by Jeff King
Wearside League - Clem Smith Bowl 1st Round - Saturday 10th August 2024
Coxhoe Athletic 1 v 5 Chester-le-Street United Reserves
If you want to see entertaining football and goals aplenty then Colin Wotherspoon and Willie Donnachie's United reserves side are the team to follow. Their first two league games have brought seven and nine goal thrillers and there was another six in this one!
This time though the boys put in a terrific shift an excellent performance at long standing Wearside League outfit Coxhoe Athletic and cruised through to the next round of The Clem Smith Bowl with an impressive 5 - 1 win.
United started the game on the front foot taking it to Coxhoe at every opportunity. Even Cubby putting Chester 1 - 0 finishing off a great move with a clinical tap-in from close range.
Jack Wilson doubled the advantage getting on the end of a superb cross from Jonathan Beattie to power a header home from inside the six-yard box and Chester were flying.
But as can happen with lads at this age concentration wavered slightly and they were not switched on when a ball to their back post allowed the Coxhoe forward to rise unchallenged and nod his side back into the game.
It was though a short-lived reprieve. A break in play for water intake was also a chance for the Highland Twins to impart their knowledge to their charges and they came storming back into the game.
Captain and Man of the Match Olly Dixon made it 3 - 1 and just before the half-time break Harvey Lawrence scored with a great strike direct from a free-kick just outside the box to give United a healthy half-time lead.
The second half was all about concentration and remaining focused whilst ensuring that Coxhoe did not get back into the game. This was achieved in a very composed controlled manner.
United even managed a fifth goal during the second half when Nathan Conroy finished well after superb build-up play involving Joe Sykes, Leo Fasuan and Harvey Lawrence.
So, in the end an excellent victory which in truth could even have been by a bigger margin. Dixon got the nod for Man of the Match but all those who got on the pitch contributed well.
Riley Everett and Fasuan continue to grow as a central defensive partnership and Lawrence is in fine form at the moment whilst Sykes gave a steady, solid performance. There was even time for new-boy Oliver Walton to give an impressive 20-minute cameo from the bench.
After the win a highly delighted Head Coach Wotherspoon gave his post-game reaction.
"We started this game like we played for 60 minutes against Willington on Wednesday. We moved the ball well and created good chances. To score five goals away from home has to be a huge positive for the group."
"We are starting to learn slowly that it's just as important to be organised and aggressive out of possession as we are in possession going forward. When we get both right then we are a decent side to watch."
The next opportunity to watch The Reserves is this coming Wednesday night when they face Durham City in a Wearside League Division One clash. United are at home at The Riverside with a 7:30pm kick-off.
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