's opposition was the basement dwellers and in the end that they had little to do at the defensive end as they turned in a spectacular offensive performance.

The United lads started the game well scoring early in the game and looked in total control on 10 minutes when they added a second! But for the rest of the first half United were sloppy and over confident in possession.

Players were constantly giving the ball away and making wrong choices in possession but despite this United did manage a third goal just before half time to put us 3-0 in front.

At half time the Coaching staff dished out a few home truths to their players and made it clear their decision making in possession was simply not good enough.

United only had two young 16 year olds on the bench who had been moved up from the u-18s for this game to help with numbers and it was decided to put them on at half time.

They were asked to help United link the team better in the middle of the pitch with energy and reliability on the ball. Frankie Young and Ethan Connolly both carried this out brilliantly and it was great to watch them both dictate the game the whole second half.

They always made themselves available and linked the play with simple but effective passes. United looked a much better outfit second half with this in place and scored some brilliant team goals. Connolly got on the scoresheet when he pressed the game well pinched the ball and hit the net with a long range effort.

This style of football also brought into play Kymani Severin much more and he was outstanding second half scoring 5 goals.

Colin Wotherspoon Post-Game Thoughts : When we keep it simple and work hard we are a good young side to watch like the second half showed. A big shout out to both Frankie Young, Ethan Connolly.

Also to Dan Walton for helping out in goal although he did not have much to save with his hands his distribution was great with the ball at his feet

TEAM : 1. Dan Walton 2. Joe Sykes 3. Joe Walls 4. Leo Fasuan 5. Alex Clark 6. Keane Mitchell 7. Kymani Severin 8. Evan Cubby 9. Jude Anderson 10. Olly Dixon (c) 11. Harvey Lawrence

SUBS : Frankie Young, Ethan Connolly

SCORERS : Severin 5, Lawrence 2, Anderson, Cubby, Dixon, Fasuan, Connolly

MAN of the MATCH : Kymani Severin who scored 5 goals and help set up more in a very impressive performance.