Defensive Stand Continues As Park View Make Their Point

by Jeff King

Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Tuesday 2nd September 2025 Redcar Town 0 v 0 Park View AFC

Into September and another tough midweek encounter for Park View to deal with. A long Tuesday night trip to League leaders Redcar Town who were in red-hot form having won six in a row including five in the League.

They are setting the pace at the top but Park View themselves have opened well this season and went into the game in 4th place in the table. That had come on the back of three games unbeaten in the league plus one in the FA Vase.

In those four games without defeat they had also shown real defensive strength and fortitude and hadn't conceded a goal whilst carving out that unbeaten run that keeps them in the play-off positions.

The Two Micky's backed the side that had taken a 2 - 0 home win on the Saturday over Ryton & Crawcrook Albion especially with Charlie Loveday and Brandon Young still not fit enough for the squad and Stephen Siyanbola continuing his recuperation and still on the bench.

Not surprisingly the home side opened well and looked dangerous early on as Park View tried to settle into their work and indeed with a great counter attack carved out the first chance of the game on 4 minutes.

Jamie Frizzel playing a measured pass from his own box to find Nathan Conroy on half-way. Conroy turning the ball well to Jacob Mallinson on the left who cut in and played a delightful ball over the heads of the Redcar defence.

The ball finding Sam Beattie just outside the box and as Will Cowey came off his line to cut down the angle Beattie went for the lob which he got over the onrushing keeper but saw the ball go narrowly wide of the far post.

Alex Clark then fouled Alfie Turnbull some 22-yards from goal in a central position. Matty Garbutt stepped up and fired the free-kick narrowly over the bar as Redcar continued to be on top.

Another great hit from distance from McCorie Carmichael from fully 25-yards had Park View's James Hughes taking no chances as he turned the ball over the bar with a strong right-hand.

From the resultant corner delivered by Clayton McDonald Jamie McLeod got free but from only 8-yards out could only divert his header wide of Hughes' right-hand post.

Park View did get out of their own half after soaking up some pressure with Mallinson looking lively on the left from where he cut inside to midfield before picking out Beattie in the box.

The striker's 12-yard angled right-foot drive was on target but didn't have enough power to trouble Cowey who saved easily. Park View continued to be pushed back but were cutting down angles and working hard defensively.

Redcar skipper Craig Gott was finding room to come forward from the back and try to find colleagues in forward positions. One such foray actually saw him find enough room to launch a long range shot that flew not far over the bar.

The willing Beattie then earned Park View a free-kick in the inside left channel 35-yards from goal after a foul by McLeod. Mallinson delivered from deep trying to find Dylan Wilkinson at the back post but was a fraction too high with his delivery.

Then Garbutt almost played his side into trouble turning a ball back to Cowey with the bounce almost seeing Beattie nipping in but Cowey did enough to clear the danger.

McDonald was pushing forward with purpose at every opportunity for Redcar and when found with a lovely pass from Josh Duffield fired in a great cross that Frizzel just got too in front of Kyran Clark at the expense of a corner.

Once again McDonald took the kick but the Park View defence and Clark were first to the ball to clear well. There was no doubting Redcar's superiority in terms of possession and territory but when PV broke they looked dangerous.

Wilkinson playing a brilliant long diagonal ball to find the overlapping Frizzel on the left. The full back taking it well before drilling in a cross that Garbutt was happy to turn out for a throw-in.

Dylan Robson took it and launched it into the box where Gott headed it clear but only to Ben Gallagher on the edge of the box who flashed a first-time half volley with his left foot just wide of the goal.

McDonald played a good ball wide to Jude Harrison who did well to get past Frizzel and then whip in a cross to the back post that Reyhan Grimaud turned behind for another corner beating Kayden Robinson-Coley to the ball.

McDonald took the kick swung it into the Park View 6-yard area but again Clark did well to clear his lines under pressure. Redcar ended the half on top but could only carve out half chances that were always challenged.

Duffield delivering a good ball from a central position that found Clark unmarked 10-yards out but he headed the best chance of the opening 45 minutes well wide of the upright.

The last attack of the half again saw the home side pressing. This time Garbutt and Harrison combining well on the left before the latter crossed low to the front post.

