by Jeff King (With assistance from Anth Johnson/Micky Barron)
Durham County FA Under-18s Saturday League - Saturday 30th November 2024
Chester-le-Street United Under 18s 2 v 3 Boro Rangers Under 18s
It was a tough one to take at the death for United's U-18’s on Saturday going down in the closing moments of the game after probably putting in their best team performance of the season.
It looked from the off that it could prove to be a difficult day for United as the technically gifted Boro Rangers looked comfortable on the ball all over the pitch.
Chester's lads got to grips with their possession playing out from the back and through hard work created a number of chances pinching the ball in and around their box.
On 12 minutes Moss won the ball high up the pitch in the right channel and crossed to Linsley whose half volley was smashed into the roof of the net from 12 yards to give United the lead.
Again Linsley crafted another opportunity seconds later which just flashed wide of the post before another flurry of separate chances went begging.
Chester Utd really should have been 3 or 4 up by the 30 minute mark after getting to grips with Boro who for all their possession only created one real chance of note other than the penalty that they scored on 40 mins to equalise.
Beattie, Moss, Young and Pye all had really good chances which should taken us comfortably ahead at this point.
United did get the break they deserved on the stroke of half time after a high foot on Beattie saw them awarded a free kick on the edge of the box which Pye despatched into the top right giving the keeper no chance to make it 2 - 1.
Second half Boro came out strong but Chester weathered the storm and looked comfortable as defensively and in centre midfield we were on top and very solid.
A change of tactics for the away side saw them go more direct which got them on top going into the last 20 mins as United struggled to deal with it centrally. A soft give away in the last third on 65 mins allowed the Rangers to counter attack and a mistimed header saw their striker race away 1v1 to make it 2-2.
Two more good chances for United where we went close in the final moments could have seen a different and deserved outcome in our favour but a bitter pill to swallow followed on the final whistle as another gifted goal saw the red and whites go home with all 3 points.
TEAM : 1) Hardy 2) Price 3) Hepworth 4) White 5) Kai Hardy 6) Young 7) Moss 8) Connelly 9) Beattie 10) Pye 11) Linsley
SUBS : Bell, Ngoyi Wansay, Lambert
SCORERS : Linsley, Pye
MAN of the MATCH : Hardy - very strong and composed performance from Kai today playing in an unfamiliar centre back position.
Head Coach Anth Johnson had this to say post game :
"The lads could feel hard done to with the result after a very mature performance from the whole group today."
"They found a way to stay in the game early on against a technically very strong and older opposition but will be disappointed more so after dominating throughout the 90 in regards to clear cut scoring opportunities against the leagues 3rd placed team that were full of quality."
"Lots of positivity to take forward into next week’s game."
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