by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 22nd February 2025 Newcastle University 1 v 3 Chester-le-Street United
United completed a league double over Newcastle University after netting two late goals in a dramatic finish to replicate the score in the first encounter back in September of last year.
In doing so they consolidated their push for a play-off place and actually moved up to fourth in the table overtaking Esh Winning who were held to a 0 - 0 draw at home by The University's Landlords Prudhoe YC Seniors.
Michael Mallaburn returned from injury for United and slotted straight back into a central midfield place alongside Dylan Robson who also returned to the starting XI. One further change saw Nathan Conroy back in the line-up as well.
It meant Brad Hughes, Dan Robinson, Ben Gallagher all dropping to make up a strong looking bench alongside Jet Fittolani and Brandon Young. Young returning from injury to make the match day squad.
In the early going both teams attempted to play football on a difficult pitch that wasn't really conducive to open play. United indeed struggling to get their passing game going and giving the ball away too easily at times.
The Uni were a bit more direct with runners supporting from midfield but again a lot of their attempted phases were not particularly dangerous although they did perhaps have more of the possession.
In the opening minutes the closest sightings on goal were a Uni attack where Ryan Redford almost put Yousef Mubarak through on goal but Chester skipper Dylan Wilkinson was alive to the danger and came across well to clear.
United countered with a James Hughes' clearance that Jamie Frizzel flicked on sending Charlie Loveday away on the left. Loveday cut inside the box and then laid a nice square ball into the path of Conroy.
However from a good central position in front of goal Conroy, unusually, was unable to control the ball and the chance wasn't taken.
It took 17 minutes for a shot on goal to be registered and when it was it was the home team that very nearly went in front. Mallaburn fouling Dom Griffin on half-way giving Stephen Pennington the chance to strike a deep free kick.
It looked as if it would sail out of play however Alex Clark chose to head it anyway but didn't make a clean contact with the ball falling to Mubarak on the edge of the box with a gap opening in front of him.
Mubarak controlled the ball well before striking a good low right shot that Hughes dived to his left and kept out with a good parry. Kane Moris looked ready to pounce but was beaten to the ball by Frizzel who cleared.
James Kelly though picked up the loose ball who drifted slightly right and then whipped in a great right foot cross shot that beat Hughes but came back off the cross bar and United scrambled the loose ball clear.
The Uni were pinging the ball forward at every opportunity and pressing hard at the Chester defence which was standing firm. Mallaburn and Robson were trying to get something going for United in the engine room but couldn't really create.
Mallaburn did combine well with Loveday on the left before taking a return pass darting into the box and being denied by Adam Redford at the expense of a corner. Mallaburn's delivery unfortunately overhit and drifting out of play.
On 24 minutes United actually had their first shot on goal. Reyhan Grimaud won a challenge and the ball spun into Stephen Siyanbola's path. He took a good touch to create an opening but put his 22-yard left footer well wide and over the top.
Wilkinson then won a header that was picked up by Conroy inside the Uni half. He played it wide to Loveday who did superbly to skip past Adam Redford before getting to the byline where he pulled it back nicely to find Conroy.
Unfortunately the bounce of the ball on the bumpy surface took it way from Conroy's attempted control. The loose ball dropping back to Mallaburn who again due to a bobbling ball was only able to bundle it wide of the post.
Grimaud then did well on the right to make good ground before firing in a dangerous low cross that didn't find a Chester player but did see Sterling Kerr claim it well diving to meet it.
The Uni began to look a bit more dangerous with Adam Redford playing a ball down the right to Kelly who won a corner off the covering Frizzel. Uni skipper Ryan Redford delivered the ball into the centre of the United area.
Pennington got up well to win the header and nodded it down towards Griffin who was inside the six-yard box but in his haste to try and get on the end of the knockdown Griffin fouled Frizzel and came off worse.
So much so that he had to limp off and was replaced by Tom Iverson. Not longer after Newcastle almost snatched the lead with a good piece of incisive play and movement.
Lucas Aldcroft started the attack from left back by coming forward and playing the ball inside to Theo Wong. He made space and passed on to Kelly who spotted the overlapping run of Adam Redford on the right laying a good ball into his path.
Redford's low well-struck cross on the run saw Hughes dive forward and push the ball away from the inrushing Uni attackers. It was a good clearance but the reply was even better.
The ball fell to Ryan Redford who hit a first-time rocket of a shot from fully 25-yards out that flew past the diving Hughes beating him all ends up. However, luckily for United the ball cannoned off the inside of the post and was cleared by United.
On the stroke of half-time keeper Kerr came out of his box to take a free-kick that Newcastle sent players forward to try and get on the end of. His delivery only reached the edge of the box where Mallaburn headed clear.
It launched a United counter attack where they had numbers on the stranded Uni defence. Harley Lawton picking up Mallaburn's header and darting forward before finding Loveday who in turn found Conroy breaking into the Uni box.
