Lacklustre Park View Pay The Ultimate Penalty

by Jeff King

Durham County FA Frank Pattinson Challenge Cup - Preliminary Round Wednesday 10th September 2025 Gateshead Rutherford 1 v 1 Park View AFC Gateshead Rutherford Win Penalty Shoot-Out 4 - 3

A preliminary round loss at the hands of lower league opposition was not what the Doctor ordered. But Park View had to take the medicine dished out as they couldn't find the remedies of their own to put things right.

Despite the game being played at The Riverside it was still classified as Rutherford's home tie. Park View having agreed to reverse the venue as Rutherford were having issues with their floodlighting system.

Rutherford play in the Northern Alliance Premier Division and were sitting in mid-table. They did come into the game on the back of four successive wins. Three in the league by 3 - 2 and a 9 - 0 Cup win over Heddon United.

Clearly a team in form and one that could score goals with 18 in those four games. Park View by comparison were sitting 5th in the Ebac Northern League Division 2 and had not lost in six games. Five in the League and one in the FA Vase.

That six match unbeaten run had included three 0 - 0 draws and three 2 - 0 wins meaning PV had not conceded a goal in those 540 minutes. In fact the last goal they had conceded was seven games ago in the 50th minute against Sunderland West End. It all added up to 580 minutes without conceding a goal.

A terrific record although there was slight concern on the converse that even with injured first-choice strikers back they hadn't scored in 209 minutes since Stephen Siyanbola's 71st minute strike against Ryton & Crawcrook Albion.

The PV Coaching staff had to re-shuffle their pack for this game. Jamie Frizzel and Sam Beattie were unavailable through injury so they reverted to a 3-5-2 system with Charlie Loveday and Jacob Mallinson as wing-backs.

Dylan Robson, Reyhan Grimaud and Skipper Dylan Wilkinson as the three and the Young Brothers Brandon and Frankie alongside Ben Gallagher in midfield. Nathan Conroy and Siyanbola playing up top.

The game opened with torrential rain falling and a strong wind blowing across the pitch. It could have made conditions difficult but the surface took the water well and added a bit of zip to the ball movement.

The first opening almost saw Park View get on board as early as the fourth minute. Gallagher showing good close control before playing the ball down the right touchline where Conroy flicked it on to set Siyanbola free.

The big striker looked as if he was away from the Rutherford defence but Dominic Smith got across Siyanbola to make a great covering tackle.

The play after that was mainly contained to midfield probing from both sides as they looked to gain advantage. Gateshead already showing that they were comfortable playing against their higher-ranked opponent.

Fifteen minutes into the game it was Rutherford who ended at 595 minutes, Park View's run of not conceding a goal as they took the lead. Ben Ridley creating room on the right before firing in a dangerous low cross.

James Hughes dived out to palm the ball away from the onrushing Ashton Wright. It was the alert Jack Bannister who was first to the loose ball. He clinically despatched it from 12 yards with his right foot into the PV net.

Rutherford looked good value for their lead and their confidence clearly grew. Defensively they looked solid although they did have a scare on 21 minutes when Park View missed a good chance.

Wilkinson hitting a good diagonal ball to the left to find Loveday in space. The PV wide man controlled it really well and put a great cross in finding Conroy only 8-yards from goal and unmarked.

Unfortunately Conroy failed to make the most of the excellent opportunity with a weak header that was easily saved by Arron Burn in the Rutherford goal.

Rutherford weren't sitting back and Robson did well to cut off a dangerous run down the right by Shay Dawson at the expense of a corner. Tom Edgar tried the in-swinger to the near post but Wilkinson headed away firmly.

PV were having the majority of the possession but Rutherford's organised side were restricting them to half chances. B Young with a good shot from the edge of the box was well blocked by Scott McArdle as an example of this.

Then Mallinson and Loveday worked a short corner routine that gave B Young a shooting chance from 22-yards but he struck his shot well over the top not troubling Burn at all.

Park View were finding it difficult to get the ball forward and into space and kept playing across their back line and turning and coming back trying to pull Rutherford out of their shape but the Alliance side were not budging.

The half ended with Wilkinson finding F Young who struck a good effort on target but unfortunately straight at Burn who held it comfortably. The half time whistling a deficit for Park View to pull back.

Could the Northern League side find answers in the second 45 minutes? Siyanbola who had been quiet in the first half almost exploded into life not long after the restart.

He tried to burst through on the left-hand side and almost got through but McArdle as last man was there to deny him a shooting chance once again. Then Loveday almost found B Young unmarked in the box. Liam Turnbull this time making the interception.

