Dreadful Start Creates Unscalable Mountain

by Jeff King

Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 16th August 2025 Park View AFC 0 v 3 Sunderland West End

Park View who had suffered their first league defeat of the season in midweek at FC Hartlepool were looking to bounce back against third from bottom Sunderland West End as they returned to The Riverside on Saturday.

In the end it proved to be a very bad day at the office for a, even by their standards, very young squad who made a terrible start to the game and struggled thereafter to get back into the contest.

Perhaps though the pre-game selection issues for the Park View Management Team hinted at what was to come. Strikers Stephen Siyanbola and Nathan Conroy still injured along with 'experienced' utility defender Reyhan Grimaud.

Add in the fact that several more players who were reportedly fit made themselves unavailable for personal reasons then the options open to the Coaching staff were stretched to the limits.

It meant three 16-year-olds called up to the squad. All will be joining Park View Academy when term starts in September and all are excellent prospects in their own right. It is a testament to the PV Project that players like this break through.

Shay Pye has already been involved so far this season with the First Team squad and he was joined in the starting XI by midfielder Frankie Young making his debut and striker Zac Boddy was on the bench.

It meant another reshuffle of the pack with Dylan Robson who has had a good start to the season having to show his versatility by dropping into right back and Ben Gallagher moving back to a right wing/midfield position.

West End came with a strong physical line-up that were hungry for points and determined to begin a climb away from the bottom end of the table. For Park View they were looking to keep pace with the leaders at the top.

The game started well for PV and they almost went ahead inside the first 3 minutes. Brad Hughes finding Robson on the right who played a neat ball inside to Charlie Loveday inside the 'D.'

Loveday turning and clipping a lovely low right foot shot that West End Keeper and Captain Neal Bussey dived low to his left to palm around the post for a corner.

B Hughes delivered and found Jamie Frizzel about 8-yards out but the defender's header lacked power and Bussey was able to collect it easily and send the ball long into the Park View half.

David Hodgson and Harvey Hope between them got to the ball and combined to put the PV defence under pressure but skipper Dylan Wilkinson cleared the danger only for disaster to occur for his side.

The ball came to B Hughes who inexplicably turned it back towards his keeper failing to spot Bryan Norton as the furthest forward player. The back pass was too short and James Hughes couldn't get off his line quick enough.

It gave Norton time to run onto the ball and nudge it past the advancing J Hughes into an empty net and gave West End a 4th minute gift that they were happy to accept.

Three minutes later a bad start for Park View became even worse. This time they failed to deal with a deep Ashley Davis free kick into the heart of their penalty box. The first header missed by Wilkinson caused confusion in his defence.

No-one stepped in to take responsibility and Zouhair AitBenali flicked it forward and there was Norton again to easily lift it over the stranded J Hughes and double his tally as well as his side's. An awful start for the PV youngsters.

Then it was Hope drifting inside from the right strolling through two missed tackles and then shooting from 25-yards for West End. But although the shot was well hit it lacked direction and J Hughes was able to gather it easily.

Park View had to respond and had a chance when Loveday was upended 22-yards out centrally when trying to set-up an opening. Loveday took the free kick himself and saw his shot past the wall parried around the post by Bussey.

B Hughes' corner to the back post was cleared back to him and he passed to Loveday inside the West End area. Loveday twisted to the by-line and pulled the ball back across goal.

Alex Clark got on the end of it but his well struck effort was blocked by Brad Forster with Wilkinson not being able to get enough purchase on the rebound and hitting it straight at Bussey who held it easily.

Wilkinson was certainly trying to inspire his side and pushing forward from defence played a 1-2 with Brandon Young before shooting not far over the top from fully 20+ yards.

Although Park View were now having the bulk of possession and territorial advantage it was West End that almost went further ahead on 20 minutes. A long diagonal ball from the right by Davis catching the home defence out.

It went over the head of Robson to Aitbenali who sped away from his marker and into the box. J Hughes came out to narrow the angle and it did the trick as the West End forward shot well over when very well placed 8-yards out.

Loveday was looking like the man that might bring his side into the game. Good work from him saw him find B Young breaking into the box but his shot was deflected just wide for a corner which the visitor's cleared easily.

Once again it was Loveday who setup the next half chance. This time attempting to pick out Ben Gallagher at the back post he saw his cross half cleared by Forster but only straight to B Young.

The onrushing midfielder hit a sweet shot on the follow-up towards goal but Forster redeemed his poor clearance by throwing himself in front of the effort to make a great block with Bussey struggling to get across.

Clark was booked for a late tackle on Hope that gave West End a free kick just outside the left hand side of the 18-yard box. Hodgson clipped a dangerous ball in under the PV cross bar but the flag went up for offside.

PV were forced into a change on 35 minutes with Pye limping off with cramp being replaced by Sam Beattie who was immediately into the action as he was put into space on the left by a good pass from B Hughes.

