by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Tuesday 13th August 2024
Chester-le-Street United 0 v 2 Esh Winning
Four games into their home campaign United are still looking for their first points at The Ford Quarry Hub. The latest loss coming at the hands of high-flying Esh Winning who moved top of the table after their fifth win in six games.
United meanwhile are down in 14th place with six points from their opening six games courtesy of their two away wins at Sunderland RCA and Yarm & Eaglescliffe. Chester did take positives with the performance but need to start turning that to points.
On the team front Harley Lawton despite serving his one-match suspension was unavailable as was his replacement Harry Marr from Saturday's loss to Thornaby. It meant a call-up to the starting XI for Kymani Severin.
It was Severin playing out wide on the right and in-form Charlie Loveday on the left who were the source of a bright enterprising start from United. They looked comfortable in possession against a strong Esh side that were well-organised.
However, neither side looked like to break the deadlock early on. United pushing forward probing for openings that weren't coming and Esh looking dangerous on the counter without creating any real chances.
Benji Jackson did make one great run from halfway for the visitor's but as he advanced into the Chester area he was met by a good challenge from Reyhan Grimaud who cleared the danger.
The first real effort on goal from either side was ex-United forward Sam Johnson's 20-yarder that deflected off Sam Haynes taking the sting out of the effort and James Hughes collected easily.
United's first real chance came on the quarter hour mark. Severin won a throw-in on the right level with the penalty area. Michael Mallaburn delivered a long ball that Stephen Siyanbola flicked on.
Jamie Frizzel coming in late from left back to meet the flick with a right foot half-volley from 10-yards that was always too high to trouble Esh keeper Harry Alderson.
Esh's front two were linking up well and when Charlie Twinn showed good footwork and awareness with a reverse pass to Johnson it set his partner up with a half chance. His left foot drive though from 14 yards lacked power and Hughes saved comfortably.
Esh though were beginning to get on top and another superb powerful run from halfway by Jackson saw him burst past Dylan Wilkinson before baring down on Hughes. The United keeper was though up for the challenge and made a great block.
United from this hit back and good play from Mallaburn to find Loveday just inside the box saw the forward hit a good effort that just flashed past the far post and out for a goal kick.
There had been little to choose between the two sides until the 21st minute when Esh struck. The United defence and midfield losing possession and shape as a ball straight through the middle of their rear guard saw Twinn race clear.
He advanced into the box and showed great composure and clinical finishing when 1-on-1 with Hughes and beat the United keeper convincingly. The goal seemed to shake United.
Jackson in particular was running the game from midfield and once again showed strong play and good awareness to find Johnson on the edge of the box. His effort was well-struck but Hughes dived low to his right to palm the ball away in fine style.
It was a temporary reprieve. A ball into a dangerous area was only half cleared by Ollie Barnett and was picked up by Elliot Judson. He found Jackson in acres of space on the edge of the Chester box.
Jackson had time to turn and hit a superb 20-yard shot into the top right hand corner of Hughes' net with the Chester keeper having no chance to keep it out. Now United had a mountain to climb.
They responded with a neat move that saw Loveday transfer the ball from left to right to give the overlapping Dan Robinson a chance to cross which he did on the run delivering the ball into a dangerous area.
Addis Dore was alert to the chance but despite hitting his first-time effort powerfully it was too high and flew over the Esh bar with Alderson not having to make a save.
Then Loveday created on the left finding the advancing Frizzel who's cross was put behind by Judson for a United corner. Mallaburn's delivery to the near post saw Siyanbola get a firm header on target but unfortunately it was straight at Alderson.
United were scrapping and battling for the ball as they attempted to push forward. A scramble in midfield saw a ball fall to Mallaburn some 25-yards out but he could only hit his effort not far over the bar from a central position.
Good pressing from Siyanbola on the Esh defence won a corner off skipper Jonathan Swift. Mallaburn drilled the kick low into the area where Wilkinson got to it first but although he got the ball on target his effort was more bundled than stuck.
It enabled Alderson to scramble it up and over all the ball did flick the woodwork on its way over. Mallaburn delivered and it lead to another corner on the opposite flank. Again Mallaburn delivered but the Esh defence stood strong and Swift headed out.
Dore then showed good skill and ball control to get past a couple of visiting defenders and into the box but before he could pull the trigger Swift came in with a great challenge to clear the danger.
Esh looked solid in defence whereas United seemed to be giving the ball away a lot in dangerous areas as the half concluded but there were no other chances created as Esh went in to changing rooms two goals to the good.
As the teams came out for the second half United had made their first substitution with Riley Everett replacing Barnett and taking up a place alongside skipper Wilkinson.
Chester needed to hit back and once again were pressing. Almost inevitably it was Loveday leading the press. He played a good ball from the left up to Dore and went for the return pass as Dore held the play up well.
A gap opened and Loveday went for goal but his attempted curler didn't have the power required to beat Alderson who dived low to his left to make a neat but expected save.
A free kick from halfway by Swift saw Wilkinson head clear but only to Jacob Bradley who hit a first time effort that Wilkinson did well to recover to block. The block took the pace off the shot as the ball was taken comfortably by Hughes.
In truth there was little happening despite United making two substitutions Esh went the closer to scoring when Haynes floated a free kick to the back post finding Lewis Heap unmarked but the big centre half at full stretch couldn't get a decisive touch.
United did continue to press but Esh were looking comfortable. Dore showed great footwork to glide into the box but he was stopped from shooting at goal by Swift's timely interception.
Then a long ball from the back almost saw Twinn in on goal but United substitute Riley Everett did really well to get back and dispossess the striker at the expense of a corner.
The delivery was a good one from Bradley and Esh substitute Owen Hayton headed goal wards but Hughes was in the right place to save easily. United did show character and finish with a flourish but not a goal.
Loveday showing great control once again to find Everett coming up from the back who was tripped. Ben Gallagher on as a sub for Mallaburn also took over dead ball duties but his 25-yard effort was well over the top.
Severin then cut in from the left and as he advanced towards goal was fouled. He kept his fee though and the referee allowed the advantage but Severin couldn't take it as he drove his shot from just outside the box just wide of the post.
Deep into injury time United created their best chance of the game. Had it been taken it would surely have only been a consolation. However, Dylan Robson squandered a super chance to half the deficit.
He was put through on goal after a superb through ball by Wilkinson and as he advanced showed a lack of composure and put the ball wide with only Alderson to beat who should have been tested but wasn't.
The referee's whistle put an end to proceedings almost instantly after and once again United were left to reflect on a game where they showed promise but ultimately were shown how to convert quality chances into the goals that make the difference.
TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Dan Robinson 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Reyhan Grimaud 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Ollie Barnett 7. Charlie Loveday 8. Michael Mallaburn 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Addis Dore 11. Kymani Severin
SUBS : 12. Riley Everett (for Barnett 46 mins) 14. Dylan Robson (for Robinson 62 mins) 15. Dan Walton (for Siyanbola 68 mins) 16. Olly DIxon (for Frizzel 75 mins) 17. Ben Gallagher (for Mallaburn 62 mins)
Management Man of the Match : Charlie Loveday
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