by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 26th October 2024
Boldon C.A. 1 v 2 Chester-le-Street United
A run of eight wins and a draw in their last nine league games became 9 wins and a draw as the Division's top recent performers kept their superb run going against a physical well-organised Boldon side that have revived their own fortunes recently.
Since the new CA management have come in they have won three out of their last five league games. So, despite United being in 8th and their opponents being 19th, Head Coach had no illusions about the task facing his young side.
But at the end of the 90 minutes it was United that prevailed and there's no doubting that if the Ebac Northern League had a Manager/Coach of the Month Award Nelson would have walked away with the accolade for October.
United now sit on 34 points after 20 games and are only 8 points their total gained last campaign already and we're not even out of October yet! A fabulous effort from both coaching and playing staff and one that augurs well for the future.
Nelson is not a man to tinker and change when things are going well so with every one who started in the previous week's 4 - 0 home win over Washington available he went with an unchanged starting XI.
Places on the bench again for Brandon Young and Harley Lawton who both will have to be patient and await their turn as those ahead of them continue to produce the goods.
Young and Lawton being joined on the bench by the newest United recruit Dominic Hughes a speedy forward who only signed for Chester on Friday but went straight into the senior matchday squad.
It was though after a cagey start the home side who got the first meaningful attack and effort on goal after 7 minutes. Robbie Gateshill playing a neat ball into Liam Heywood inside the box. He though couldn't connect and United cleared.
Only for Jolas Sutherland to recycle the ball and play it across from the left to Jonathan Toward who from 22-yards put his effort well over the top. Then Boldon threatened again with the lively Kaue Foy involved.
He showed great pace to go past Jamie Frizzel before pulling the ball back dangerously across the Chester box trying to find a target. Riley Everett though anticipated the situation well and nipped in to make a great clearance for Chester.
United's first sight of goal came on 22 minutes when Stephen Siyanbola attacking down the left hand side was fouled just outside the box. Michael Mallaburn whipped in a dangerous free-kick that Nathan Conroy got a good flick on.
The ball though flashed just wide of the far upright. United though now had a foothold in the game and came forward with purpose. Captain Dylan Wilkinson finding the marauding Dylan Robson with a great long diagonal ball.
Robson took it in his stride and burst into the Boldon box but his effort was well blocked by Chris Spence at the expense of a corner. Mallaburn delivered but the home side was up for the challenge and cleared easily.
Harrison Hart set the next opening up for Boldon with a long ball down the left to find Sutherland who turned past Robson well before finding Foy inside the Chester area. James Hughes though coming across to block and concede a corner.
The initial ball in from Gateshill was cleared but only straight back to the corner taker who swung in a great cross to the back post where Aron Burn tried to get on the end of it. Under pressure from Frizzel he went down in spectacular style.
The referee who had a good view of the incident instantly waved away the Boldon appeals for a penalty much to Chester's relief and the home side's dismay. This was compounded when United failed to clear their lines convincingly.
Sutherland controlled the loose ball and although he was outside the box had room for a good shot at goal but his aim was too high and didn't trouble Hughes as it sailed over.
United's response was a ball to Conroy on the edge and angle of the box. He did well to hold the ball up and lay it into the path of Ben Gallagher but United's youngest player was off target with his well-hit drive that didn't threaten the goal.
On 38 minutes though United who had probably played the neater more incisive football and defended Boldon's more direct threat well did take the lead with a lovely move that brought maximum reward.
It actually came from a Boldon corner. Gateshill's delivery saw Siyanbola dive to head the ball well clear on the edge of his own box. Reyhan Grimaud got to the ball first and found Gallagher breaking forward.
Gallagher made a great run into the home box before finding Conroy on the left. Conroy rounding home keeper Olly Walker but being forced wide and at a tight angle. But he got his head up and retained his composure.
He squared the ball across the six-yard box to the unmarked Charlie Loveday who had kept pace with the break. Loveday not hesitating as he smashed his left foot shot high into an empty net to put United in front.
The lead though was snatched from United within two minutes with a goal that was fortunate for Boldon as United made a poor defensive effort to allow their hosts back into the game.
Boldon had pressed forward immediately looking for an equaliser. Heywood having a shot blocked by Everett inside the box but recovering the ball to find Gateshill. He spun superbly and crashed a low left foot from 14 yards at goal.
Hughes though dived to his left and at full stretched parried the ball out in fine style. The loose ball looked like his to claim but Wilkinson decided to intervene and went to clear. Unfortunately his clearance merely rebounded off Daniel Hailes.
