by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 19th October 2024
Chester-le-Street United 4 v 0 Washington A.F.C.
It's now seven wins and a draw in United's last eight NL Division 2 games. A fantastic run that has seen them climb to eighth in the table and into the play-off picture. The 4 - 0 win over Washington being their first double victory of the season.
United had looked like going into the game with an unchanged line-up from the previous Saturday's win at Grangetown Boys Club. However, a late injury during the warm-ups meant a late change to the submitted starting XI.
Dan Robinson dropping to the bench to be replaced by Dylan Robson. Also on the bench for United which was great to see where Brandon Young and Harley Lawton both fit enough to be considered for selection.
Micky Nelson and John Gamble though showed good loyalty towards those that had gone into this game on the back of a 7-game unbeaten streak. Their opponents Washington rooted firmly to the bottom of the table.
From the kick-off it was United on the front foot and Washington in defensive mode. Ben Gallagher winning a corner with only 45 seconds on the clock off Denver Morris. Michael Mallaburn and Charlie Loveday trying an unsuccessful short corner routine.
Loveday then found space on the left and cut into the box before shooting at goal. The ball struck Joe Bengochea and ballooned to Gallagher who hit it crisply from 22-yards out but the ball went well over the bar.
Mallaburn then helped his side clear a defensive situation turning the defence into a counter attack with a long 1-2 with Jamie Frizzel. Mallaburn's left wing cross was a beauty but Stephen Siyanbola could only put his header from 4 yards out over the top.
Another short corner routine between Loveday and Mallaburn saw the latter flash a great ball from the left right across the face of the Washington goal and just wide of the far post with no-one able to get a decisive touch.
United were certainly racking up the corners as desperate Washington defence managed to keep scrambling the ball away. Once again Mallaburn and Loveday worked it short with Mallaburn trying a shot that was way too high from just outside the area.
A goal seemed inevitable and duly arrived on 19 minutes. Dylan Wilkinson playing a ball from the back to the feet of Siyanbola who held it up well and then laid it into the path of Reyhan Grimaud breaking dangerously from midfield.
Grimaud looked as if he was going to shoot from about 22-yards out but was upended by Bengochea who was injured making the infringement and had to be replaced by Lucas Coates.
Washington's misery was compounded as Mallaburn stepped up and smashed a superb drive through the defensive wall that was struck so well that despite Jack Halton getting two hands too still had the power to go over the line.
Washington were indebted to keeper Halton for keeping them in the game a mere two minutes later with an excellent double save to thwart United. First it was another Mallaburn delivery from the left wing that saw Siyanbola get a good head on.
His effort looked as if it had beaten Halton down low to his left hand but the keeper stretched well to keep the 8-yard header out. The ball was only partially cleared and Gallagher recycled it and then finding Nathan Conroy inside the area.
He laid it back to Siyanbola who this time with his left foot was denied again by the acrobatic Halton who dived to the other corner of his goal to turn the ball around the post.
Mallaburn this time hit the corner deep to the back post where Conroy did well to control the ball before crashing a 10-yard rocket off the Washington bar that bounced away to safety.
To this point little had been seen of the visitor's in attack but they did remind United they were still in the game with a couple of chances that they could have taken.
The first was a header forward by Captain Isam Mohamad that found Alex Sparks who held the ball up well before finding the speedy Michael Luaba. He advanced into the box but Riley Everett came across well to block the forward's effort.
Then a long ball from Morris into the inside right channel found Sparks one-on-one with James Hughes in the United goal. Sparks attempting to lift the bouncing ball from 14-yards over the keeper but Hughes got enough of a touch to save.
The ball going out for a corner which Leon Watson delivered to the back post. Josh Bowmaker up from the back got a good downward header on the ball sending it towards the Chester left upright but Hughes was there again to grab the loose ball.
Hughes then almost turned provider with a long clearance that caught the Washington defence out as Siyanbola muscled his way onto the ball and clear of his markers. But he squandered the chance shooting wide from 14-yards out with only Halton to beat.
Then a Robson throw-in found Mallaburn on the right this time and he turned the ball neatly into the box finding Siyanbola who showed great footwork to wriggle past his defender only to be denied by the alert Halton who got down at his near post to save well.
From the corner inevitably delivered by Mallaburn, Siyanbola found room to get a free header at goal from 8-yards out but despite meeting the ball well he could only direct wide of the target and another chance was spurned.
Another rare Washington attack saw Ryan Dougherty play a lovely ball down the left to free Luaba for a run on the United goal. Luaba getting around Hughes who did force him wide though allowing Everett to come across to clear the danger with excellent defending behind his keeper.
