by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 22nd March 2025 Chester-le-Street United 9 v 0 Grangetown Boys Club
A rampant rampaging ruthless display from United saw them blow Ebac Northern League newcomers Grangetown Boys Club away. It was a wonderful performance from Chester that lit up a dull day down at The Ford Quarry Hub.
With Esh Winning losing 6 - 0 at home against champions-elect Horden C.W. and Thornaby defeating Ryton & Crawcrook Albion it was also a win that lifted United a further place in the table into 4th.
They now and have their play-off destiny in their own hands with four games to go in the campaign. Next up is a huge away trip to Ryton next Saturday. A fixture that will go a long way to determining those end of season play-off places.
For this young United side it would be a thrilling way to end the season with a chance for promotion to the First Division but four games is still a lot in what is essentially a four-horse race between United, Esh Winning, Thornaby and Ryton for those two coveted final places.
Team news centred around the defensive side. Management duo Micky Nelson and Ash Thorpe determining that Alex Clark was only fit enough for a place o the bench following a recent niggle picked up.
It meant a return to the starting XI for Dan Robinson at right back with the versatile Reyhan Grimaud switching to centre back to partner Captain Dylan Wilkinson.
United almost got off to the perfect start and then did get off to a perfect start. In the 3rd minute Jamie Frizzel played a good ball from left back forward for Stephen Siyanbola to nod down neatly into the path of Charlie Loveday.
Loveday crossed to the back post to find Harley Lawton just inside the box. He cut inside Robbie Cuthbert and then tried to curl a left-foot effort inside the far corner but it was deflected just wide off Grangetown defender Liam Lawlor.
Michael Mallaburn took the corner and delivered it superbly into the centre of the box where Siyanbola rose just outside the six-yard box to power his header into the roof of the net for a 4th minute opener and his 20th league goal of the season.
A superb start for United. It got even better within two minutes. Robinson supporting wide on the right found Lawton on the edge of the box. He in turn found Nathan Conroy who fired his cross shot into the far corner to double the lead.
'Boysie' were stunned but to their credit didn't shrink away. Player/Manager Curtis Collantine from right back playing a cross field ball to find Jey Draper who found his way to goal blocked by an excellent Robinson challenge.
Cameron Thomson's corner was cleared by United but fell to Joe Eason who fired it well over the bar from 20 yards out.
On 17 minutes United should have been three-up. Once again it was a Siyanbola header that freed Loveday on the left. His defence splitting through ball was perfect for Lawton to run on to and advance on goal.
It was a glorious chance as Lawton was 1-on-1 with Grangetown keeper Adam Lincoln. But it was Lincoln who was the win as he spread himself superbly to turn Lawton's goal bound shot around the post.
Unfortunately for the visitor's it was only a temporary reprieve. Once again Mallaburn delivered a great corner and Frizzel timed his leap perfect and from six-yards out powered a superb header into the back of the net.
United 3 - 0 in front and only 18 minutes played immediately went looking for more and nearly got it with a brilliant move. Mallaburn finding Lawton who's first time touch found Loveday in space.
The lively wide forward controlled and then fired a low cross that Tom Eglinton just reached in front of Siyanbola conceding a corner. This time Mallaburn's delivery narrowly evaded Frizzel's attempt to meet it and Boysie breathed again.
Frizzel was then involved at the other end showing his defensive qualities. Draper got away on the right. It looked dangerous until Frizzel came across and made a great covering tackle.
From the Grangetown corner United sprang an excellent counter attack. Winning the ball cleanly and seeing Conroy put Loveday away on the left. He made ground before firing in a low cross that just evaded both Siyanbola and Lawton in the box.
Then from a United free kick wide on the right just inside the Grangetown half Mallaburn delivered another excellent set piece ball that saw Frizzel again above the Boys Club defence but he headed wide from 8-yards.
Boysie then had their best period of the game before disaster struck in the 33rd minute. Firstly Charlie Paterson had a shooting opportunity from 25-yards out but although he struck his effort well it was straight at James Hughes.
Then Collantine played a long diagonal ball from right to left finding Millen Burnett in space. He cut inside Robinson and then from 20-yards hit a good low strike at goal. Hughes though got down well to turn the ball away with both hands.
Then as play went towards the Boysie goal there was a coming together between Siyanbola and Lawlor right on the edge of the box. Lawlor retaliating to a coming together by placing both hands into Siyanbola's face.
The referee deemed it violent conduct and brandished a red card to Lawlor reducing the already 3-goals down visitors to 10-men. Mallaburn took the free kick and smashed it inches over the bar from the edge of the box.
Despite this further setback Grangetown showed character and tried to find a way through United's defence but Thomson's 22-yard effort whilst again well struck was straight at Hughes who saved comfortably.
An excellent Chester move almost brought further reward. Dylan Robson finding Lawton on the right who took a great touch before crossing to Siyanbola at the far post. He controlled the ball well but could only fire into the side-netting from a tight angle.
Mallaburn then popped up on the left to play a great ball over the top for Lawton to race into the box to get on the end of. His touch this time let him down though and Lincoln was able to smother the ball diving at Lawton's feet.
