by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Friday 8th November 2024
Prudhoe YC Seniors 2 v 1 Chester-le-Street United
It was inevitable that sooner or later United's fabulous run would come to an end. After 9 wins and a draw in their last 10 games that happened in Prudhoe on Friday night. A cold analysis of the game may suggest United probably deserved a point.
But when you can't turn possession meaningful chances and goal opportunities and then contrive to give the opposition the very same opportunities which they took then perhaps United can have no complaints.
Architects of their own downfall for sure on the night as poor decision making and misplaced possession combined in the end to give them too much to do to keep the run going.
Fair to say that United did create the best two chances of the night but unfortunately for them it was at the wrong end as a tough physical and well organised Prudhoe side took full advantage.
United had gone into the game looking for another win that would have taken them up to sixth in the table. It would have also given them a modicum of revenge after losing at home to Prudhoe back in July.
But in the end, Prudhoe a point and a place behind United before kick-off leapfrogged Chester and moved closer to the playoff places taking a league double for the season over United.
Perhaps the way that Prudhoe greeted the win at the end of a hard-fought 90 minutes said a lot about the game and the situation at stake. There's no doubting that the home side's loud exuberant celebrations showed how important it was.
That may also be a compliment to United as well. It showed that the run Chester have been on has been noticed and that Prudhoe who have ambitions to make the playoffs valued a win over a potential rival so highly.
United's starting XI saw the return of Harley Lawton to the midfield at the expense of Ben Gallagher who dropped down to a full compliment of substitutes on the bench.
Reyhan Grimaud keeping his place at the centre of defence and Dan Robinson at right back despite the return to availability of both Riley Everett and Dylan Robson who were also both on the bench as Micky Nelson kept a largely unchanged side.
Chester almost took the lead inside the first couple of minutes. Michael Mallaburn was tripped by Lucca Taylor some forty yards from goal giving them an early free kick. Mallaburn taking it and floating the ball into the back post.
Captain Dylan Wilkinson ghosting in behind the home defence for a free header but his connection was not true and the ball glanced off his head and went disappointingly wide of the target.
Then another good chance saw United get an unlucky break. This time Mallaburn picking the ball up deep and hitting a great long diagonal ball to the left finding the overlapping Jamie Frizzel.
The left back turned the ball inside to Nathan Conroy who controlled it well before coming across the 18-yard line and then sliding a lovely pass into Charlie Loveday just inside the box.
Loveday's first time on target effort being deflected inches wide by Liam Dalton with keeper Thomas Dawson beaten. Mallaburn delivered the corner and with Wilkinson and Stephen Siyanbola causing problems the ball fell to Conroy.
He smashed it goal wards from about 12-yards and once again a Prudhoe defender did his job by getting his body in the way to block the effort and prevent any chance of United getting an opener.
Little had been seen of Prudhoe in the early going but as often is the case a side takes the lead against the run of play and with their first attack. The goal came on 8 minutes and it was initially fashioned by poor play by United.
Loveday had the ball in midfield and Frizzel made a run down the left from his defensive position. Loveday's pass though was wayward and went straight to Freddie Marr who was in acres of space.
He played it forward to Matt Law who was in a dangerous area about 22-yards out and with no cover on him the Prudhoe top scorer smashed a superb right foot angled drive above the flaying hands of James Hughes to open the scoring.
A goal that was well finished after the opportunity was presented to them and buoyed the home side. Siyanbola the next guilty United player to give the ball aay straight to Taylor in midfield.
Taylor found Bradley Lowes who crossed from the right towards the middle where Robinson cut it out at the expense of a corner. Freddie Marr delivered it into the United six-yard box where Hughes came and made a great claim under pressure.
United had recovered well from the shock of going a goal down and almost got back into the game when Wilkinson played a long ball from the back that saw Loveday dart in between two defenders to control and burst into the box.
His low left foot angled shot was however not hit hard enough and Dawson was able to get down to his left and smother the chance well to keep his side in front.
Prudhoe went close after a good move down the left saw Finlay Baty play a good ball into Freddie Marr. Marr controlling it well before sending Collins Unuareokpa at the Chester defence.
Unuareokpa getting to the byline before pulling the ball back to Marr who's effort was well blocked by Robinson. The ball spinning right and being picked up by Taylor who fizzed a low cross through the United six-yard box with no-one getting on the end of it.
United though continued to dominate possession and play the neater more controlled football. Mallaburn starting another move that saw Siyanbola find Conroy just outside the box but he was denied a shot by a late trip by Lowes.
Mallaburn tried a curler from the centrally awarded free kick but it had too much pace and elevation to trouble Dawson who watched it sail comfortably over his cross bar.
Lawton had found it difficult to get into the game but showed his quality when he picked up Brandon Young's neat pass and threaded a superb ball through the middle for Conroy to get inside the Prudhoe box.
Once again, this time it was home captain Darren Graham, Prudhoe had a solid defender in the right place at the right time and Conroy found his path to goal blocked again.
