Another Solid Showing As Injured Strikers Return In Style

by Jeff King

Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 30th August 2025 Park View AFC 2 v 0 Ryton & Crawcrook Albion

A fourth consecutive clean sheet and a third 2 - 0 win in those four games kept Park View AFC firmly in the promotion race and well inside the playoff positions. It was also a great follow-up performance following Wednesday's 0 - 0 draw at Seaham Red Star.

PV were up against a strong Albion side that had beaten Alnwick Town 2 - 0 in midweek to move them up to 11th place in the table and within four points of their hosts before the game. It looked like a difficult game to call.

Ryton were missing some regulars but did have one or two returning who mainly were on the bench. However Danny Driver a recent signing from Jarrow did make his Albion debut at the heart of their defence.

Park View meanwhile were forced into one change from Tuesday's stalemate at Seaham. Charlie Loveday who limped out of the Seaham game after only 37 minutes not quite fit enough to even make the Park View bench.

Top scorer Nathan Conroy did though return to the squad and starting line-up after missing a five games. Stephen Siyanbola once again on the bench as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.

The opening to the game was cagy to say the least. Albion having more territorial position as they got the ball forward at every opportunity. PV looking to counter were finding it difficult to get into the game in the early going.

It took 14 minutes for the game for the first significant action. Louis Anderson finding Declan Bisset inside the home box. He showed good holdup play then great awareness to back-heel a ball into the path of James Blakey.

His overlapping run to the byline saw him met by a good intercepting challenge by Jamie Frizzel who conceded a corner. Fergus Lynch fired the corner into the near post. Jack Salkeld arriving late got there first but poked his effort wide.

It then took a great save from PV's James Hughes on 19 minutes to keep his side level. A lovely first touch on the edge of the box by Louis Calvert saw him nutmeg Alex Clark and open up a shooting chance.

From an angle about 10-yards out Calvert hit his left-foot cross shot towards the left-hand bottom corner. However, Hughes dived low and at full stretch turned the goal-bound effort away.

Park View responded immediately. A long ball from Hughes freed Reyhan Grimaud on the right flank and he made great ground before crossing low across the face of the visiting box.

Sam Beattie did well to get in front of his marker and stab his effort goal wards only to see Callum Corkhill dive low to his right and hold the on target effort well at the foot of the post.

What was apparent was that both defences looked solid and were standing firm even in the face of pressure coming from long throw-ins from either side. Dylan Robson for the home side and Driver for the away getting great distance from the side lines.

Park View's first corner taking 21 minutes to earn. A long diagonal ball from the right by skipper Dylan Wilkinson found Conroy who held it up well before laying it into the path of Ben Gallagher who burst into the box and towards the by-line.

However, Josh Skivington came across and tackled Gallagher to concede the corner. Jacob Mallinson delivered a good in-swinger but it was headed well clear by Driver.

Just after the half-hour mark Mallinson showed good feet to cut inside towards the box skipping past a couple of challenges. Then from fully 25-yards he unleashed a well-struck shot that was taken well by the alert Corkhill.

On 38 minutes Anderson was booked for a reckless late tackle on Grimaud as PV's marauding solid full-back attempted to break clear. Anderson perhaps lucky to only see a yellow card brandished.

Park View then produced the best move of the game on 41 minutes. Gallagher driving through midfield before finding Beattie who laid it off to Conroy who immediately curled a first-time ball that dropped just over Blakey's head.

Mallinson coming in strong got on the end of the cross and hit a smart half-volley from just outside the six-yard box but once again Corkhill was equal to the effort and kept the score sheet blank with a good claim as he dived right.

At the other end it was Ryton who replied with a good attack where Skivington earned his side a corner off Wilkinson. Bisset's in-swinger saw Clark rise highest and nod the ball away towards Beattie who cleared the danger.

Park View finished the half the stronger with the best move of the game and effort on goal as time ticked down. Beattie on halfway played a neat inside pass to Conroy who in one movement swivelled and sent a superb ball to the left wing.

Mallinson did well to receive the ball, control it and then dance inside a couple of challenges. Looking up he clipped a superb ball to the back post aiming for and hitting Gallagher ghosting in on goal.

However his superb angled 8-yard header saw Corkhill once again excel in The Albion goal as he dived to his left and kept the ball out with a brilliant block to deny Gallagher the opening goal.

It was the last action of a hectic game that found it's self starting to swing in Park View's favour as the sides left the playing surface with the score sheet blank.

