by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Thursday 26th December 2024
Chester-le-Street Town 1 v 1 Chester-le-Street United
The traditional Boxing Day Derby with once again Town at home against United packed them in to the historic Moor Park ground. An excellent 283 being in attendance to watch a game between two sides with evenly matched records.
In the end it probably wasn't a surprise to see the spoils shared in a committed, full-blooded derby day clash which keeps the two sides locked together in the top half of the table.
United went into the game having won their last two League games on the road by 1 - 0 and once again away from home put in a decent performance and were perhaps unlucky to not come away with all three points.
The weather was cool but sunny with the position of the sun at such an early kick-off time making sighting difficult for both spectators, coaches and players at times as the game unfolded on a very heavy pitch that made free-flowing football difficult.
The one change to the United line-up that had won at Esh Winning last time out was Brandon Young replacing Reyhan Grimaud who dropped to the bench. Jet Fittolani and Dom Hughes both recovered from injury were also on the bench.
A cagey opening with United trying to get the ball moving on the heavy surface and Town playing more direct saw the home side with more territorial advantage early on.
The first effort on goal coming on 5 minutes when Aaron Hardy bullied Dan Robinson off the ball on the left before firing in a shot that lacked power and James Hughes saved easily.
Then Town were awarded a free kick 25-yards from goal in a central position. Centre back Matty Soulsby stepped up but his effort was straight into a well-placed defensive wall with Michael Mallaburn completing the clearance.
Harley Lawton had United's first chance on 7 minutes and it was a good one as he found himself inside the Town box with just Alex Lawrence in front of him. The Town keeper standing tall and making an excellent block with his legs.
In truth though neither side were really able to create a great deal with defences well on top and the battlefield in midfield being keenly contested although United did have a big penalty shout on 19 minutes turned down.
Jamie Frizzel's ball into the left channel well controlled by Stephen Siyanbola inside the box. He tried to go around the diving Lawrence and went down but the referee deemed that no foul had occurred.
Town thought they had broken the deadlock on 28 minutes when poor defending by United allowed Kieran Hall to finish neatly from inside the box. But unfortunately for Town he'd timed his run poorly and was flagged offside.
Then on 38 minutes Siyanbola probably should have at least worked Lawrence when getting free on the edge of the box but he put his left-foot effort disappointingly over the top with the Town keeper untroubled.
Frizzel did pick a booking up for United as time ticked down on a first half where plenty of endeavour had not resulted in much quality at the top end of either side's attack and 45 minutes passed goalless.
The second half started in similar vein although United with Mallaburn. Lawton and Young probing from midfield and Nathan Conroy and Charlie Loveday supporting Siyanbola up front were having the better of the exchanges.
Town's ripostes mainly restricted to long balls forward that Captain Dylan Wilkinson in particular was in dominant form to dispel as he marshalled his defenders very effectively.
On 63 minutes United made their first change with Fittolani coming on for Loveday in a straight swap on the right. It seemed to spark United a little as Lawton went close with a right-foot curler from 16-yards that was just wide.
United though were almost undone when Alex Clark gave the ball away to Hall who found Town's best player Declan Bisset who opened up the United defence with a clever sideways pass into the path of substitute Evann Jardine.
Jardine took the ball well in the inside right channel but showed little composure as the chance opened up and blazed well wide of the target from about 14-yards out.
United though were on the front foot but Town were standing firm. Under pressure the home side conceded a succession of corners which they defended well. The last of which Siyanbola dived in bravely to meet but his header was wide.
The game though finally got a goal and it was United taking the lead on 77 minutes with an absolute beauty of a goal created by Frizzel. Getting a shout from Ash Thorpe on the United bench Frizzel launched a superb diagonal ball.
It was beautifully controlled with a sublime first touch by Fittolani on the right hand side of the box. Fittolani cut across the box beating two defenders and then smashed a superb left foot shot past Lawrence giving the Town keeper no chance.
Within two minutes United somehow didn't manage to double their lead with an incredible sequence of events. They were pressing hard and got the ball and bodies inside the Town box. Lawrence doing well to block Lawton's first effort.
The ball fell to Siyanbola but his goal bound effort was blocked by a Town defender but not cleared. It was Fittolani with the next close range effort that again somehow was blocked. Still danger wasn't cleared.
This time it was Conroy that was first to the loose ball but once again United and he were denied this time with an excellent parried save from Lawrence that resulted in a corner. Delivered by Mallaburn and headed inches over by Frizzel.
As the teams re-set United must have been wondering if they had spurned such a good opportunity to double their lead and kill the game off. They got their answer on 81 minutes when Town got a fortunate equaliser.
Jardine on the right taking advantage of Frizzel slipping on the surface to fire in a dangerous cross to find Hall. His effort was blocked by a combination of Hughes and Wilkinson but the ball fell kindly to Town substitute Noah Cunningham.
He was able to steady himself and with goal at his mercy fired home to bring the home side level with what was virtually their first shot on target. Credit though to Town for getting the ball into a dangerous area and Cunningham for being in the right spot.
Both goals showed the value of having game changers on the bench and both benches would have been well pleased with the way their substitutes answered their call.
Almost immediately after the goal United brought Grimaud and Bewicke on for Conroy and Frizzel the latter of which hobbling off with an injury seemingly obtained when he slipped on the pitch.
A draw despite now looking like the likely outcome was not what United were settling for and they really pushed the home defence hard in the closing minutes. Once again forcing corners that Town seemed happy to concede.
Perhaps the reasoning for that is their bigger physical presence inside the area were able to come up with clearing headers or closing down and ensuring United couldn't find a way to goal.
That almost changed deep into injury time when Young freed Bewicke who had a clear run on the Town defence. Unfortunately his first touch let him down although he did get to the ball first and tried to recover the chance.
He was denied from doing so though by Luke Collins who came flying across and upended United's striker as he tried to regain the position. With no-one covering behind the referee had no choice but to dismiss Collins with a stonewall red card.
The free-kick was some 22-yards out but in a good central position. Mallaburn stepping up and hit his shot well with it beating both the wall and Lawrence's dive but also the far post as it flew inches wide.
The referee's whistle went moments later and both sides had to settle for a point and no bragging rights on the day. However, the two sides will do it all again on Saturday 4th January 2025 with the first fixture of the New Year.
Before that home game United are on the road again having to travel in the League to rookie NL2 side Darlington Town for 1:30pm kick-off on Saturday 28th December.
TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Dan Robinson 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Brandon Young 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Alex Clark 7. Nathan Conroy 8. Michael Mallaburn 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Harley Lawton 11. Charlie Loveday
SUBS : 12. Reyhan Grimaud (for Frizzel 85 mins) 14. Olly Dixon - DNP 15. Jet Fittolani (for Loveday 63 mins) 16. Kobe Bewicke (for Conroy 85 mins) 17. Dom Hughes (for Lawton 88 mins)
SCORER : Fittolani 77 mins
MAN of the MATCH : Michael Mallaburn
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