by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 1st February 2025 Chester-le-Street United 2 v 1 F.C. Hartlepool
This was a big game, some would say they all are now, in United's quest to make the end of season play-offs which has become a real possibility following their recent form.
Defeat in controversial circumstances though seven days prior at Thornaby had seen United slip out of the play-off positions so a win was much needed to get back in the mix and not lose further ground.
Especially against a FC Hartlepool side that also have play-off aspirations and had already beaten United twice this season,. The reverse fixture in the League had seen Hartlepool take a 1 - 0 win and then they had come to The Ford Hub and won 3 - 0 in the FA Vase.
United had bounced back from that Thornaby defeat with a League Cup win in midweek but knew that they faced a tough test on this particular afternoon. Especially as they were without first-choice goalkeeper James Hughes.
He had been dismissed at Thornaby after two yellow cards which meant that the United Management had needed to sign a goalkeeper for this tough game. It meant a first-team debut for 16 year old first year Park View Academy student George Havelock between the posts.
The other change in the starting XI was moving Reyhan Grimaud to right back and bringing Alex Clark back to play centre back alongside Captain Dylan Wilkinson. Dylan Robson moving into midfield and Dan Robinson dropping to the bench.
He was joined on the bench by another Park View Academy student Brad Hughes who had signed during the week from First Division outfit Tow Law Town. With Ben Gallagher back from injury and on the bench with Dom Hughes and Harley Lawton there was a real depth to United's squad.
It was United who started on the front foot and a lightening break from defence to attack almost brought them an opener inside three minutes. Jet Fittolani speeding away and straight at the heart of the FC defence.
With players either side he chose to suit from 20-yards as the space opened out. George Briggs in the Hartlepool goal diving low to his right to parry the ball. It came out straight to Stephen Siyanbola who was about six yards out.
He looked a certain scorer but FC skipper Dean Cope did brilliantly to block the effort in great style. It set the tone for the half with United playing free-flowing attacking football.
Jamie Frizzel making a run down the left getting to the byline and pulling the ball back to find Nathan Conroy. He in turn squared the ball to Michael Mallaburn but he put his left foot shot from the edge of the box well over.
Robson then on the right side curled a ball in between the defence and keeper from Siyanbola to run on to. The striker getting there before Briggs who was outside his area but Siyanbola's lofted effort from an angle drifted wide.
It came as no surprise when United did go in front on 16 minutes with a good move although slightly scruffy finish. Robson finding Conroy with a neat pass and he swept the ball wide right finding Charlie Loveday.
Loveday cut inside and from just around the edge of the box hit a low left-footer that again Briggs got down to parry. Once again Siyanbola was first to the ball but this time despite being under pressure from Brennan Ball bundled home from point blank range.
FC were finding it tough to get out of their own half and compounded their problems with some slack play. Cope giving a ball straight away to Robson who played it inside the right-hand side of the box to Siyanbola.
United's top scorer doing really well to turn Brennan inside out but his right foot shot on the turn was wide of the target. Then a long Robson throw-in saw Siyanbola cause problems in the visitors box.
The ball fell to Conroy who took a superb first touch that opened up a shooting chance from 10-yards out that he powered inches wide of Briggs' left-hand post.
United were then denied a second by the spin of the ball. A great cross from the left by Mallaburn saw Siyanbola and Brennan challenge for the ball. It deflected off both and saw Briggs make a great reflex save.
Clark was in attendance and he almost forced the ball over the line but the bounce and back spin beat him and FC collectively sighed a big breath of gratitude.
On 42 minutes United really should have gone two up after a superb move that would have seen one of the goals of the season registered had it gone in. Siyanbola winning a ball in midfield and finding Grimaud supporting the attack on the right.
He held the ball up well and then laid it back to Loveday who immediately drove at the Hartlepool defence. He played the ball inside the box to Conroy and went for the return pass which Conroy delivered perfectly back into his path.
It looked a great chance for Loveday but he was unselfish and at pace cut the ball back to Conroy who was only about 8-yards out with Briggs in no-man's land. Unfortunately Conroy failed to hit the waiting net as he side-footed wide.
United were still not finished though and Mallaburn receiving a ball from Fittolani clipped a lovely 22-yard effort on target with Briggs once again having to dive low to his right to keep it out.
Then Fittolani cutting in from the left did beat Briggs from the edge of the box with a superb curling effort over the keeper's outstretched arms only to see the ball smack the cross bar and bounce away to safety.
There had been some great attacking play from United in the opening 45 minutes and it was a mystery to many how they were only one-nil in front when the referee brought the first half to a close.
Surely Hartlepool had to respond in the second half and they did with some purpose. Lewis Cowan playing a ball across the United backline that saw Frizzel and the dangerous Mikey McGee in a foot race.
McGee seemed to edge Frizzel off his stride but was allowed to go on and from 14 or so yards hit a shot across Havelock and wide of the far post. Perhaps a chance that a player with 23 goals this season should have done better with.
