by Jeff King (With Thanks To Michael Thorpe and Social Media)
Ebac Northern League Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup - Tuesday 5th December 2024
Esh Winning 2 v 2 Chester-le-Street United
After 90 minutes (Chester-le-Street United Win 5 - 4 On Penalties)
After three consecutive League defeats United travelled to Esh Winning a team comfortably in the top four of the Second Division and a difficult proposition on an always difficult pitch. This was the 1st Round of The Northern League League Cup.
Micky Nelson made two changes to the team that lost unluckily to Horden at home the Saturday before. Riley Everett coming in to the defence with Reyhan Grimaud moving to right back and Dan Robinson dropping to the bench.
Australian Jet Fittolani came in for his full Chester debut on the right side of a a three-man attack to replace Nathan Conroy who also took a place on the bench.
It was Esh that opened the brighter on the front foot from the start with James Hughes in the Chester goal having to come off his line smartly to smother a ball in behind his defensive line.
Jamie Frizzel then did well moments later to cut out a dangerous Esh cross to the back post seeing it out of danger with really good defending but he and his fellow defenders could do nothing to stop Esh taking the lead on 9 minutes.
A long free kick over the top of the United defence saw Hughes come from his line again but this time he didn't get there as Cobi Jones beat him to the ball and had the simple task of heading the ball over him into an empty net.
United did respond well with Fittolani gettinghis head on a good cross only to see an Esh defender block and then carry clear and then a Frizzel header over the top of the defence almost saw United in but again Esh scrambled it clear.
Fittolani then played a great pass down the right hand side of the box to find Brandon Young but again the Esh defence were up to the danger and cleared a decent cross in very well.
On 29 minutes United drew level and deservedly so. Fittolani played a neat pass inside to Charlie Loveday who broke forward and dinked a lovely ball over the defence that found Michael Mallaburn inside the box.
The United midfielder saw his effort blocked but the rebound fell to Stephen Siyanbola and from 10-yards out he struck the ball well enough with his weaker right foot to beat Harry Alderson in the Esh goal.
United were mixing their play up on a tricky surface and a direct ball down the right almost freed Grimaud but once again the Esh defence stood firm and bundled the danger away.
Hughes in the United goal was having to player as a sweeper at times as Esh's direct approach threatened his goal and one such intervention by him avoided a dangerous looking opening for the home side.
United were looking good now after a shaky start but the Esh defence was coping well with the ball's played in and around the danger area. Grimaud's excellent touch and pass finding Fittolani on the right but his cross was again cleared.
As the game went into first half injury time Mallaburn was unlucky with a low drive that saw Alderson get down low to make a good save from before Fittolani had another effort that just went wide.
Honours even at the half with everything to play for in the second 45 minutes.
Siyanbola was getting more involved for United and causing the Esh defence problems. Early in the second half he went down inside the home box under a heavy challenge but the referee waved the United appeals away.
Then Hughes made a very long clearance that split the Esh defence and found Siyanbola but he hit his shot over the bar when well placed. Chester though were rewarded for their bright start to the second half by taking the lead on 53 minutes.
A Mallaburn free kick into the box saw Frizzel climb to head goal wards but the ball was cleared. Dylan Wilkinson headed it back into the danger area and Siyanbola turned it goal wards to find Frizzel.
The left back spotting Fittolani in space played a lovely little ball sideways and the Australian showed great composure to smash it home into the corner from the edge of the six-yard box to mark his full debut in style.
Esh were now pushing for an equaliser and Wilkinson and Everett in the heart of the United defence were doing well to keep the ball out and away from danger as the bombardment continued.
United were still coming forward at times and Siyanbola had a hooked effort from inside the box that beat Alderson's dive but was cleared from the line by an alert Esh defender. Esh then had an opportunity that they spurned with a wild shot well over the United bar.
Fittolani was showing that he could play at this level and was dangerous. Another driving run gave him a shooting opportunity but this time Alderson got down to make a comfortable save.
The same player going close again for Chester after a clever Mallaburn free kick found him in the box and his on target shot was cleared from almost off the Esh goal line denying him a double on debut.
Siyanbola then picked up an unnecessary booking for denying Alderson from taking a quick clearing kick before on 68 minutes the home side snatched an equaliser.
United would be disappointed with their defending for the goal. Once again a ball over the top caught the United defence out and Hughes had to come off his line to clear. But he wasn't strong enough with his clearance.
The ball was played past him into the box and with United caught out of position the Esh Man of the Match Dan Pringle was able to scramble the ball over the line. an untidy mess goal to conceded but Esh didn't mind that at all.
Nathan Conroy was United's first substitute coming on for the tiring Fittolani who had put in a very decent shift indeed. This was followed by Robinson coming on for Harley Lawton and Dominic Hughes for Loveday as United freshened things up.
Dom Hughes almost making an instant impact with a good low shot that Alderson did well to parry away to safety. Then as time ticked down it was another substitute Conroy who was denied a winner by a brilliant Alderson reaction save.
Robinson then had a good strike from distance that flew wide before Siyanbola won a corner for United in injury time. This lead to an altercation in the box involving the big striker who was shown a second yellow card and dismissed from the field.
A blow to United as the game ended seconds later and they were faced with a penalty shoot-out for which Siyanbola would have been almost certain to be in the five penalty takers.
As it was James Hughes turned from villain to hero as he made a superb strong left handed save from Jones' first kick for the home side who opened the penalty lottery with that miss.
No other penalties were missed with Wilkinson, Conroy, Mallaburn and Young all stepping up for United and putting their kicks away with authority. Esh also scored their next four after their miss so the pressure was on Frizzel for the last kick.
Showing no nerves at all he smashed his left foot kick past the helpless Alderson to great delight from his teammates, coaching staff and supporters of United as they advanced to the next round.
The game may have been level after 90 minutes but this was a significant result and performance by United against a side in the top four of the division. Perhaps on the night a draw had been the right result but United's youngsters kept their cool from the spot and in the end deservedly went through.
TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Reyhan Grimaud 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Michael Mallaburn 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Riley Everett 7. Jet Fittolani 8. Brandon Young 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Harley Lawton 11. Charlie Loveday
SUBS : 12. Dan Robinson (for Lawton 77 mins) 14. Dylan Robson - DNP 15. Dom Hughes (for Loveday 80 mins) 16. Ben Gallagher - DNP 17. Nathan Conroy (for Fittolani 73 mins)
SCORERS : Siyanbola, Fittolani
MAN of the MATCH : Michael Mallaburn
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