Beattie's cross was deep and picked out Gallagher arriving late at the back post but the angle was against him and he could only nod the ball wide of the target from close range.

Robson then had an opportunity to show his long-throw prowess with a delivery from the left. It was flicked on by Clark and almost found Gallagher at the back post but Adam Anderson got their first to defend the danger well.

As time expired in the first half it was Beattie showing good footwork in the middle to send Loveday away on the left. He forced a corner off John Anderson that gave PV one last chance in the first 45 minutes.

B Hughes delivered and Clark got up to flick a header towards the back post but no-one was there to take advantage and the ball drifted wide. It ended a disappointing half for PV but one the accepting Visitor's clearly enjoyed.

At the start of the second half PV made two changes to try and redress the balance. Jacob Mallinson returning from the USA replaced F Young and Joe Sykes came on for B Hughes slotting in at right back.

It meant Robson moving into the midfield and Mallinson into an attacking role as PV opened the second 45 minutes in good style responding to the half-time changing room instructions.

A great move saw Sykes find Gallagher with a good ball down the right. He turned inside well and then rolled a great pass into the stride of the onrushing Robson. His low right foot strike from 20-yards was a beauty.

It flew towards the bottom corner of the net but once again Bussey was equal to it as he dived low to his right and turned it around the post. Mallinson's corner headed well clear by the West End defence.

Then Frizzel clipped a great ball down the left and Loveday was only halted by a good covering tackle by Ethan Thomson at the expense of a corner. Mallinson again the deliverer.

This time his in-swinger was a beauty drifting over the head of the static Bussey who was delighted to see Jake Fowler covering behind him and heading the ball off the line to deny Mallinson a dramatic return.

Beattie was first to the clearance and nodded it into the six-yard box where Frizzel rose but could only put his header over the bar from a great position. It would prove costly as West End immediately responded with a third goal.

It came from the goal kick and only five minutes into a half PV had started on top. Bussey's long clearance was met by Wilkinson deep in his own half but his header was misdirected and caught his own defenders out.

No-one anticipated the misplaced header or covered behind their skipper and Aitbenali picked up the loose ball in the left channel drove into the box and hit a great finish past J Hughes in off the post to virtually seal the deal.

West End were now in the comfort zone and sat back absorbingany PV pressure that came but without any real penetrating presence. Loveday did slide a great ball into Beattie who was blocked by the covering Thomson.

Mallinson delivered a great corner onto the six-yard line but Clark disappointingly could only direct a free header wide of the far post when perhaps he should have done better.

Park View made their final change on 68 minutes with Boddy coming on for his debut in place of B Young. He immediately went up top to try and add impact to the forward play.

However despite Mallinson looking lively on his return and combining well with Loveday at times to look dangerous the West End defence stood firm and restricted Park View's efforts.

A Robson free kick into the area was headed clear and picked up by Gallagher who controlled well and then drove a 20-yard daisy cutter at Bussey's goal but the keeper got down well to his left to make a smart diving save.

A break though by West End from the pressure they were soaking up almost brought them a fourth goal when once again the PV defence were hesitant. Hodgson through on goal but poked his 10-yard effort under pressure wide.

Mallinson and Loveday then combined well in midfield before Mallinson was denied a shooting opportunity by a good tackle by Forster. Loveday was working tirelessly for his side and almost broke through.

A great run down the middle through the heart of the West End defence looked like creating an opening but the defence recovered to crowd him out at a vital stage.

Gallagher then produced a similar run to his opposite wing partner from the right as he cut inside brilliantly beating three players but his final touch let him down and the ball squirted from his control.

In truth though the chances were few and far between and PV were unable to get inside the visiting 18-yard area to really create any problems as West End controlled the game very well.

The last chance showing exactly the pattern of the game. West End backing off and defending deep that allowed the lively Mallinson a shooting chance. But it was from fully 25-yards and straight at Bussey who caught it comfortably.

It ended a day where Park View had given themselves a mountain to climb early and then when trying to get a foothold had given West End a further present they accepted gratefully.

The visitor's taking a deserved three points in the end with a controlled solid performance that will help them move up the table and give them a platform to take them higher.

For Park View they need injured players back and hopefully others will be available too after missing this game. They take on Sunderland RCA on Wednesday at The Riverside looking to halt their two-game losing streak.

TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Dylan Robson 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Brad Hughes 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Alex Clark 7. Ben Gallagher 8. Frankie Young 9. Shay Pye 10. Brandon Young 11. Charlie Loveday.

SUBS : 12. Joe Sykes (for F Young 46 minutes) 14. Sam Beattie (for Pye 35 minutes) 15. Jacob Mallinson (for B Hughes 46 minutes) 16. Zac Boddy (for B Young 68 minutes)

MAN of the MATCH : Jacob Mallinson