United attacked with purpose down the right when Robson found Conroy who released Gallagher into a crossing position with a great ball. Gallagher looked up and aimed his cross towards the unmarked Siyanbola at the back post.
But this time Bowmaker did really well to recover his position after initially allowing space in the box and he thumped a really dangerous position clear for his side.
Washington had survived at 1 - 0 for just over twenty minutes but United doubled their lead on 41 minutes as Siyanbola finally got the goal his persistence seemed to deserve. It came via a Mallaburn free kick about ten yards inside the Washington half.
Mallaburn's ball beautifully floated in finding the big striker getting in front of his marker who chested the ball down and then finished it superbly with his left foot from six-yards out.
There was a suspicion of handball about Siyanbola's control but the well placed referee adjudged the contact legal and allowed the goal to stand. The Washington bench incensed and Coach Peter Bryson earning a red card for carrying his protest too far.
Siyanbola was then booked moments later for kicking the ball away after he'd been given offside as the game briefly threatened to boil over. However a minute into injury time United effectively killed the game dead with a third goal.
This time it was all Washington's own undoing. Mallaburn pressing hard and putting pressure on Morris who merely turned the ball inside straight to Loveday who had a clear run on goal.
He sped into the box and as Halton advanced coolly slid the ball past him from 8-yards to complete a satisfactory half for United.
If Washington had any thoughts of a miracle comeback in the second 45 minutes they were dashed as they went 4 - 0 down within two minutes of the restart as a fine flowing United attack cut the visitor's apart.
Mallaburn won the ball in the centre circle and flicked it over his head to Conroy who held it up superbly before releasing Gallagher in on goal on the right. Gallagher's cross shot was well hit but Halton dived to his right and parried it out.
Mallaburn though had continued his run superbly and was able to get to the ball first and prod it into the empty net from six-yards out to double his tally on the afternoon and put the game way beyond Washington.
Mallaburn was seemingly everywhere now. Good play in midfield set-up Gallagher for a rasping 25-yard drive that stung the hands of Halton who took two attempts to make a clean save.
Then it was Mallaburn hat-trick hunting that got on the end of a great through ball from Conroy but once again Halton came to his side's rescue making a superb block to deny Mallaburn as he closed in on goal.
From Mallaburn's corner, Wilkinson got up well to flick a great header at goal that flew inches wide of the far post. It was becoming a bit of a siege with Halton the last man standing.
Even he though almost got his side into trouble. He'd often been coming well out of his box to play as almost a third centre back at times and almost got into trouble when his clearance from 30 yards out fell to Mallaburn inside the centre circle.
The influential midfielder showed great awareness to seize the opportunity and send the ball back over the stranded Halton but from such a distance accuracy was difficult and the ball drifted wide of the empty net.
Jude Anderson had replaced Conroy with 15 minutes to go and did well not long later to play a lovely ball through the Washington defence. Grimaud looked favourite to get to the ball first but Halton came bravely off his line to smother.
Then a clipped ball inside from Robson on the right gave Grimaud a chance for a left foot volley from 20-yards that dipped viciously but not dropped just over the bar with Halton for once beaten.
United had been totally dominant in the second 45 minutes not affording Washington a single opening or shot to trouble Hughes. They almost snatched a fifth goal themselves as time expired.
This time another incisive Mallaburn pass freed Grimaud on the right who was denied a chance to cross by Jay Lumsden who conceded a corner. Mallaburn delivering to find Wilkinson whose fine downward header was matched by another great parry from Halton.
The referee's whistle went shortly afterwards to signal the end of a comprehensive and controlled United performance. Another clean sheet and another three points. They might have scored more but equally they'd have settled for 4 - 0 if you'd offered them that prior to kick-off.
Particularly as during the second half they'd been able to give both Lawton and Young minutes in the second half. Both playing a good 30 minutes to help their rehabilitation from injury.
TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Dylan Robson 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Reyhan Grimaud 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Riley Everett 7. Nathan Conroy 8. Michael Mallaburn 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Ben Gallagher 11. Charlie Loveday
SUBS : 12. Dan Robinson - DNP 14. Brandon Young (for Gallagher 61 mins) 15. Jude Anderson (for Conroy 75 mins) 16. Harley Lawton (for Siyanbola 61 mins)
SCORERS : Mallaburn 19 & 47, Siyanbola 41, Loveday 45 + 1.
MAN of the MATCH : Michael Mallaburn
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