Turnbull getting there first could only shoot wide from 8-yards under pressure from Wilkinson. It meant a well-contested first-half ended with neither side able to get on the score sheet.

Park View were forced to make a change at half-time with the industrious hard-working Frankie Young coming off with a hip injury to be replaced by Brad Hughes.

Park View opened well with a good foray down the right by Grimaud who looked as if he might get into the box as he cut inside but he was thwarted by a good blocking tackle by McLeod.

The ball broke loose inside the Redcar box and Gallagher was first to it but he snatched at the chance and smashed his left-foot high, wide and not very handsome.

B Hughes' foul on Harrison gave Garbutt an opportunity to put the ball into the Park View box. Clark winning his header in front of his namesake. However the ball fell to Carmichael just inside the area.

His first-time effort was well struck but Robson was brave and decisive in his defending and made a great block to stop the ball troubling J Hughes in the PV goal.

Garbutt was next to try his luck. He picked the ball up on the left hand side of the 18-yard line before turning well past Conroy. From 16-yards he let fly. The struck was well hit and on target but also straight at J Hughes who held it well.

On 56 minutes Park View made a double substitution with Siyanbola and Zac Boddy coming on for Conroy and Beattie. But it was Redcar still pushing that went close with the best chance of the game a minute later.

Turnbull's right-wing cross going beyond the Park View defence and finding Duffield coming in unmarked at the back post but the bounce of the ball got a bit big on him and he headed over from 8-yards with only J Hughes to beat.

Grimaud was then booked for a late tackle on Garbutt as he tried to break away. Garbutt taking the free kick and firing it into the heart of the PV defence but once again it was cleared this time by Wilkinson.

Harrison then won a corner for Redcar on the left off Gallagher for his side. Garbutt delivered to the far side of the box where Carmichael retrieved it and fashioned a shooting chance that Wilkinson got across and blocked.

Then a neat attack from the home side saw substitute Alex Bruton combine well with Robinson-Coley who put McDonald into the box on the overlap. Frizzel scrambling back to clear for a corner. McDonald took it and J Hughes claimed the ball well under pressure.

A rare attacking moment came from Mallinson who was fouled by McDonald on half-way. He took the free kick but his ball into the box was too close to Cowey who gathered it easily under no pressure.

Grimaud then did brilliantly to turn defence into attack intercepting a pass meant for Garbutt and sending Boddy away on the right. He did well to make ground and then deliver a cross that just evaded the leap of Siyanbola.

With 20 minutes to go it was Redcar pushing again and Park View defending well. Duffield doing well to win a ball in midfield and then finding Harrison on the edge of the box. He in turn found Turnbull about 16-yards out but he shot over.

Inside the last ten minutes and Siyanbola on a rare forward break for Park View cut in from the right getting the ball on to his left and then from 20-yards hit a good shot but it was too straight and Cowey saved easily.

Park View who had already brought on Joe Sykes for Mallinson then had to make their last substitution when Jan Niedzielski came on for the injured Clark as the game ticked into injury time.

The closest Redcar came to breaking the deadlock in the extra ten minutes the referee found to add in was a dangerous cross from the right by McDonald. The ball dipping at J Hughes' near post with the PV keeper palming the ball over.

Garbutt this time took the corner and got the ball into the six-yard area but J Hughes once again was alert to the danger and took the ball well above the Redcar attackers.

When the final whistle eventually went it was a frustrated home side that had been stopped in their runaway leaders tracks by a disciplined Park View effort. Redcar unable to carve out any real clear cut chances to break them down.

So, a point a-piece was the final reward for both sides efforts. On the evidence of what transpired this was two very good sides that both tried to play football. Redcar undoubtedly looking like a top side but Park View not far behind them.

It's now 490 minutes since Park View conceded a goal in any competitions. Great form that has confidence in the camp high as they look forward to hosting Esh Winning in their next League game on Saturday 6th September.

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 56 minutes) 13. Jan Niedzielski (for Clark 88 minutes) 14. Brad Hughes (for Young 46 minutes) 15. Joe Sykes (for Mallinson 80 minutes) 16. Zac Boddy (for Conroy 56 minutes)

MAN of the MATCH : Dylan Robson