Ryton made the better start to the second half without creating anything in the way of a worthy effort on goal. However on 54 minutes the home side did strike and not surprising it was the method that created it.

A Robson long throw into the heart of the visiting box wasn't dealt with well and although Clark didn't seem to make contact it was enough to throw the away defence off kilter.

The ball arriving at destination Conroy on the six-yard line. One lovely piece of movement saw Conroy swivel on to the half chance and crash his close range effort with his right foot past Corkhill who had no chance of keeping it out.

A great return to the side for Conroy as his net-bulging effort took his tally for the season to six as he celebrated the finely struck effort with delight.

A sway of substitutions from both sides temporarily slowed the game down. Siyanbola coming on for Beattie and Zac Boddy for Conroy who had put a great shift in on his return.

Both combined quickly to set-up the next chance. Boddy's header in midfield finding Siyanbola in the box. He turned and showed great awareness to find Grimaud breaking forward. The full back laying a great first time ball back to Boddy.

The 16-year-old substitute crashing a great effort towards goal that took a deflection and flew just wide. Mallinson's corner being well claimed by Corkhill under pressure and amid a sea of players.

Ryton substitute Callum Johnston came on after 66 minutes and almost had an immediate effect on the game. First having a ferocious 25-yard shot well blocked by Frizzel and then picking up the loose ball drifting a great cross just wide of the far post with Hughes beaten.

Frizzel was then forced from the field with a foot injury. Brad Hughes came on to replace Robson in the midfield with Robson showing his versatility by dropping into the back four at left back.

Disaster struck for the visitors with 71 minutes on the clock. There was no apparent danger when the ball found it's way to Kurtis Dodds some 30-yards from goal. He though inexplicably stumbled and presented the ball to Siyanbola.

The big Park View striker just took the ball in his stride strolled into the visiting penalty area and with Corkhill advancing from his line, Siyanbola casually almost stroked his left-foot effort past the stranded keeper from 14-yards.

Ryton were now in real trouble but almost got back in the game on 75 minutes. Substitute Morgan Dart doing brilliantly to cut inside from the left and then picking out the run of Lynch who burst into the box.

The Ryton skipper controlled the ball well and smashed a shot to J Hughes' right but was denied a goal as Hughes' flying dive to his right saw him turn the ball around the post in brilliant style. The corner being dealt with well by Park View.

Dodds almost played an early Santa Claus again when he carelessly rolled a pass across the face of his own 18-yard box for Siyanbola to pick-up. Siyanbola rolled the ball into the path of the ever alert Boddy.

He got the ball out in front and then hit a great left foot shot that beat Corkhill but not the frame of the goal as it flicked off the cross bar and over the top to deny Park View a third.

The visitor's did have two free-kicks in reasonably quick succession about 22-yards from goal. Calvert took the first but could only hit the well-organised and placed well with his effort and then Blisset curled another well over the bar.

Park View though finished the game strong and hit Ryton on the counter attack to some effect as their defence held firm and their forwards brought balls away. One clearance by Grimaud seemingly putting Boddy through on goal.

The forward held off his marker at first and bore down on goal only for Lynch to get back at him and deny him a clear shooting opportunity with a last ditch great covering tackle.

Right on the cusp of the referee's whistle Park View launched one final attack. B Hughes winning a ball well in midfield and then finding Mallinson breaking forward on the left.

He made ground towards the visitor's box before finding Gallagher just on the edge and the midfielder made space before firing in a great low effort that beat Corkhill but was just wide and hit the side netting of the goal.

The last meaningful action of another win for Park View that although leaving them still in 4th place in the table did take them closer points wise to those above them.

It was also a fourth clean sheet in a row for their impressive defence and goal keeper. However, team efforts like this often mean defending from front to back. All Park View's players putting a great shift in for the full 90 minutes.

Next up another challenge for the side as they travel down the A19 and across the A1085 to Mo Mowlam Park to take on impressive league leaders Redcar Town who have made a superb start to the season.

TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Reyhan Grimaud 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Dylan Robson 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Alex Clark 7. Nathan Conroy 8. Ben Gallagher 9. Sam Beattie 10. Frankie Young 11. Jacob Mallinson

SUBS : 12. Stephen Siyanbola (for Beattie 59 minutes) 13. Jan Niedzielski (not used) 14. Brad Hughes (for Frizzel 70 minutes) 15. Joe Sykes (not used) 16. Zac Boddy (for Conroy 61 minutes)

SCORERS : Conroy 54, Siyanbola 71 MAN of the MATCH : Reyhan Grimaud