by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 16th November 2024
Chester-le-Street United 0 v 1 Yarm & Eaglescliffe
After United's 10-match unbeaten run was ended at Prudhoe the week before they were hoping to get back to winning ways in what promised to be a very tough match-up. Their opponents were also in fine recent form.
United had beaten Yarm 1 - 0 on the road back in early August but following that defeat The Y&E had gone on a 19-match unbeaten run of their own which had taken them to the summit of the table.
That run had ended in midweek against Billingham Synthonia and with Horden CW winning on the Friday night against Chester-le-Street Two it meant that Yarm had dropped to second once again.
So, both side's desperate for a win but in the end it was Yarm that prevailed. A win that gave them revenge over United, top spot in the Division and a chance to go on another unbeaten run.
For United it means hopefully a temporary blip to their season and possible play-off hopes after they couldn't break down a well-organised, well drilled Yarm side that defended exceptionally well especially in the second half.
Both side's had gone into the game without their leading scorers. Tom Atkinson of Yarm being not only Division 2's top leading marksman but his incredible 27 league goals also making him the country's National League Step 6 top scorer.
For United there was no Stephen Siyanbola as the big striker was serving a one-match ban after picking up his fifth yellow card of the campaign against Redcar Town. It meant a first start in Gold and Black for youngster Dominic Hughes.
As the game opened it was United on the front foot early on. But in a pattern that was to last for virtually every one of the 90 minutes the blue wall of Yarm's defence stood rock solid conceding possession but not clear-cut chances.
Indeed the first strike of the afternoon came from Atkinson's replacement Harry Williams and the former Boro Rangers drove a shot well wide from 22-yards after taking Ste Robert's neat inside pass in his stride.
The only goal of the game came in what was only Yarm's second attack on 9 minutes and was actually a result of hesitancy and indecision in the United defence.
A long clearance from Keeper Lee Roberts caught United out. Michael Mallaburn unable to get high enough to make a clearing header before the ball bounced over Captain Dylan Wilkinson.
Keeper James Hughes aware of the impending danger had started to come off his line but the alert Josh Larkin for the visitor's made the decisive move getting in between Chester players and heading over Hughes from just inside the box.
After giving two goals away the previous week it was not the start United wanted and their confidence seemed rocked as Yarm now very much on the front foot poured forward looking for a second.
Sam Lawrence playing a ball wide to Williams on the left who curled in a superb cross to the back post where the speedy Reece McMann sprinting in narrowly failed to get a killing touch.
Then Reyhan Grimaud fouled Williams just outside the United box. Roberts' free kick beating the defensive wall but not Hughes who got down quickly to make a comfortable save.
A long Jack Dalton throw-in saw Williams control the ball inside the United box well and then lay it off to Larkin but his low drive was too close too Hughes who again saved easily.
It was all Yarm at this juncture. Quite how they didn't increase their lead on 20 minutes is anybody's guess. First Roberts had a good chance from 14-yards that Brandon Young did well to bravely block.
The rebound falling to Larkin who decided to square the ball for McMann instead of shooting only for Jamie Frizzel to beat the Yarm wide man to the ball. Again the ball wasn't cleared fully falling to Williams who blazed over from 10-yards.
Yarm's next chance actually came from a United corner when Nathan Conroy had a shot blocked and Larkin cleared quickly and long to find Roberts speeding away from Dan Robinson and 1-on-1 with Hughes.
United's keeper has made somewhat of a speciality in these situations this season and once again made himself a big target for Roberts to beat which he couldn't as Hughes made a superb blocking save.
It was the last action for Robinson who limped off to be replaced by Dylan Robson. Yarm almost making it two when Lawrence's corner to the back post was headed into the middle by Larkin only for Joe Dalton to head wide from six yards out.
Robson's first contribution to the game a yellow card for a tackle on Josh Marshall inches outside the Chester area. Lawrence's effort was straight into the United wall with the rebound falling to McMann who fired it just over the bar.