The ball spinning beyond both Hughes and Wilkinson and dropping over the line to give Boldon what was perhaps a deserved equaliser but in very fortunate circumstances.
The last chance of a largely even half fell to United when Mallaburn released Loveday on the right and he made space before cutting a ball back inside to Robson but his first-time effort from 12-yards was kept out by Olly Walker's legs.
1 - 1 at Half-Time felt just about right in what had been a contrast of styles but one where both sides had their moments of possession and pressure. It made the feelings about which way the second half would go very intriguing.
Boldon came out strongly with Foy finding Hailes in space inside the United box. It looked a good chance but before he could get a meaningful shot off Everett was there to block him again.
Then it was Gateshill who almost got his side in front. Cutting across the pitch just outside the United box he was tripped by Frizzel about 20 yards from goal in a very dangerous central position. He got up to take the free kick himself.
It was a beauty as he got it up and over the Chester wall beating Hughes with his well-struck shot. Unfortunately for him and Boldon the ball coming back down off the underside of the bar.
In the ensuing scramble the ball fell to Hailes who lashed a left-foot half volley against the United bar from about 10-yards out and United breathed again as they managed to clear their lines.
Despite this early pressure it was united that actually went back in front on 54 minutes. Grimaud won a strong tackle in the centre circle and sent Siyanbola speeding away from the defence and as he entered the home box he was upended by Spence.
The referee pointing immediately to the spot and booking Spence in the process. Mallaburn also incurring the referee's wrath by taking his protests for more action against Boldon too far and earning himself 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
Siyanbola though having to wait to take the spot-kick stayed composed and as Walker went to his right clipped the penalty more or less straight down the middle to restore United's lead.
The incident had certainly spiced the game up and there were one or two feisty moments that followed as neither side gave an inch in a tough physical battle.
A good clearing header from Robson down the right finding Siyanbola who spun past Hart and away from the defence. As he bore down on goal in the inside right channel he tried to find the unmarked Conroy at the back post.
But his low tight foot cross was not hit strongly enough to reach its intended target and Walker dived out to claim the ball for Boldon. Siyanbola was certainly proving a real handful for the home defence now and looking very threatening.
Great holdup play from the big striker saw him release Grimaud at the right moment but the breaking United midfielder could only hit his shot from just inside the box straight at Walker who held it well.
From a Mallaburn free kick some 30-yards from goal Siyanbola flicked the ball on to fins substitute Lawton who had come on for Grimaud. He showed good control before finding Loveday in the box.
United's opening goal scorer getting his effort on target from 14-yards but Walker was down to save well. Lawton then did well to keep a ball in play on the left before crossing to find Siyanbola.
This time Siyanbola with his back to goal rolled the ball back to Loveday who hit a sweet daisy cutter that defected off a defender and flew inches wide of the far post with Walker beaten.
Boldon were pressing but without really creating anything although when Hart went down in the box under a challenge from Everett they were very vociferous in their disagreement with the referee that it wasn't a penalty.
United on the counter just seemed inches away from supplying the final ball that may have produced the clinching goal on more than one occasion. But in truth United's final ball wasn't good enough although their defensive end was.
Time and time again they showed resilience, strength and composure to clear their lines and not allow Boldon a clear sight at goal as time ebbed away. In the end despite Boldon pushing and pushing United's defence stood firm.
They almost got a third late on when two of their substitutes almost combined. Young on for Gallagher doing really well in midfield to win a ball and then slide it through for Dom Hughes who was on for Conroy late on.
Hughes certainly showed his pace to get sprint clear of the Boldon defence but just couldn't get on the end of the ball and Walker coming off his line claimed the ball first.
When the whistle went it was United that were celebrating another well earned and battled for three points that means they are level with the other side in the Town in the table on points but with a slightly inferior goal difference.
Not that it matters at this stage of the season. One more game and United will have played 50% of their league fixtures. That game will be against Redcar Town this coming Saturday at home.
It represents another great chance for United to pick-up three points and continue their run towards the top end of the table. Something that perhaps ten games ago no-one connected with The Club could have hoped for.
But the way the players have come together and responded to their coaches calls has been mightily impressive from a squad that has an average age of a tick over 18-years of age which in such a tough senior League is an incredible achievement.
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. Brandon Young (for Gallagher 60 mins) 14. Harley Lawton (for Grimaud 64 mins) 15. Dominic Hughes (for Conroy 86 mins)
SCORERS : Loveday, Siyanbola (pen)
MAN of the MATCH : Stephen Siyanbola
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