by Jeff King
Wearside League Division 1 - Wednesday 4th September 2024
Chester-le-Street United 11 v 0 Wynyard Village
United's Reserves completed a fabulous midweek effort right across The Club with a sensational 11-goal (YES, 11!) demolition of Wynyard Village. A win that takes this fast improving and chock full of talent young squad up to 3rd in the league.
It also came on the back of United's 5 - 1 win over Newcastle Benfield in the FA Youth Challenge Cup on Monday and the First Team's away win at Billingham Synthonia on Tuesday night.
Three superb wins that really show the potential of the Chester-le-Street/Park View Academy project and gives further justification, if justification were needed, to the work behind the scenes from the Management and Coaching staff.
Of course the players have to respond in kind and they have done exactly that with a glorious series of displays capped off by an unbelievable performance on Wednesday. It's easy to see why the future's so bright at Chester-le-Street right now.
United were off and running early in this game and completely on the front foot from the off. Their more experienced opposition simply having no answer to the speed, fitness, ability and togetherness of Colin Wotherspoon's young squad.
Goal number 1 arrived on 4 minutes. Olly Dixon and Ben Gallagher pushing forward from midfield to open up a crossing opportunity for Harvey Lawrence on the left. His delivery into the box was exemplarily and superbly accurate.
It found Nathan Conroy running in between the two centre halves to guide a lovely looping header from 10-yards over the helpless keeper. Straight from the kick-off United were at it again and went 2 - 0 on 6 minutes.
This time brilliantly pressing in all forward areas saw Wynyard give the ball away to the Reserves' top scorer in the centre of the pitch. Lawrence took a great first touch and then lashed the ball home from inside the 'D.'
On 15 minutes it was three. Casper Skrzecz played a superb ball from the back to the right where Evan Cubby's sublime first touch took him speeding away from the defence. He got to the by-line cutting the ball back to Conroy who side-footed home from 8-yards.
The fourth goal came on 23 minutes. It was a lovely sweeping move starting from the back with Dan Walton starting it and the passing through the midfield opening up a final ball to Conroy in the inside right channel.
Looking up he hit a great curling ball to the back post and Cubby came steaming in to knock it home from inside the six-yard box. Another cutting edged move that saw a great final result.
No. 5 came after a slight delay on 39 minutes and was an absolute beauty. Jonathan Beattie being released on the right deep in his own half by Skrecz. He simply burst forward leaving the Villagers defence in his wake.
He played the ball into Dixon who's return pass split the defence open and was right into Beattie's path as he advanced into the box before sliding the ball neatly into the far corner.
Half-time came with the result now not in doubt but the question would be, would United let up. Not a bit of it as the goal hungry youngsters merely poured misery on to the beleaguered opposition.
After a little bit of resistance from Wynyard #6 arrived on 58 minutes. United attacked down the right and eventually the ball fell to substitute Joe Sykes in midfield 30-yards from goal. He played a great reverse ball inside the box.
It found the run of Gallagher once again getting the right side for United and wrong side of Wynyard of the defence. Gallagher showed composure beyond his years to calmly slot home as he advanced on goal.
On 62 minutes United were in seventh heaven. Beattie's free-kick almost saw Conroy get on the end of it six-yards out but he narrowly missed it. Skrzecz though didn't as he came in around the back and finished from close range.
Conroy though was not to be denied and duly picked up his hat-trick on 65 minutes. Lovely play out from the back by United once again tore the Wynyard defence wide apart.
The final dinked ball over the top finding Conroy who chested the ball down and then coolly clipped it past the advancing keeper with his right foot to make it 8 - 0.
Number nine came courtesy of an assist from Chester's hat-trick hero #9 Conroy. Substitute Matty Henderson supplying the through ball and in an almost carbon copy except on the other flank, Conroy drove the ball across the box and the late arriving Cubby smashed it high into the net from inside the six-yard box.
With a shade over twenty minutes to play the question now was would United hit double figures? The answer was empathic on 70 minutes when another Chester substitute got in on the act.
United were pressing again putting balls into the box and getting to the clearances to run them time and again. This final decisive moment coming when Conroy squared a ball across to Michael Mallaburn lashed it home with his left foot from 12-yards.
Chester were now finally in cruise mode and understandably just back off slightly but they weren't quite finished and grabbed their 11th of a fabulous night on 89 minutes with an absolute gift to give Conroy his fourth of the night.
The Wynyard defender playing a ball from the right touchline midway inside his half back and across into his own box finding Conroy completely unmarked and on a night like this the deadly centre forward wasn't going to miss the opportunity and duly slotted home from 10-yards.
An unbelievable night from United's youngsters who now look a match for anybody in this league now that they've settled into a slick routine and very quickly come to terms with the demands of the Division.
This side included no less than six players that had started the FA Youth Challenge Cup game and another four that came off the bench on that night. Two massive wins inside 48 hours had Head Coach Wotherspoon purring after the game.
"We went into tonight’s game knowing a few of the lads had played 2/3 games in 3 days and I was concerned about them being maybe a bit off the pace but it could not have been further from the truth."
"From the kick off we looked like a proper side which to be fair we are starting to do in a more consistent basis, with our decision making and ability to handle the ball in all areas of the pitch."
"I just knew we would be ok as long as our fitness levels remained the same and they certainly proved that with our movement on the ball and how aggressive we were to win the ball back."
"Normally at this young age and level at times can be wasteful with the chances we create but tonight it was different from the off, nobody would argue that there was possibly 4/5 goal of the season contender tonight and in one game tells it all.
"The first goal was a brilliant team goal ending up with a switch of play to the inform Harvey Lawrence who went at the full back, while Olly Dixon back in the side tonight after his holiday break made a great run across dragging the defenders."
This allowed Harvey to drop inside the park and deliver another inch perfect cross onto Nathan conroys head who intelligently flicked the ball into the top corner behind him what a start it was."
"Lawrence again was involved when he smashed a second into the roof of the net with incredible control and power. The Wynyard players looked shell shocked and it continued throughout the game."
"There were some outstanding goals and performances Nathan Conroy being awarded MOTM for his 4 goal tally and all round forward hold up play, I feel like I must give a mention to the players and staff of Wynyard who never stopped trying to play and regardless of the result are not a bad side."
"They just came across a fit young hungry group of players who put everything together that you want in one game. The key message now to this group is consistency and work rate to always improve and keep the very high standards they have shown over 3 games in 3 days."
TEAM : 1 Louie Aldus 2 Jonathan Beattie 3 Keane Mitchell 4 Dylan Robson 5 Dan Walton 6 Casper Skrzecz 7 Evan Cubby 8 Ben Gallagher 9 Nathan Conroy 10 Olly Dixon (c) 11 Harvey Lawrence
SUBS : 12 Joe Sykes 14 Matty Henderson 15 Joe Bell 16 Ethan Stobbart 17 Michael Mallaburn
SCORERS : Conroy 4, 15, 65, 89 Lawrence 6 Cubby 23, 68 Beattie 39 Gallagher 58 Skrzecz 62 Mallaburn 70
MAN of the MATCH : Nathan Conroy
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