by Jeff King
Durham County 'Frank Pattison' Challenge Cup 1st Round - Tue 8th October 2024
Spennymoor Town 3 v 0 Chester-le-Street United
United put in a battling performance against their opponents from the Vanarama National League North. But in the end despite Spennymoor not playing a full strength side the XI plus subs that did turn out were just too strong for Chester.
Spennymoor also included seven players in their matchday squad that had played at The Riverside the week before in the FA Youth Cup penalty shoot-out win for Moors that had ended United's run in that competition.
Park View Academy student Eddy Cook one of those along with goalkeeper Ryan Johnson who played in United's first team last season as well as pre-season. United on the other hand had to make two changes to the starting XI that played Ryton.
Injuries to Brandon Young and Jamie Frizzel meant recalls to the first XI for Riley Everett and Reyhan Grimaud both of whom has been on the bench against Ryton after returning from injury.
After a pitch inspection about 45 minutes prior to the kick-off the referee deemed the surface playable following prolonged rain during the day and the game got underway at the scheduled time of 7:30pm.
Inside the first two minutes United were given an indication that they could be in for a tough night as Moors raced into the lead with the first effort on goal from either side.
First teamer Junior Mondal picking a ball up on the right touchline before driving across the United 18-yard box largely unchallenged before drilling a low crisp left foot finish from just outside the box past the diving James Hughes into the corner.
A shock from United who were rocked back and struggling early on as Town poured forward playing some neat incisive football and almost went two-up on 6 minutes.
Dane Burlance feeding Mondal who got in behind Ollie Burnett before pulling the ball back to Will Harris who curled it inches wide from 16-yards with Hughes well beaten.
A minute later and an attack down the left for the home side gave Max McMillan a shooting chance from just outside the United box but once again the Spennymoor player just failed to hit the target.
It had been a superb opening by the higher league home side and United took a while to get into the game. They did eventually start to match their opponents but were hit again on 21 minutes just as they has started showing promise.
Jack Chapman with a ball forward from the back that bisected the United defence too easily allowing Mondal to turn provider as he found Joe Gibson inside the box and he ran on to finish neatly from 12 yards with United's defence carved open.
It was still Spennymoor looking dangerous every time they attacked that had the upper hand. On 30 minutes Gibson but McMillan through on goal. He managed to round Hughes but his angle was tight.
He did though he got his effort on target but Barnett did well to cover behind his keeper and turn the goal bound effort off the line. United then two minutes later finally registered a shot on goal.
Good holdup play on the right by Nathan Conroy saw him find the breaking Ben Gallagher in the centre of the field. The young midfielder driving forward before hitting a fine left foot shot from 22 yards that flashed just wide.
Chester seemed now to have finally got a foot in the game and were starting to create some openings of their own. Stephen Siyanbola doing well on the right to turn a ball into the box for Conroy.
He took aim and saw his first time shot well blocked by Moors Captain Nathan McGinley at the expense of a corner. Michael Mallaburn delivered and Grimaud got up well to win the header some 8-yards out but it was just over the bar.
United then were almost undone from their own corner kick. Once again delivered by Mallaburn it was headed away by Chapman and then Dan Myers released Harris with a brilliant long ball.
Grimaud scrambling back upended the lively Moors striker just outside the box and was cautioned. Mondal took the resultant dangerous free kick and fired it just over the bar with Hughes struggling to cover.
United though kept going and just before half-time a moment of magic from Charlie Loveday almost allowed them to unlock the Town defence. He showed great control and quick feet to leave Burlance in his wake.
As he approached the Spennymoor box he played a lovely square pass to Conroy who from 16-yards out hit it first time. the ball deflecting off McGinley and changing direction.
Johnson though was alert was equal to it and adjusted his feet superbly to brilliantly claw the effort away with his right hand to preserve his side's two-goal advantage as the referee's whistle went for half-time.
Spennymoor certainly opened the second half like a team that thought they needed a third goal and within the first minute of the restart had three clear-cut chances where Hughes did well to keep out.
First a good hit from Gibson from fully 25-yards saw him get down to his left and gather well. Then after sloppily giving away possession United it was Gibson again thwarted.
Chester's slack play allowed him inside the box but Hughes made a great parry to keep the ball out. The rebound fell to Modal who had a great chance but Hughes adjusted superbly to recover his position and block the ball with his feet.
Then it was the same two Moors players combining with Gibson finding Mondal with a neat pass and the winger seeing his shot deflected by United's skipper Dylan Wilkinson just over the bar.
On the hour mark Wilkinson did well to win a ball at the back and then drive forward into the Moors half. But he was dispossessed and conceded a throw-in that Burlance took quickly catching United short-handed at the back.
Gibson driving into United's box but his shot was too close to Hughes who got down well to safe smartly. Then a lovely move involving Dan Atkinson, Gibson and Mondal again gave McMillan a shooting chance that Dan Robinson blocked well.
Substitutions followed from both teams and the game became slightly disjointed although Chester did rally and start to gain more possession. Both teams at times playing some really neat football but aslo cancelling each other out.
On 70 minutes United won a free kick about 25 yards from goal. This time it was Gallagher rather than Mallaburn that took it but his effort although clearing the wall also went wide of the right upright.
United's character, commitment and energy was there for all to see as they battled gamely in the closing stages and matched Spennymoor who by now looked content to defend what they had.
However, in the final minute two of the Moors Youth Team players on as substitutes combined to earn them a penalty. Kingston Butler making a great run from the centre circle to the United left.
He played a good 1-2 with Fin Rose and as he went to control the return Robinson covering across was adjudged to have brought him down. Harris stepped up and despatched the spot-kick to Hughes left with the keeper choosing to go right.
It was perhaps a tad harsh on United to concede a third for their second half efforts and the goal was almost superfluous in the final reckoning. But on reflection there was no doubting that Spennymoor were comfortable winners on the night.
TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Dan Robinson 3. Ollie Barnett 4. Reyhan Grimaud 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Riley Everett 7. Nathan Conroy 8. Ben Gallagher 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Michael Mallaburn 11. Charlie Loveday
SUBS : 12. Dylan Robson (for Grimaud 75 mins) 14. Dan Walton (for Gallagher 80 mins) 15. Kymani Severin (for Conroy 66 mins) 16. Jude Anderson (for Siyanbola 66 mins) 17. Harvey Lawrence (for Loveday 66 mins)
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