by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 31st August 2024
Chester-le-Street United 0 v 1 Bedlington Terriers
United will go into September still looking for their first point let alone win at hoe in the league following another decent performance but ultimately no rewards. It's now six played and six lost at The Ford Hub so far this season.
The really worry for the team and coaching staff is the lack of cutting edge at the business end of the pitch. Defensively they've been sound this season, apart from the blip against Alnwick Town, and in midfield they look neat and tidy in possession.
But worryingly only six goals scored all season and only one of them at home in the six home games tells the story of not just a disappointing season so far but also a frustrating one.
Once again United lost a game they were well in by a single goal and must start finding answers to the goal scoring problem if they are not to slide further down the Division and into the positions they felt they would easily avoid this campaign.
After the 5 - 0 thumping they had received at the hands of Alnwick Town, Head Coach Micky Nelson had talked about changes. But with players unavailable and both the Under-18s and reserves also having fixtures on the same day it was an unchanged line-up that trotted out to take on The Terriers.
One bright and promising sign though was the return to the First Team squad for the first time this season of midfielder Brandon Young after over six months on the side lines.
For the first ten minutes or so of the contest there was little in the game. Bedlington had the first chance when a bad touch from Ben Gallagher in midfield gave the ball away to Terriers midfielder Ryan Smith.
He played a delightful ball over the top of the Chester defence and Matty Hayton looked to be away and in a one-2-one situation with James Hughes. Hayton's first touch fortunately for United was heavy and Hughes came sliding out to take the ball off the striker's toe.
Smith then handed United a chance when he fouled Dan Robinson just inside the Terriers half. Harley Lawton clipped a dangerous ball into the away side's box that fell to Reyhan Grimaud about 12-yards out but he put his left foot effort wide.
Lewis Orrel then swept a ball wide to Owen Imeson on the left who cut in but saw his route blocked by Robinson. The ball bouncing back out to Orrel who struck it well from 25-yards out but it was straight at Hughes who saved comfortably.
Robinson as often is the case was very active on United's right flank and another good burst saw him find Stephen Siyanbola in space. Siyanbola found his strike partner Addis Dore inside the six-yard box.
The angle was tight but Dore got his strike on target and Lennon Trinder in the Bedlington goal had to be alert to turn it around the post with his feet for a United corner. Lawton's delivery was really good and caused confusion.
Both Dore and then Charlie Loveday had efforts blocked with Loveday's coming back out to Lawton who from the angle of the 18-yard box curled a left foot effort that was not wide of the far post.
Bedlington then began to get on top. From a corner won by the overlapping Evan Wilkinson off Gallagher, Imeson floated a dangerous ball to the back post where the unmarked Smith was just not tall enough to direct his header on target.
The pressure was building Billy Poster playing a ball down the right to Flynn Martingdale whose dangerous low cross was superbly intercepted by United's skipper Dylan Wilkinson at the expense of a corner.
Evan Wilkinson whipped into the near post and saw Jack Watson get there first but only to head it narrowly wide from close range. It felt thought that a goal was coming and it duly arrived on 16 minutes.
Imeson was allowed time and space to spray a neat pass wide right to Martingdale. He checked back on to his left foot and was allowed to cross the ball into the United six-yard box.
Hayton timed his run well and got in front of Riley Everett and Hughes and bundled the ball home from close range to give Bedlington the lead.
Within a minute is was almost and perhaps should have been two. Wilkinson's long ball from the back catching the United defence square and Hayton was in on goal. Hughes though came off his line well and bravely to make a goal saving block.
Bedlington were now on top but United thought they had a good penalty shout on 26 minutes. Gallagher doing well from the middle of the park to find Loveday on the left who in turn played a lovey inside ball to Dore in the Terriers area.
Dore showed good footwork to go past one defender and as he looked for space and showed great footwork Watson slid in and Dore went down. There looked no need for the United striker to go down under the challenge but the referee waved Chester's penalty claim away.
On the half hour mark a lovely Bedlington move almost brought them dividends. James Wilson instigating it from midfield and finding Imeson. He played a lovely pass wide left to Wilkinson charging into the box.
The left back pulled it back to Hayton inside the 6-yard box who looked a certain scorer until United's Wilkinson made a brilliant crucial sliding block and deny the Bedlington striker a second goal of the game.
United were being neat in possession and trying to prise open a well marshalled and committed Terriers defence. Lawton playing a free kick to Loveday on the left who cut inside cleverly before playing a good ball right to the advancing Robinson.
