by Jeff King
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Tuesday 30th July 2024
Chester-le-Street United 0 v 1 Prudhoe YC Seniors
A second successive home game in the opening week of the 2024/25 saw United slip to another one-goal defeat at the hands of a tough, well organised visiting outfit.
For long periods Chester played some neat, solid enterprising football but couldn't find an end product to go with it. Prudhoe meanwhile were always well in the game and once they went in front they managed the game well to take all three points.
United made two changes from the side that had lost to Sunderland West End on Saturday. With Micky Nelson and Riley Everett unavailable, the returning Ollie Barnett and Saturday's goal scorer Dan Walton stepped into the starting XI.
There was also a first time place on the bench for one of the youngster's promoted from the United Reserve side Olly Dixon who came on in the second half to make his senior debut.
Chester undoubtedly made the better start to the game. On 4 minutes Charlie Loveday showed great control to drive at and through the Seniors defence before finding Walton with a lovely pass.
The striker took the ball well in his stride and from 16-yards out fired in a great cross shot that Sam Wilson on his 20th birthday did really well to deflect wide with his right foot.
Loveday was looking very enterprising in the early going and another decisive run took him into the Prudhoe box where his progress was blocked by a great tackle from Jordan Plunkett. The ball spun loose to Reyhan Grimaud following up.
He struck his effort from the edge of the box sweetly but it flew just wide of the post. Both sides were really vying for supremacy in the opening 20 minutes. Prudhoe slightly on top without troubling James Hughes in the home goal.
On 21 minutes Sam Dibb-Fuller did win a corner off Dylan Wilkinson which he took himself. The delivery caused concern in the united box as the ball fell to Brad Rogers who's well-hit effort was bravely blocked by Stephen Siyanbola.
The ball actually falling back to Rogers who again saw his effort blocked by Siyanbola for a corner. Again Dibb-Fuller delivered and this time his delivery was met by Liam Dalton's firm header that Hughes held well under his cross bar.
Siyanbola then showed his abilities at the other end of the field with a beautiful turn on the left hand side of the Prudhoe half freeing space to send Loveday away and into the box. Loveday cutting the ball back trying to find Siyanbola but the ball was just behind him.
The Prudhoe defence scrambled the ball away out of the ox but it fell nicely to Michael Mallaburn who hit a fierce 20-yard first time effort inches over the bar.
The Seniors responded with left back Fin Baty coming inside the Chester half only to be stopped by a Dan Robinson foul. Dibb-Fuller delivered the free kick into the Chester box and Matt Law's late run saw him get to the ball first but he could only direct his header over the bar.
Law was actually combining really well down the right hand side with his industrious skipper Darren Graham who was getting forward at every opportunity from his right back berth. One such foray by Graham saw him find Law in space.
Law did well to come inside and create a good shooting chance as he advanced on goal but he scuffed his attempt at the target and Hughes was able to make an easy save.
Siyanbola then turned his man beautifully on the halfway line and then sped away from the Seniors defence and honed down on goal. Dalton came across to put him under pressure and the big United striker didn't get enough purchase on his right-foot effort.
It still needed saving though as Wilson went down at his near post to push it away. Siyanbola was alive to the rebound and in a tussle with Baty came away with the ball and cut in dangerously on his favoured left foot.
This time his rising effort was better struck and brought a good tip over from Wilson for a corner that was delivered by Mallaburn and headed clear by Plunkett and as the ball dropped outside the box the referee's whistle went for half-time.
Goalless but entertaining was the feeling amongst the crowd at the break with both sides having had their moments and both defences playing well.
The opening to the second half saw Prudhoe really press their foot on the accelerator as they looked for an opening with Hughes in the Chester goal having to look very lively.
Graham found Josh Scott in acres of space with a clever ball into the Chester box. The away side's #10 steadied himself and hit a great effort that brought an even better save from the Chester keeper Hughes who spread himself brilliantly to keep it out.
Robinson then was found by Grimaud on the right and he made good ground before delivering an excellent ball into the six-yard box towards Siyanbola but Plunkett got in first to clear before the striker could pounce.
Hughes was called upon once again to produce a fine full length diving save pushing Ryan Ndiweni's crisp 22-yard right foot on target effort away to safety with a strong left hand.