After a first thirty minutes when they could have been two or even three goals down United started to get a foothold into the game. Conroy playing a ball wide to Charlie Loveday who played a lovely 1 - 2 with Robson before bursting into the box.
Just as he steadied himself for a shot at goal he was denied by a superb covering tackle and block from Marshall to stop him. But back came Yarm once again and it was another wasted chance.
This time it was Roberts that split the United defence with a lovely through ball to find McMann on the right hand side just inside the Chester area with a clear path to goal in front of him. Unfortunately his finish lacked composure as he shot wide.
Lovely play from United's midfield opened up an opportunity. Young controlling well on the left and driving forward and finding Loveday who played a neat pass into Conroy who in turn found Mallaburn but his 20-yard drive was well over.
On 41 minutes Loveday was sin-binned for dissent before United carved out another half chance. Harley Lawton playing a ball to Young who made good ground getting into the box and bring a decent save from Roberts.
The half ended with Larkin going very close with a fierce effort from just outside the box that Hughes was able to watch closely as it fizzed just wide of the post.
At the break there was no doubting that Yarm deserved their half time lead.
United's response after the break was to bring Riley Everett on for Conroy moving Grimaud into centre midfield, Mallaburn to the right and Loveday to the left. It stabilised United who dominated possession as the second half opened.
However, Yarm were superbly well organised and looked comfortable until the 57th minute when they were reduced to 10 men for the last third of the game.
Marshall has been booked six minutes earlier for delaying the restart at a Chester free kick and his foolishness was compounded when he went in hard on Robson and the referee deemed his challenge dangerous enough for a second yellow card.
United almost snatching an equaliser as the visitor's tried to adjust. A Mallaburn free kick superbly swung in saw Grimaud meet it with a downward header that although not met firmly from six-yards, Roberts had to go full stretch to keep it out.
The game got very scrappy with both sides having players booked and making substitutions to try and fashion a goal from United's viewpoint and to keep things tighter from Yarm's.
Some good possession football from Young and Loveday did open up a half chance for Hughes as he got inside the Yarm box but Dan Jones came across to make a crucial interception to keep his side ahead.
Mallaburn swung in another decent cross that found substitute Ben Gallagher who had come on for first half substitute Robson. Gallagher showed good feet to get a decent effort on target but it was blocked Yarm skipper Ross Harrison.
Harrison doing exceptionally well as the ball rebounded to Hughes and The Y&E centre back recovering quickly to block Hughes' follow-up effort. The pattern well set now as Yarm defended in block to keep United from their goal.
Loveday was United's main source of creative ability as he repeatedly looked to open up the stubborn defence. One great run and pass to Young almost working the trick as Grimaud just failed to get on to the end of Young's through pass.
United's final effort perhaps summed up the game as they failed, just, to create the right ball at the death. Young then Loveday and then Gallagher combining brilliantly to find Mallaburn on the right.
His first time low driven ball was superb but it fizzed across the six-yard box where Young was just unable to get a vital touch under pressure from the solid Yarm defence who cleared their lines for one last time to hang on to their win.
The final analysis was that on the day United has not been at their best and had been unable to break down a well organised and disciplined Yarm defence.
Yarm had missed opportunities in the first half to extend their lead but this win was built on their defence especially in the second half as they hardly gave United an opportunity to strike as they took the 1 - 0 win and moved back top of the table.
TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Dan Robinson 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Michael Mallaburn 5. Dylan Wilkinson 6. Reyhan Grimaud 7. Nathan Conroy 8. Brandon Young 9. Dominic Hughes 10. Harley Lawton 11. Charlie Loveday
SUBS : 12. Dylan Robson (for Robinson 24 mins) 14. Riley Everett (for Conroy 46 mins) 15. Ben Gallagher (for Robson 71 mins)
MAN of the MATCH : Charlie Loveday
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