Great Comeback In Vain As Penalty Hoodoo Strikes Again

by Jeff King

Ebac Northern League - Ernest Armstrong Second Division Cup 1st Round - Tuesday 25th November 2025 Sunderland RCA 2 v 2 Park View AFC (RCA Win 4 - 1 On Penalties)

For the third time this season Park View AFC crashed out of a cup competition via a penalty shoot-out. Gateshead Rutherford in the Durham County FA Challenge Cup and Eccleshill United in The Isuzu FA Vase being the other two.

Last night was not third time lucky and completed a hat-trick of cup games where Park View haven't been defeated in the actual 90 minutes of the game. But when put on the spot they haven't been able to come up with an answer.

Without leading goal scorer Stephen Siyanbola through suspension the PV Management Team promoted Sam Beattie from the bench to lead the line. There were also starts in midfield for 16-year-old duo Frankie Young and Ollie Taylor.

Frankie coming in for brother Brandon who was unwell and Taylor after some good cameo performances from the bench given a nod to enable Ben Gallagher to be rested and take a place amongst the substitutes.

Also on the bench were Joe Sykes, Ethan Connelly and very recent signings forward Niall Armstrong from Darlington FC and Alex White a centre back from Esh Winning. Both Armstrong and White being Park View Academy students.

Park View started well and really should have been in front inside the first two minutes. Charlie Loveday blocking Jack Patterson's attempted clearance and the ball falling to Beattie inside the RCA half.

Beattie spotted Loveday making an immediate forward run and threaded a superb ball through the home defence that sent Loveday racing through on goal. As he reached the 18-yard line Karl Dryden in the RCA goal came off his line.

Loveday went to Dryden's right with his right foot shot and beat the keeper easily who didn't have time to react. Unfortunately though Loveday's aim was just out and the ball slid inches wide.

RCA's response was a deep free kick from Archie Dodds to the back post. Jamie Frizzel heading out for a corner. Dodds hit the kick deep to the back post where Lewis Lukeman controlled and shot but it was blocked by Reyhan Grimaud.

Then Callum Guy played a ball from right to left. Again Lukeman controlled came inside and hit a 22-yard effort that was well over the bar. Dylan Wilkinson then played a superb ball from the PV back line over the RCA defence.

Beattie crucially hesitated for a split second perhaps thinking he was offside. The flag stayed down and Beattie managed to get a shot off but Dryden had stayed alert and was out to block the striker's effort.

The ball went out to the right wing where Jacob Mallinson beat Kieran Charlton to it and returned a low dangerous cross into the six-yard box but Dryden was there recovering to gather the ball in safely.

On 22 minutes PV squandered another great chance to open the scoring. Dylan Robson played a ball down the right that saw Charlton beat Young to the header. But it directed the ball into the path of Beattie who found Brad Hughes.

Hughes played a superb ball into Beattie who was in on goal but save his well struck angled drive from about 6-yards out well parried by Dryden. The loose ball being retrieved by Beattie and squared into the middle of the box.

Hughes made great strides to get to the pass first. But from barely 8-yards out in a central position with the goal at his mercy and Dryden out of position could only shoot over the bar and the chance was gone.

RCA did put Park View under pressure following a Dodds free kick but although the ball bounced around it was in the end cleared well by Frizzel who found Loveday sprinting away down the left.

From just inside his own half Loveday cut diagonally across the pitch until he was about 20-yards out. He had a shooting opportunity but didn't get the connection he would have liked and the ball went harmlessly wide.

Then brilliant Park View pressing almost got them a goal their play had deserved. Beattie started it by closing down Dryden following Dodds' long back pass. Dryden having to pass the ball sideways to Dom Moan.

Taylor though was alert to the possibilities and dispossessed Moan inside the box before cutting the ball back to the unmarked Loveday some 16-yards out. The forward hit it first time and on target but straight at Dryden who saved.

Mallinson then lost the ball to Charlton on RCA's right and the home full back sped away. Mallinson got back in a hurry but his challenge on Charlton to prevent a cross was late and rash. Mallinson receiving a yellow card.

The free kick from deep by Dodds lacked any real quality and the PV defence and keeper James watched it drift out of play for a goal kick with no-one near it from RCA.

Neat build-up play involving Young, Grimaud and Wilkinson saw the latter play the ball forward to Loveday. He chipped it forward and then continuing his run got the ball back from Taylor who headed it neatly into his path.

Loveday then probing found Mallinson inside the box 12-yards from goal but the ball just got away from PV's wider right attacker and he could only poke the ball weakly with his right foot and Dryden was able to easily get to it before Beattie.

The old adage of not scoring when you're on top came back to bite Park View as RCA took the lead on 42 minutes against the run of play. It actually came when RCA won the ball back from a throw-in from PV.

Sunderland skipper Chris Thompson winning it before giving it to Aidan Stanton who flicked it into the path of Lukeman who found Guy in the box. He in turn found Stanton who tried to square the ball to Thompson who was well placed.

The ball though was blocked but came back to Stanton. The ex-Silksworth striker doing well and somehow managing to twist and turn past three PV defenders.

Just as Frizzel made a last-ditch lunge Stanton just had enough momentum to retain his balance long enough to poke the ball home from the six-yard box line and the advancing Hughes got a touch but couldn't prevent it going in.

A blow to PV and perhaps not deserved but you simply have to take your chances when presented with them and Stanton did. Seconds before half-time RCA were almost in again.

A ricochet in midfield saw the ball land at the feel of Dodds who advanced towards goal. The pitch opened up and he got a good sight at goal but from about 22-yards out curled his effort well over.