Robinson turned the ball back to Gallagher some 20 yards from goal and on an angle. He crossed to the back post where Jamie Frizzel arrived late unmarked but he could only direct his header over the bar.
Bedlington had another corner on the United left that Wilkinson swung in once again to the near post. This time it was Imeson getting on the end of it but Hughes was able to watch the ball go past his post.
A better move from Chester saw Gallagher find Grimaud breaking forward in the middle he found Loveday who floated a great cross in that was just too high for Siyanbola.
A combination of Gallagher retrieved the ball on the opposite flank and the ball was given to Lawton who curled another longish range effort at goal. this time it was on target but Trinder was able to make an easy save.
Shortly before the break United's skipper Wilkinson once again came to his side's rescue. Orrel playing a great reverse pass from an attacking central position that initially split the Chester defence.
It sent Imeson through on goal but as he advanced to meet the challenge of Hughes, Wilkinson came from seemingly nowhere to make yet another fantastic interception and avert the danger for his side.
The half did end with a half chance for United when Loveday's lovely ball from the left looked to have freed Dore for a run on goal but as the striker tried to get the ball into a good shooting position he was denied by a combination of Watson and Terriers skipper Josh Morton.
At the half-time whistle it was the away side that held and advantage that they thoroughly deserved after being the better more progressive side in the first 45 minutes.
United made a positive start to the second half. Wilkinson making an excellent intercepting header from an attempted Orrel through ball and then having the presence of mind to burst forward to get his own clearance.
Winning the challenge he set-up Dore inside the Terriers box. The ball was pulled back to Loveday whose instant snapshot from 8 yards unluckily for United took a deflection and flashed wide of the post.
Gallagher's in swinging corner was a beauty clearing the flaying hands of Trinder but unfortunately for Chester there was no-one at the back post to take advantage of the waiting goal.
Grimaud and Robinson then combined to send Siyanbola into the box and the big striker did well to win a corner off Morton. Lawton and Loveday worked a short routine that saw the former flash a great 22-yard effort inches over the bar.
Chester were doing well in possession and putting pressure on the Terriers rear guard with Siyanbola winning another corner of Morton. Lawton delivered and Trinder under pressure in his own box did well to come and claim the ball.
It was no Bedlington's turn to look for counter breaks and they nearly found one when a Morton free-kick was headed clear by Everett and fell to Wilkinson who crashed a great left foot strike from 20 yards inches wide of Hughes' far post.
United's build-up play was good but they were only creating half chances at best. Everett doing well to win a ball at the back and then find Frizzel in space on the left. The full back playing a great ball down the line to Loveday.
Loveday controlled and then found Dore inside the Bedlington area. He in turn squared it to substitute Michael Mallaburn but he saw his 12-yard effort really well blocked by Morton.
United were now looking dangerous although perhaps a bit more instinct than indecision would have served them better. Lawton finding Gallagher inside the box but the midfielder just delayed long enough to allow Watson to make a great block.
Then Lawton took a free-kick on the right just inside his own half. He spotted a run from Frizzel on the opposite flank and fired in a long ball that Frizzel did get to in front of Poster but on the stretch he could only divert his 10-yard volley wide.
The last ten minutes saw United throw Jude Anderson on for Dore and welcomed Young back to first team football in place of Gallagher. the substitutions though didn't aid United as Bedlington looked and did hold their lead comfortably.
But not for the first time Hughes was off his line quickly and made a great block to turn Imeson's well struck on target effort away from goal. It was the final action of a game that had lacked little in effort and endeavour but not offered much in the way of goalmouth action.
For United a sixth straight home defeat was not a good reward. Their efforts from their own box to the edge of Bedlington's were neat, tidy and more than acceptable but unfortunately that's where their good work went to waste.
Up next for United are two very tough looking away fixtures. At Stockton on Tuesday night and then they go to flying league leaders Jarrow next Saturday. They've now slipped to 18th in the League and it's going to be hard to turn that around in the next week.
TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Dan Robinson 3.Jamie Frizzel 4. Reyhan Grimaud 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Riley Everett 7. Charlie Loveday 8. Harley Lawton 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Addis Dore 11. Ben Gallagher
SUBS : 12. Michael Mallaburn (for Siyanbola 67 mins) 14. Jude Anderson (for Dore 84 mins) 15. Brandon Young (for Gallagher 84 mins)
Management Man of the Match - Dylan Wilkinson
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