by Jeff King
Durham County FA Minor Cup 3rd Round - Saturday 9th November 2024
Chester-le-Street United Reserves 6 v 2 Easington Lane Reserves
United's Reserves faced Wearside League 2nd Division opposition in the 3rd Round of the Durham FA Minor Cup. Easington Lane's first team being top of the Premier Division and their reserves 5th top of the Second.
United were the favourites on paper but knew they were in for a tough game against a very physical side who looked determined to shock their higher ranked opponents.
Dylan Robson who had been an used substitute for Chester's first-team in their 2 - 1 defeat at Prudhoe YC Seniors in the Ebac Northern League Division 2 game dropping down to the reserves and giving them a perfect start.
United went on the attack from the off and forced a corner inside the first minute. The initial delivery from Harvey Lawrence was cleared but the recycled ball was delivered to the back post and Robson was on hand to poke home from close range.
The visitors to their credit recovered well and were certainly putting themselves about as they looked for an equaliser. Jonathan Beattie though was the first name in the box on 11 minutes for United after a challenge on the right hand side.
It meant the whole hearted committed full back had a line to tread for the rest of the game. A task he managed superbly in the last 80 or so minutes whilst still managing to put in a strong performance.
Easington had looked threatening coming forward and levelled on 22 minutes when they broke down the United inside right channel and a cross shot from just outside the box seemed to go through Rylie Irwin who perhaps should have saved.
United looked though to try and get back in front when good strength from Leo Fasuan inside the box created a chance for himself but his shot wasn't hit firmly enough and the Lane keeper got down low to save.
Then just after the half hour mark Robson almost had a double which would have restored United's leader but his header from a Lawrence corner was cleared off the line. Almost immediately at the other Irwin redeemed himself with an important save on a 1-on-1 situation.
The game and the visitor's were getting a bit feisty and the referee was having to get more and more involved to keep things from boiling over. Eventually he had to approach the Easington bench and brandish a yellow card to their Head Coach.
Just before half-time Evan Cubby had an effort from distance which almost was almost a two-in-one moment as the ball flew just past Jude Anderson at the back post and inches wide of the post.
Honours even at the half with United quite relaxed as they looked the fitter and more well drilled of the two sides.
The half didn't start well for the visitors as they were temporarily reduced to 10 men due to a sin bin for one of their midfielders for dissent. Lawrence almost taking advantage of the numerical difference.
His well struck effort from the edge of the box forcing a good save from the Easington keeper who palmed the ball away at full stretch. Clearly though the Easington Head Coach was still unsettled and remonstrating with the referee.
It led to a lengthy stoppage in play as once again the referee felt the protests had been taken too far and dismissed the Coach from the field of play who reluctantly and slowly did leave the pitch side.
United though urged on by coaches Anth Johnson and Willie Donachie kept their cool and let their football do their talking. A great cross from Lawrence finding captain Jude Anderson free 8-yards out but he failed to get his header on target.
Then following a free kick from Lawrence, Dan Walton up from the back hit the bar with a good header, the rebound falling to Cubby six-yards out but he could only fire the follow up wide.
A goal looked inevitable and eventually arrived on 58 minutes. A ball into the box finding Anderson who controlled it well before showing great footwork to give hi space and then dispatching a great finish to put United 2 - 1 up.
If United thought that was the breakthrough that would change the game they were mistaken. Within two minutes the visitors were level again. This time it was a foul by Keane Mitchell that gave The Lane a penalty.
It looked soft but Mitchell did appear to kick out at his opponent and could only watch on disappointedly as Easington's #10 beat Irwin comfortably with a well struck kick straight down the middle to level things up once more.
However, within five minutes United were back in front with a penalty of their own. This time it was Anderson who was pulled to the ground as he swivelled on a loose ball from a United corner who earned the spot-kick.
Cubby stepping up sending the ball to the keeper's right into the side netting inside the goal as the goalkeeper went vainly in the other direction. United were now in real top gear as the goal forged them on.
On 71 minutes it was 4 - 2. Cubby doing brilliantly to win the ball on the right and then turn it inside to Ollie Dixon who played an incisive through ball beyond the Easington defence to find Anderson running into the box and finishing coolly.
With ten minutes to go that man Anderson made it a hat-trick and essentially game over. He'd just missed a 1-on-1 situation moments later but a great defence splitting pass from substitute Ethan Stobbart gave him another chance that he finished with aplomb.
There was even time for a United sixth as the game went into the third minute of injury time. United getting a corner that was delivered into the area. The ball not being cleared and falling to Mitchell who lashed it home to complete the scoring.
Easington had been a tough side to shake off but United's superior fitness and all-round passing play eventually wore them down as they marched impressively on to the next round.
TEAM : 1. Rylie Irwin 2. Jonathan Beattie 3. Keane Mitchell 4. Dylan Robson 5. Dan Walton 6. Matty Henderson 7. Evan Cubby 8. Ollie Dixon 9. Jude Anderson 10. Leo Fasuan 11. Harvey Lawrence.
SUBS : Joe Guest, Gustavo Morais, Jack Wilson, Ethan Stobbard and Jack Barker
SCORERS : Robson 1, Anderson 58, 71 & 80, Cubby (pen) 65, Mitchell 90 + 3
MAN of the MATCH : Jude Anderson
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