by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 10th August 2024
Chester-le-Street United 0 v 1 Thornaby F.C.
Optimism was high for United as they returned 'home' to face a tough well-organised Thornaby side in what was their third home league game of the season at The Ford Quarry Hub.
United came into the came on the back of two terrific away wins at Sunderland RCA and Yarm & Eaglescliffe and were looking for their first home game and goal to keep their run going.
Their opponents were also in fine form, unbeaten in three games, having drawn and then won their last two without conceding a goal. One of those wins coming at The Ford Hub against Sunderland Wet End.
Team news for United showed one change. With Harley Lawton suspended following his sending-off for two cautions at RCA, Harry Marr came into the starting line-up.
It meant Michael Mallaburn switching out to the right and Charlie Loveday (pictured) moving across to the left flank. The game kicked off in sweltering conditions with United opening the game well.
Although it took until the 11th minute for either side to have an effort on goal. Stephen Siyanbola battling with James Lowe for possession. The Thornaby centre back almost left his keeper and Captain Ronan Makepeace short with his efforts to clear.
Addis Dore nipping in for United but his chip over Makepeace from the edge of the box was just over the cross bar and the game stayed goal less.
Loveday then showed good pace and nimble footwork as he cut in across the pitch from the left. He found Mallaburn in space in the inside right channel. Mallaburn picking out Siyanbola in the middle with a great cross.
Siyanbola at the back post inside the six-yard box though got the timing of his jump all wrong and although he did get his downward header on target there was no power and Makepeace saved easily.
In the opening twenty minutes it was United that were the aggressors with the majority of possession but Thornaby were also showing their defensive acumen and ability with great organisation and composure at the back.
Siyanbola then did well to battle and get possession centrally about 30-yards out before passing to Mallaburn on the right. The midfielder whipped another inviting dangerous ball into the visitor's box.
It looked headed for the waiting Dore but Lowe got across well to clear at the expense of a corner. Mallaburn took and Makepeace came to claim the ball well.
Little had been seen of Thornaby to this stage but Makepeace released his throw quickly and a lighting counter attack saw ex-Park View Academy forward Ryan Wright find Luca Nelson on the right.
Nelson crossed dangerously only for Reyhan Grimaud to get back, intercept and although his clearing header flew past James Hughes in the United goal it was well wide of the post giving Thornaby a corner that they didn't use well.
Back to the other end and it was the lively Loveday that seemed to be United's main source of concern for Thornaby. Another searing run saw him skip past two defenders and close in on the box.
He played the ball neatly to Dore who held it and then laid it back to Loveday who had continued his run. The wide man crashing a great angled drive on target inside the near post that saw Makepeace do really well to get down to and palm away.
The corner was once again wasted by United and actually spring boarded another Thornaby counter from which they took the lead on 26 minutes. Ben Priestley looking to break clear from halfway was held back by Ollie Barnett who was booked.
Thornaby pushed players forward as Nelson lined up the free kick. He delivered into the heart of the United box and Lowe got free from his marker to send a powerful free header past the helpless Hughes from about 10-yards out.
It was Thornaby's first real effort on goal but showed the importance of taking your chances as following the goal they looked much more comfortable and in truth controlled the game from that point.
As injury time ticked down in the first half they nearly doubled their lead. Charlie Hindson drifting in from the right on his left foot went past Jamie Frizzel and Grimaud. With the United defence expecting a pull back he went for goal instead.
Hughes doing very well at his near post to block the on-target effort at the expense of a corner that Hindson took. His in-swinger looked dangerous but Hughes came convincingly and punched clear.
It was the last action of an even half where United had made a good start but were rocked back by the visitor's 26th minutes strike that separated the teams.
United opened on the front foot and inevitably Loveday was involved. A sweeping ball from the back finding the United forward. He once again got space on the left and fizzed a ball across the six-yard box that Max Booth did well to clear.
Then a mistake at the back by Chester skipper Dylan Wilkinson almost allowed Wright a clear run at goal. Unfortunately for the visitor's his touch forced him wide of the target.
Wright did manage to fire the ball across and beat Hughes but there was no-one in support of him to apply a decisive touch inside the United area.
Loveday then did well to work his way inside and then lay the ball off to Siyanbola who had a shooting chance some 20-yards out but his left foot effort lacked power and direction and went harmlessly wide of the goal.
Another attack down the left by Loveday saw him hold the ball up and then lay it back to Frizzel. The left back's cross into the Thornaby box was headed clear only to see Wilkinson come charging on to the loose ball.
Unfortunately the United skipper's effort all though well-hit was very high and not very handsome from fully 30 yards out and didn't trouble Makepeace in the Thornaby goal.
Thornaby almost doubled their lead on the hour mark only to be denied by Hughes in the Chester goal who kept his side in the game with a brilliant double save.
Wright found Hindson on the right and he drifted inside before playing a neat pass for substitute Connor Gant to run on to. From 22-yards he drove low and hard only to see Hughes dive across and palm the ball away in fine style.
The rebound though fell to Priestley who looked a certain scorer from about 12-yards out. His shot was firm and true but Hughes showed great agility and presence to once again deny Thornaby what might have been a decisive second.
Grimaud then conceded a free kick some 30 yards from goal. Hindson fancied his chances despite the distance and tried to curl the ball around the United wall. The ball taking a slight deflection to slow it down into the safe arms of Hughes.
With twenty minutes to go United should perhaps have got an equaliser. Once again it was great play on the left by Loveday this time showing great awareness to release Siyanbola into the Thornaby box.
The big centre forward did really well to pull the ball back across the danger area where Grimaud looked a certain scorer. But the Chester midfielder didn't show composure with his open chance.
Instead he merely smashed his 10-yard effort at goal where it was blocked in a crowd area by a Thornaby defender. Had perhaps Grimaud looked up he may have had more time and a better idea of where to place the gilt-edged chance.
It seemed as though the miss took the final wind out of the sails of United and if anything it was Thornaby who were seeing the game out in professional controlled style that may have increased their lead.
Nelson playing a ball to Hindson on the right who cut in on his favoured left foot before curling a 20-yard shot wide of not only Hughes' full dive but the far post as well.
Then deep into the eight and a half minutes of injury time allowed by the referee Thornaby almost sealed the deal when three of their substitutes combined. Bradlee Popple and Gant setting up Jack Myers inside the box.
Once again though Hughes was there for United to make a good parry to keep the score at one for the visitor's who comfortably saw the final couple of minutes out and take all three points.
It's now three home games and three defeats for United without scoring a goal. They have been in all of the contests but just lacked a bit of creativity in the centre of the park leading to little cutting edge at the moment up front.
Six points from the first five games sees them sitting in 14th place in the table whilst Thornaby's unbeaten run of four games including three wins on the bounce sees them up to sixth place in the early season goings. Small margins indeed.
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 Maalaburn 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Addis Dore 11. Harry Marr
SUBS : 12. Dylan Robson (for Marr 68 mins) 14. Dan Walton (for Robinson 57 minutes) 15. Jude Anderson (for Siyanbola 82 mins) - Only 3 subs named.
Management Man of the Match - Charlie Loveday
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