So, a one-nil home lead at half-time and Park View must have been wondering what had hit them. Clearly whatever was said in the dressing room at half-time didn't sink in as RCA doubled their lead two minutes into the second half.

Patterson on the right winning a corner as his attempted cross from the touchline came off Loveday and went for a corner which Dodds swung in to the near post causing confusion.

With the Park View defence surprisingly for them at sixes and sevens Stanton rose virtually unchallenged inside the six-yard box and planted a firm header into a wide open net to make it 2 - 0. It looked a long way back for PV.

PV almost pulled one back just before the hour mark. A good determined forward foray from Grimaud saw him find Beattie on the edge of the box. A superb first time flick from the striker releasing Young into the box.

The midfielder controlling well and looking as if he was going to be in as he rounded a sprawling Dryden. But just as Young was about to pull the trigger Dryden on the ground managed to divert the ball away with his right hand.

Both sides then began to make changes which disrupted the flow of the game at first until PV's changes began to take effect for the better. It resulted in Park View grabbing a lifeline and a way back into the game on 69 minutes.

It came from an unlikely source as well. Wilkinson starting the move by playing a one-two with Loveday after coming out of defence. Wilkinson trying to slide substitute Armstrong in on goal but Moan came across to intercept.

Armstrong though didn't give up and won the ball back on the byline and found Loveday who passed low towards Mallinson. He couldn't quite reach the ball but it rebounded to substitute Gallagher who lashed it at goal.

His shot though was blocked but rebounded back to another substitute Sykes who from six-yards poked it home with his left foot for his first ever senior goal and to bring his side back into the game.

Brad Hughes who was having a fine game for Park View and trying at every opportunity to drive his team forward produced the next couple of chances as PV went in search of an equaliser.

Firstly picked a ball up in midfield some 40-yards from goal went right at the heart of the RCA defence to just inside their box. But unfortunately his finish didn't match the run Dryden saved a weak effort that was straight at him.

Hughes though did better not long after this time in the provider role. The willing Armstrong did well to win a ball in midfield and give it to Hughes who played a superb ball forward that found Gallagher bursting into the box.

The substitute midfielder took it well in his stride and then drilled an angled left effort across Dryden. The keeper doing really well to fling himself low to his left and turn the ball away at full stretch to maintain RCA's lead.

There was a little bit of niggle after Connelly upended Stanton as he tried to go forward and was booked. Guy's free kick coming to nothing. Then down at the other end Thompson pulled Loveday back as he attempted to break free.

Thompson rightly booked for the offence. Mallinson tried to play the free kick into the box but Guy only about 5-yards away from the ball blocked it. The referee correctly awarded a retake but failed to take action on Guy.

Mallinson's second effort at the free kick was poor and wasted as it drifted over every one and went well past the post. With two minutes to go though Mallinson did show his set piece prowess.

Wilkinson burst forward from his defensive position in the centre circle and powered towards the left wing. His low cross into the middle almost finding Armstrong in front of goal but Charlton intercepted at the cost of a corner.

Mallinson took it and his wicked vicious in-swinger saw Dryden at full stretch only able to get part of a hand on the ball as it dipped under his cross bar and hit the back of the net to level the game up in dramatic style.

As the game entered injury time and headed for a penalty shoot-out there was one last dramatic incident against Park View. RCA substitute Logan Herron drifting across Connelly inside his own half and going down after contact.

It looked innocuous but not to the referee who adjust Connelly's contact on Herron as serious enough to warrant a second yellow card and therefore a subsequent red. It looked harsh.

That though was that and the referee's next whistle ended the game all square after the 90 minutes were up and sent the teams into a penalty shoot-out situation. Not, it has to be said, Park View's favoured outcome.

Jake Fowler went first for the home side sending James Hughes the wrong way for 1 - 0. Brad Hughes replied sending Dryden the wrong way, 1 - 1. Two-goal hero Stanton was next and he drove it high and hard centrally past Hughes, 2 - 1.

Gallagher was next for PV and he went down the middle. Dryden diving right but his forward momentum enabled him to stick out a leg and divert the ball away. He looked a long way off his line but the referee upheld the save.

Jamie Harwood was next and he drove his kick high to Hughes' left with the keeper not getting near to it and it was 3 - 1. Up stepped skipper Wilkinson and drove his spot kick to Dryden's left.

It though was a nice height for the diving keeper and he beat the ball away to give RCA a significant advantage. An advantage that was converted by Herron who drove the ball home low into the corner past Hughes' left hand dive.

A 4 - 1 penalty shoot-out win that saw the home side advance to the next round and Park View once again endure penalty misery. Early on they had chances to seal the game in the first half and didn't take them.

RCA responded by converting both of their first two chances on target and took control of the game. But Park View produced a great fightback that in the end was all in vain as they failed to continue that in the penalty shoot-out.

So, it's back to league action for the vanquished as they return to The Riverside this Saturday to take on lowly Tow Law Town. A win would keep their play-off quest alive and three points are vital to that cause.

TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Reyhan Grimaud 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Brad Hughes 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Dylan Robson 7. Jacob Mallinson 8. Ollie Taylor 9. Sam Beattie 10. Frankie Young 11. Charlie Loveday

SUBS : 12. Joe Sykes (for Frizzel 59 mins) 14. Alex White (for Robson 59 mins) 15. Niall Armstrong (for Beattie 59 mins) 16. Ben Gallagher (for Taylor 62 mins) 17. Ethan Connelly (for Young 62 mins)

SCORERS : Sykes 69, Mallinson 88 PLAYER of the GAME : Brad Hughes