The only game of the game came not long after on 50 minutes and perhaps was a goal that United should have stopped. An attack from Prudhoe brought a corner once again delivered by Dibb-Fuller.
United failed to deal with the ball that somehow spun through their defences. Wilkinson tried to shepherd the ball back to Hughes but the keeper had retreated towards his goal line. The moment's hesitancy cost United.
Law nipped in between Wilkinson and Hughes and from barely six-yards out guided the ball past the stranded United keeper and into the bottom left hand corner. A messy goal to concede for United as they were rocked.
United though responded well initially winning a corner that they took short and failed to get it into the box winning only a throw-in. However, Mallaburn's long heave into the box saw Plunkett and Siyanbola compete for the ball.
It fell to United's #9 and his snapshot was on target but brought a neat save from Wilson who held it well in the Prudhoe goal. Another United corner well delivered by Mallaburn saw Barnett and Siyanbola cause problems in the Prudhoe box.
This time the ball falling to Loveday who lashed an effort at goal that rebounded back to Mallaburn just outside the box. The midfielder tried the curler to the far top corner but was high, wide and not so handsome with his strike.
United gave a competitive debut to Dixon on 71 minutes when he came on for Grimaud. However he was unable to help United turn things around and indeed the visitor's looked more likely to double their lead.
At the heart of their attacking intentions was Dibb-Fuller. He floated an excellent 35 yard free kick to the back post that saw Plunkett ghost onto behind the Chester defence and he should perhaps have done better than to play the ball across the face of the goal.
Graham then won a determined challenge on the right in the Chester half robbing Jamie Frizzel of the ball. He found Dibb-Fuller who adjusted his feet well to create a shooting chance from the edge that Hughes did well to turn over the bar.
Dibb-Fuller taking the kick and landing it perfectly onto the right foot of Law who could only fire a well-hit volley over the bar from 12 yards out. The United stand-in management duo of Colin Wotherspoon and Willie Donnachie then went for broke.
With 12 minutes plus injury time to go they withdrew Siyanbola, Walton, Robinson and Mallaburn and sent on Jude Anderson, Jack Wilson, Harry Marr and Leo Fasuan on looking for an equaliser and moving Wilkinson into midfield.
It almost worked as United produced the pressure Frizzel headed at goal only to see Wilson punch it away but only to Jack Wilson who's first time flick saw his namesake in the Prudhoe goal produce an excellent parry.
The goal, if it had gone in, wouldn't have counted as Prudhoe's Wilson was fouled in the act of making the save. Wilson then almost turned villain for the visitor's when he conceded an indirect free kick for a picking the ball back up after he'd initially released it.
The free kick was touched back by Marr to Wilkinson whose low drive beat the initial wall but not the covering defender lying on the ground behind it and the ball deflected away for a corner.
Lawton delivered and Barnett rose well to head for goal but he couldn't keep his effort down and it went firmly over the bar. United's last chance was when Marr was fouled just outside of the box to give them a free kick in a dangerous position.
Lawton took aim and struck the ball sweetly but it deflected just wide of Plunkett as he became the latest Prudhoe defender to put his body on the line. Lawton delivered the corner it was headed clear and the referee called a halt to proceedings.
It would be fair to say United's endeavours and commitment probably deserved a point but once again they came up just short. Prudhoe's defending was dogged and far from pretty but it got the job done and they went away with all three points.
For United, as said, it's two down and two defeats. They need to analyse, recharge and go again this Saturday when they travel to Ryhope to take on a Sunderland RCA side that was relegated from Division 1 last season. Another tough game.
TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Dan Robinson 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Reyhan Grimaud 5, Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Ollie Barnett 7. Harley Lawton 8. Michael Mallaburn 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Dan Walton 11. Charlie Loveday
SUBS : 12. Harry Marr (for Robinson 78 minutes) 14. Leo Fasuan (for Mallaburn 78 minutes) 15. Olly Dixon (for Grimaud 71 minutes) 16. Jude Anderson (for Walton 78 minutes) 17. Jack Wilson (for Siyanbola 78 minutes)
Management Committee Man of the Match - Dylan Wilkinson with an honourable mention to James Hughes!
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