United with Young in particular driving them forward always looked a threat but Prudhoe continued to defend deep and well standing resolutely firm. Even when United threatened to break the shackles they found a challenge coming in.
Loveday being the victim of one crunching tackle from Taylor that earned the home side's combative midfielder a yellow card much to the annoyance of the home bench despite the fact that Loveday looked as is he'd burst clear.
United though couldn't turn their possession into a meaningful end product and paid the price on 38 minutes when Prudhoe thanks to poor United play and a slice of good fortune went 2 - 0 up.
The goal actually coming from a United free kick that was cleared back into their own half and Mallaburn retrieved. He then decided to play the ball back to Hughes in the United goal but left his pass woefully short and it was intercepted by Unuareokpa.
He sprinted away on towards Hughes with United's defence trying to catch him. Inside the box and 1-on-1 with Hughes he tried to slide the ball past the United keeper who did well to deflect it with his right foot.
Unfortunately for Hughes and United the retreating Grimaud couldn't get out of the way and the ball cannoned of his shins into the back of the net as he was trying to recover.
It was another avoidable moment for United and meant going in at the half-time break two goals down gave them a mountain to climb in the second 45 minutes. Their performance had been good but Prudhoe's finishing left them chasing.
United obviously still believed as they came out in the second half and continued where they'd left off with the far greater share of possession and pushing the home side back. Prudhoe were though looking determined to hang on.
Wilkinson playing a good searching ball forward to Young who created space as he turned away and ran at the home defence only to be upended by Taylor not far outside of the box.
This time it was Lawton on delivery duties and he lined-up a 22-yard effort with his left foot. He got the ball over the ball but it had too much on it and flew to safety troubling the squirrels in the trees behind the goal more than the goal itself.
Finally on 63 minutes United's pressing and possession paid off. Young finding Conroy just inside the area and as United's striker tried to go around Graham he was upended and went down with the referee immediately pointing to the spot.
Conroy got up and drove his right-footed spot-kick unerringly into his bottom right hand corner past the full length dive of Dawson. 2 - 1 and most definitely game on now with Chester in the ascendency.
But Prudhoe were still in front and United still needed to be careful at the back almost getting caught out again when this time Wilkinson gave the ball away to Law who found substitute Micky Wright with a neat pass.
Wright in turn found Marr who looked as if he might have a good chance for a clear shot on goal but Wilkinson showed good recovery powers to get back and block his path to goal.
The ball coming back to Wright who won a corner of Robinson that Marr swung in dangerously under the United bar but Hughes stretched well to make an impressive grab under pressure.
United's first change came with Dominic Hughes coming on for Mallaburn and he immediately started well looking lively up front with Siyanbola and seeming to free up more room in the middle for Lawton.
Loveday finding Lawton inside and the midfielder making space well before firing in a 20-yard effort that was always too high to trouble Dawson. Then a lovely move by United started by Wilkinson involving Lawton and Siyanbola saw the overlapping Robinson win a corner.
Lawton swinging a ball to the back post where Frizzel was completely unmarked but just couldn't get high enough to direct a header on goal and the chance was gone.
United thought they had an equaliser on 76 minutes. It was created by a great run down the left by Dom Hughes who then fired a dangerous cross into the middle that Dalton headed clear.
Lawton was first to the loose ball and again showed good feet to create a shooting chance that he hit well only to see Dawson dive to his left and do brilliantly to plam the ball out.
Siyanbola was first to the loose ball and gleefully smashed it home for what he thought was a deserved United equaliser but he was rightly denied by the Assistant's flag signalling he was offside.
Then it was Loveday releasing Dom Hughes this time on the right. The speedy substitute doing well to get a dangerous low cross into the middle where Siyanbola and a defender went for the ball inside the six-yard box.
Siyanbola's presence almost meaning the ball was forced over the line but Dawson was alive to the situation and made a good desperate late grab to save the day for Prudhoe.
United continued to press and press but just couldn't find a way through. The final opportunity almost coming in injury time when another Lawton corner into the six-yard box caused a scramble that Prudhoe won and managed to clear.
As the final whistle went Prudhoe's players showed their delight with huge roars of celebration whilst United's players fell to the ground hardly believing they hadn't got at least a point.
So, the run ended but not in a negative way as United more than matched their opponents and could feel very unfortunate not to come away with at least a share of the spoils.
However those two unforced defensive errors in the first half were in the end the difference between the two sides although Prudhoe had every right to be pleased with their dogged determined defensive efforts.
Next up for United is another tough, tough game as they will face leaders Yarm & Eaglescliffe at the Ford Quarry Hub next Saturday, the 16th of November.
TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Dan Robinson 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Michael Mallaburn 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Reyhan Grimaud 7. Nathan Conroy 8. Brandon Young 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Harley Lawton 11. Charlie Loveday
SUBS : 12. Jack Wilson - DNP 14. Ben Gallagher - DNP 15. Riley Everett - DNP 16. Dominic Hughes (for Mallaburn 71 mins) 17. Dylan Robson - DNP
SCORERS : Conroy 63 (pen)
MAN of the MATCH : Brandon Young
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