McGee was now alive and starting to cause United problems. He drifted across midfield and then slipped a ball through the United defence leaving Aidan Chainey 1-on-1 with Havelock.
The young United keeper showing great maturity as he stood his ground and made a crucial block at his near post to keep out the angled drive from Chainey in fine style.
Then McGee turned past Conroy in midfield and from 20-yards hit a left foot rocket that was inches wide of the post with Havelock scrambling across his goal to try and get too.
United did get out of defence eventually with Loveday pinching a ball off Sam Cook and setting up Fittolani for a shooting chance that FC substitute Joe Spalding did well to block at the expense of a corner which came to nothing.
Josh Daley then played a ball wide right and as Frizzel hesitated slightly Spalding got there first hitting a low cross into McGee whose first time effort had real venom but was bravely blocked by Wilkinson who took it full on the side of his head.
Then Daley crossed from the left and McGee got up well to nod the ball down into the path of Aaron Jackson who tried to get on the end of it but was beaten to the ball by Havelock who cleared well with his feet.
United's skipper Wilkinson recovered from his blow on the side of the head did really well to intercept a ball inside from Cook before striding out of defence and deep into the Hartlepool half.
Wilkinson slid the ball through the inside left channel and into the box for Siyanbola to stride on to but his 16-yard left foot shot was both high and wide from a good position.
Siyanbola went closer again minutes later getting on the end of Frizzel's ball forward as the ball bounced up Siyanbola unleashed a fearsome left-foot volley that beat Briggs all ends up but crashed back into play off the cross bar.
United had been under pressure but were covering well for each other, plugging gaps and being very competitive. Loveday and Grimaud combining nicely on the right before the former found Conroy who drove just wide from 20-yards.
A ball forward from Daley saw McGee and Wilkinson battling for a ball that bounced free into substitute Lewis Murphy's path but he failed to test Havelock as he screwed the chance wide from inside the box.
Daley then continued the pressure and had a half chance of a strike at goal until Mallaburn got across and blocked. Robson then conceded a free kick for a foul about 25-yards out in a central position. Cook trying his luck but putting the ball well over the bar.
United then found the best way of relieving the pressure with a second goal against the run of play on 76 minutes. The move was started by Mallaburn winning the ball in his own half and sweeping forward to find Siyanbola.
He sprinted away and found Loveday in space on the right supporting him well. Loveday's cross was too deep but Mallaburn had continued to forge on and retrieved the ball on the left hand side inside the box.
Mallaburn put in a great cross to the opposite post and Siyanbola on the six-yard box got there first. A combination of head and shoulder sending the ball just inside the near post.
Briggs got down and tried to scoop the ball away. United claiming the ball had gone over the line and the Assistant on the line signalling that he agreed. There was little protest from the FC players as the goal was given.
Under 15 minutes to go and Hartlepool threw everything forward. The United defence though under great leadership from Wilkinson stood firm and restricted the visitor's to efforts in and just outside the box.
Substitute Fin Smith and Daley both having good strikes that fortunately enough for United were straight at Havelock who dealt with both confidently. FC though did eventually breach the United defence with six minutes of the 90 left.
A cross from Chainey to the back post was met by a Harvey Hope header from which Havelock produced a brilliant point blank save. Unfortunately for him and United the ball fell to Cowan who was in the right place at the right time to poke it home.
Game on now and United hanging on a bit. Havelock doing well to parry a fierce Cook effort and then doing well to recover the rebound before a Hartlepool player could pounce on the loose ball.
The best form of defence though is often attack and United did finish the game going forward to stifle FC's comeback hopes. Robson being fouled 22-yards out and Mallaburn firing the free kick just wide.
Then substitute Dom Hughes on for Fittolani winning a ball in midfield and immediately turning defence into attack before finding Siyanbola who was denied a hat-trick when his right foot drive was well saved by Briggs diving low and left.
Seconds later the referee's whistle ended a very hard fought contest and United's excellent three points took them back into the play-off positions with other results on the day going there way.
This was without a doubt a game United deserved to win over the 90 minutes. They were excellent and dominant in the first half but almost regretted not being in front by more at the half. FC Hartlepool were the better side in the second and really worked the United defence hard. But they were up to the task especially when Siyanbola gave them that second goal to hang on too.
That's 17 in the league for United's big #9 and 21 in all competitions. What a find he's been for them this season and it's a big bonus and fillip for a side when they can defend well and have someone at the other end that can grab them a goal.
TEAM : 1. George Havelock 2. Reyhan Grimaud 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Dylan Robson 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Alex Clark 7. Nathan Conroy 8. Michael Mallaburn 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Jet Fittolani 11. Charlie Loveday
SUBS : 12. Ben Gallagher - DNP 14. Dan Robinson - DNP 15. Dom Hughes (for Fittolani 88 mins) 16. Brad Hughes - DNP 17. Harley Lawton (for Conroy 68 mins)
SCORERS : Siyanbola 16, 76 MAN of the MATCH : Dylan Wilkinson
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