However once again the ball just didn't run right for Conroy who couldn't get enough purchase on his effort and tamely toe poked straight at Kerr who saved easily keeping the first half goalless as the referee's whistle went soon after.
United were dealt a blow barely two minutes into the second half when the lively Loveday was forced to leave the field with a hamstring tweak and was replaced by Fittolani.
United though were not fazed and had started the second 45 minutes well. A Robson long throw being flicked on dangerously by Frizzel but Kerr was alive to the danger and came off his line quickly to claim in front of Lawton.
The deadlock was broken on 49 minutes when United took the lead. Mallaburn finding Lawton on the right who crossed into the danger area. Siyanbola caused confusion as he went for the ball and it bounced up invitingly.
Frizzel came on to the ball well and got a firm header in on goal from six-yards out which Kerr did very well to parry but could do nothing about Frizzel following up his initial header with a point blank decisive second header from close range.
United went looking for a second with Robson playing Lawton in on goal on the right hand side of the box. Lawton's effort was well struck but the angle was slightly against him and he saw Kerr get down at his near post to save neatly.
It was Lawton's last meaningful contribution as he limped off to join Loveday on the bench and was replaced by Robinson with Grimaud moving into midfield and Mallaburn going right side.
Newcastle had to respond to going behind and did start forcing United back. Kelly winning a corner off Robinson that Ryan Redford delivered dangerously into the centre of the United box where Fittolani did well to clear after a scramble.
Kelly then made another burst into the United box and looked likely to pull the trigger but was denied by a great last ditch tackle by Robson. The corner though led to The Uni levelling the game on 64 minutes.
Ryan Redford swung it in and Pennington escaped his markers and glanced a great header into the far corner past a helpless Hughes to make it game on again.
Newcastle now had the bit between their teeth forcing corners and getting the ball at every opportunity into the United area where United were just about keeping their opponents out.
One attack saw Kelly almost slip Iversen in who turned the ball across the face of the goal where substitute Joel Burgess failed to get what surely would have been a telling touch.
Back came United though with Robson playing a ball wide left to Fittolani in space. He took the pass in his stride and fired a low cross into the middle where Kerr came and although he fumbled his claim he grabbed it at the second attempt just as Siyanbola looked to pounce.
At the other end it Kelly setting up Iveson just inside rthe United box on the right but his ferocious angled drive flew inches over the bar with Hughes beaten. Then it was Moris that had a clean shooting chance from just outside the area.
But his well-struck shot deflected off a United defender for a corner which again they cleared. As the game ticked into the final ten minutes it was Hughes to United's rescue with a stunning save.
A long Adam Redford throw-in fell to Pennington six-yards out he looked a certain score as he met the ball with a fierce first time volley but an instinctive Hughes produced a brilliant reflex block.
United though weathered the storm and on 86 minutes re-took the lead. Mallaburn's deft flick from the right releasing Siyanbola inside the box but he was checked by Ryan Redford as he tried to shoot. The ball spinning out for a corner.
Mallaburn took it and his ball in was glanced on by Clark to the back post where Frizzel got up and nodded the ball downwards towards goal. Wilkinson was first to react and got there inside the six-yard box to deftly head home past Kerr.
A big moment in the game and perhaps United's season with the skipper leading from the front to give his side a great chance to record another three points in their play-off push.
They did exactly that sealing the deal three minutes into injury time. Wilkinson playing a ball wide right for substitute Gallagher who played a great 1- 2 with Mallaburn and then attacked the byline.
His ball across the box was perfect and saw Siyanbola come onto it with only Kerr to beat. He didn't though beat the Newcastle keeper first time who kept it out with a great block.
But Siyanbola was not to be denied and followed up to get to the rebound first and bundle it over the line from inside the six-yard box to give United an excellent 3 - 1 road victory.
A win is a win no matter how it's achieved. There's no denying that for long stretches of the game United were not at their best and were put under great pressure from a University side belittling their lowly league placing.
But sometimes you have to grind out ugly wins to progress and although it was a bit of a smash and grab effort from United it was also a positive that they could take a win despite not reaching the standards they've set themselves this season.
TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Reyhan Grimaud 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Michael Mallaburn 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Alex Clark 7. Nathan Conroy 8. Dylan Robson 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Harley Lawton 11. Charlie Loveday
SUBS : 12, Ben Gallagher (for Conroy 72 mins) 14. Dan Robinson (for Lawton 54 mins) 15. Jet Fittolani (for Loveday 47 mins) 16. Brad Hughes (for Robson 75 mins) 17. Brandon Young (for Grimaud 83 mins)
SCORERS : Frizzel 49 mins, Wilkinson 86 mins, Siyanbola 90 + 3 mins
MAN of the MATCH : Jamie Frizzel
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