Mallaburn who surely must be heading towards a nickname as 'The Architect' again almost set Lawton up for a goal as time ticked down. This time it was a first time volleyed ball into the Grangetown box that caused problems.
Lawton getting on the end of it but scuffed his effort from 10-yards with his weaker right foot and it gave Lincoln enough time to dive low at the foot of his near post and make a good one-handed save.
It was the last chance of a half where United had been dominant and had three very well taken goals whilst restricting their visitors to mainly long range efforts that James Hughes dealt with in comfortable style.
At half-time United were forced into a change with Brandon Young coming on for Frizzel who had picked up a 'dead' leg in the first half. Robson switching to left back to cover with Young slotting seamlessly into the midfield.
There was another altercation on the pitch when Draper cynically tripped Mallaburn who reacted to the challenge with the two players coming together aggressively. The referee deeming a yellow card a-piece sufficient punishment.
The half apart from that incident had opened quietly but exploded into life on 54 minutes when United grabbed a 4th goal of the afternoon. It came from another Mallaburn corner this time on the right.
He delivered and Grimaud timed his run perfectly to meet the ball on the half volley about 8-yards out and crash the ball past Lincoln into the net with his right foot.
As the teams prepared to re-start Ben Gallagher replaced Mallaburn for United. The substitute was immediately into the action as United almost grabbed a 5th goal of the afternoon.
Gallagher's persistence and forward pressing saw him win a ball in midfield and then find Conroy on the edge of the box. He reversed a great ball left to find Young ghosting into the box and he was unlucky to see his curler cannon off the cross bar.
United though did not have to wait too long for a fifth. It came on 62 minutes. Lawton finding Loveday just inside the left hand side of the box. Loveday cut inside and then reversed his shot past a wrong footed Lincoln for a lovely finish.
Again immediately after the goal United made a further substitution with Dom Hughes replacing top scorer Siyanbola. It was now all hands to the Boysie pump as United's decisive football carved holes in the visitor's defence.
A long James Hughes clearance found Dom Hughes on the right who sped away from the defence before pulling a great ball back to Conroy. The striker's header being parried away in fine style by the diving Lincoln.
United though recycled the ball with Robinson picking out Lawton at the back post. He took a good touch and then rifled a great left foot effort from 16-yards past Lincoln only to see the cross bar save the visitor's again.
United's fourth substitution saw Brad Hughes come on for Loveday who had been a constant menace to the beleaguered Boysie defence all afternoon. On 74 minutes though United did hit Grangetown for six.
Young's pinpoint pass finding Lawton on the left who curled a great ball into the box where Dom Hughes' pace saw him win the race to slide home his first United goal from close range and finish off another clinical sweeping Chester move.
Dom Hughes then almost doubled his tally. Another long James Hughes clearance from a misplaced Grangetown ball forward cleared the visitor's back line. It was a race between Dom Hughes and Lincoln as the last line of defence.
Hughes got their first and headed the ball past the keeper who had come outside his box to challenge but only succeeded in smashing dangerously into Hughes seconds after his header went past him. The ball rolling on to hit the post.
But, rightly, the referee had already blown for the reckless challenge by Lincoln and Grangetown received their second red card of the game losing their keeper. Substitute Liam Cairns donning the vacant custodian's top.
His first job though was to pick the ball out of the back of his net. Lawton lining up the free kick for Lincoln's errant challenge and smashing it low from a central position on the edge of the box to make it 7th heaven for United on 79 minutes.
Within two minutes it was 8 - 0. Gallagher away on the right pulling the ball back across the box from the right and there was Lawton able to apply the fine final touch to make it a quick fire double for the impressive midfielder.
United then introduced Alex Clark for Grimaud for the final ten minutes or so. Despite using all five substitutions, Chester never missed a beat and continued to pour forward striking for the ninth time on 84 minutes.
Conroy with neat control and a simple finish inside the box past a helpless Cairns to take Conroy on to eight league goals for the season and reach double figures in all competitions for the campaign.
Was there still time for United to equal their record Northern League win that came a couple of seasons ago when they won 10 - 0 at Willington? Almost as the game went into injury time.
Young gliding across the surface from central midfield like a young Sandro Tonali played a superb 1-2 with Robinson before sending Robson in on goal with a slide rule pass to the left.
Robson struck his effort well as he came onto it from his forward position but was denied his first senior goal of the season and what would have been United's tenth of a very profitable afternoon by a last ditch block by a Grangetown defender.
The referee's whistle went for full-time shortly afterwards bringing an end to Boysie's agony afternoon and giving United's win column another entry as well as a huge bonus to their goal difference as they continue their fine season.
TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Dan Robinson 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Michael Mallaburn 5, Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Reyhan Grimaud 7. Nathan Conroy 8. Dylan Robson 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Harley Lawton 11. Charlie Loveday
SUBS : 12. Ben Gallagher (for Mallaburn 55 mins) 14. Alex Clark (for Grimaud 80 mins) 15. Dom Hughes (for Siyanbola 63 mins) 16. Brad Hughes (for Loveday 67 mins) 17. Brandon Young (for Frizzel 46 mins)
SCORERS : Siyanbola, Conroy 2, Frizzel, Grimaud, Loveday, Dom Hughes, Lawton 2
MAN of the MATCH : Harley Lawton
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