It was Rutherford that almost increased their lead with a lovely move. Dawson playing a good ball across to Oliver Farley who turned it into the path of Ridley inside the PV penalty area.

Hughes though coming off his line superbly to make a crucial blocking save and keep his side in the contest. Hughes then showed good hands to cleanly take a long range effort from Dawson that skipped off the wet surface.

Mallinson responded with a run at the Rutherford defence that was stopped illegally just outside the box. The attacking midfielder getting up to curl the free kick low around the wall but Burn covered he effort and saved easily.

Park View were getting into the final third a lot but were wasteful and looked a little toothless if truth be told. Robson playing a long ball to Conroy who won a corner off Turnbull.

Mallinson and Loveday tried to work another short routine but the ball wasn't delivered into the box and the opportunity to put Rutherford under pressure was squandered.

Then from another PV corner taken by Mallinson and headed clear by the Rutherford defence under pressure, Gallagher picked up the loose ball but from just outside the box could only drive his shot wide of the post.

Wright won a free-kick off Grimaud about 22-yards out on the left. He stepped up and drove his low effort on target but once again Hughes showed good hands to gather in the wet.

Then Hughes almost blotted his copy book. Smith hitting a deep free kick into the heart of the PV box. Bannister flicked it on but straight at Hughes who this time fumbled slightly.

Wright couldn't take advantage from close range as his header lacked power even though it went past Hughes as Wilkinson got round to clear the ball away as it rolled towards the net.

With about 15 minutes to Siyanbola missed a great chance to level things up for Park View. He was sent through on goal in the inside left channel but with only Burn to beat he blazed his left foot strike from 10-yards out well wide of the goal.

Park View were now pressing hard for an equaliser and it almost came on 77 minutes from another centrally won free-kick. Again it was Mallinson stepping up and this time he struck his effort really well past the wall.

He was denied though by a superb full-length diving save from Burn who turned the ball around the post in fine style. The resulting corner being well cleared by the stoic defence.

The pressure was building on the Rutherford goal now. Siyanbola showed good holdup play before finding Loveday on the right. He put in a great cross that was only inches too high for B Young who had broken into the box unmarked.

A lovely PV move saw Loveday break across the middle of the park before sliding a ball inside the box looking to free Siyanbola but not for the first time Smith came up with a great saving clearing challenge.

Loveday then tried his luck from 22-yards but although the ball bobbled right in front of Burn he was still able to make the save at the second attempt. With barely four minutes left of the 90 minutes Park View did find an equaliser.

It came from a long Robson throw-in. Substitute Zac Boddy getting a good flick on and there was Mallinson getting in front of the Rutherford defence and Burn to stab home from close range.

It was a little cruel on Rutherford who had controlled the game for long periods and until that 86th minute had dealt reasonably comfortably with Park View's efforts to prise them open.

There was on last half chance for Park View in injury time when Robson found B Young but his 22-yard left foot effort was too high to trouble Burn and drifted over. Shortly afterwards the referee's final whistle signalled a penalty shoot-out.

Gallagher went first for Park View. Smith replying for Gateshead. Mallinson made no mistake with his spot-kick to put PV 2 - 1 up before George Birdsall levelled things up.

Then PV blinked first with Siyanbola smashing his penalty well over the top and off into the rain-filled distance to give Bannister an opportunity to edge Rutherford ahead which he did.

PV skipper Wilkinson levelled the shoot-out but Turnbull restored the lead clinically and then up stepped Loveday whose well-struck kick came cannoning back off the underside of the bar to give Gateshead a 4 - 3 penalty shoot-out win.

So, a disappointing night for Park View who really hadn't got going in the style they've shown so far this season and paid the full penalty. Rutherford were undeniably jubilant at the final kick and celebrated a victory they just about deserved.

For The Two Mickey's Barron and Nelson there's some hard-thinking ahead in the next few days before they settle on a line-up to face a strong Alnwick Town on Saturday at The Riverside in more crucial League action.

TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Reyhan Grimaud 3. Dylan Robson 4. Frankie Young 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Ben Gallagher 7. Jacob Mallinson 8. Brandon Young 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Nathan Conroy 11. Charlie Loveday

SUBS : 12. Matty Henderson (for F Young 71 minutes) 14. Zac Boddy (for Conroy 63 minutes) 15. Joe Sykes (Not Used) 16.Jan Niedzielski (Not Used)

GOAL SCORER : Mallinson 86

MAN of the MATCH : Jacob Mallinson