by Jeff King
Wearside League Division 1 - Wednesday 7th August 2024
Willington AFC 5 v 4 Chester-le-Street United Reserves
After a seven-goal opening win thriller on game day United's Reserves were involved in another cliff hanger in their second outing. Unfortunately this time they came out on the wrong side of a nine-goal extravaganza.
Harvey Lawrence had put them one-up inside the first minute to get them off to a great start but Willington drew level when Joe Sykes turned one past his own keeper Louie Aldus.
The Reserves though were soon back in front through a fine goal from Kymani Stewart and continued to pepper the Willington goal for the rest of the first 45 minutes without being able to add to their lead. It was to prove costly.
The first twenty minutes of the second period saw Willington really step up and bombard United's youngsters who before they knew it were suddenly 5 - 2 down. They might have cracked and capitulated but instead they regrouped.
Sykes scored at the right end and Harry Marr got a late beauty to cut the deficit to a single goal. But with the home side reeling United just ran out of time to force an equaliser and went down to a battling entertaining defeat from which they took a lot of credit.
Head Coach Colin Wotherspoon despite the result and the goals conceded was still very upbeat in his post game assessment of the performance.
"I'm absolutely gutted for The Lads that they did not get anything from a game they more than contributed to. For 70 minutes I thought we were brilliant. We handled the ball well."
"We played with a hunger and desire to get the ball into their box as often as possible. How we went in at half time only 2 - 1 up I'll never know!"
"The first 20 minutes of the second half cost us the game. To be fair to Willington they went more direct and we could not cope with their physicality. We lost our way in a game we should have been comfortably 2 or 3 in front."
"The changes we made then gave us the energy and legs to get back on the front foot and we almost in the end pulled it back but just ran out of time. I could not be more prouder or happier with how this group of Lads are progressing."
"Chester-le-Street United is in a good place with our current under-18s, Reserves and First Team all working together and producing top lads."
Next up for The Reserves is a trip to Coxhoe Athletic in the Clem Smith Bowl Preliminary Round. Coxhoe are in the same Division as The Reserves with one point from their opening two games. It's a chance for the side to progress.
Comments