Late AFC Derby Day Drama As Park View Kick-Off With A Win

by Jeff King

Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 26th July 2025 AFC Newbiggin 1 v 2 Park View AFC

Park View AFC left it late to kick-off their season with a dramatic win in the 'AFC Derby.' On a historic day for both Clubs it was a feisty encounter that the word eventful certainly seemed to fit the bill.

AFC Newbiggin were playing their first ever game at Step 6 in The Ebac Northern League and were gracious courteous welcoming hosts to Park View AFC.

Park View themselves playing their first competitive official fixture in their new kit and with their new name. Officially called Chester-le-Street Park View AFC under FA regulations they are only using the Park View AFC during the season.

Team news centred for Park View around a late addition to the squad. After spending most of the summer and pre-season contemplating moving elsewhere, last season's 27 goal top scorer Stephen Siyanbola decided to return to the Club colours to lead the attack.

With a few players having moved on, one or two not re-signing as yet and unavailability due to holidays there were call-ups to the bench to two of last season's Under-18s in Shay Pye and Sam Beattie.

In the starting XI versatile Reyhan Grimaud partnered skipper Dylan Wilkinson in the heart of defence that saw Keane Mitchell making his first start for the senior side at right back.

Ben Gallagher got the nod to start in front of last season's second top scorer Nathan Conroy with Brad Hughes a late season signing from Tow Law Town last campaign anchoring the midfield.

On a very bare looking, hard dry bumpy pitch which was a surprise to many, Park View nevertheless got off to the brighter start. On only 1 minute and 12 seconds Siyanbola got his first shot of the campaign on target.

Unfortunately his right foot cross shot lacked power and although Robert Hodgson did have to dive low to his right to keep the ball out it was a comfortable save.

Then on 4 minutes it was Siyanbola and Charlie Loveday combining well to find Mitchell marauding forward from the right flank. He cut inside before unleashing a vicious 22-yard right foot shot that flew just wide of the far post.

A minute later it was Siyanbola that looked as if he might give Park View the lead as he went clear on goal and rounded Hodgson. But his angle was tight and covering defenders got back to crowd him out and deny him a shot.

On 7 minutes though Park View did take the lead with a well created goal. Wilkinson coming out of defence well before sending a cross field ball that Siyanbola headed down into the path of Gallagher.

The wide man put a neat pass into Loveday's feet and he controlled well before going past Liam Stokoe and then from 10-yards out he drove his shot low past the advancing Hodgson.

Park View were well on top and the goal was deserved as they looked the more likely. They were given a further boost on 16 minutes when the home side were reduced to 10 men.

'The Biggin' skipper Harvey Hills shown a straight red-card for going over the top of the ball with studs showing as he challenged Jamie Frizzel for a loose ball and made contact with the visiting left back.

Siyanbola not long after showed great footwork and control on the tricky surface to create a shooting opportunity on the corner of the box but fired his right foot effort well over the bar.

As often is the case the ten-men played better than they had with eleven and with Park View seemingly relaxing began to finally get into the game. Left back Daniel Costello getting in a low cross that Grimaud did well to clear.

The clearance actually caught Newbiggin off guard as it was picked up by Siyanbola who powered away from half-way. He had Loveday in acres of space but overhit his through ball and Loveday was denied a one-on-one opportunity.

It took 25 minutes but finally Newbiggin got a strike in on James Hughes' goal and it almost brought an equaliser. Ethan Smith inches wide with a left foot effort from the edge of the box after being set-up well by Lewis Fairburn.

It buoyed the home side who had recovered well from the sending-off and looked well organised and committed as they grabbed an equaliser on 28 minutes. Jay Barber the creator and Smith the finisher.

Barber picking the ball up just inside his own half and then setting off on a powerful run down the left flank. Mitchell went with him but was unable to get a tackle in as Barber reached the by-line and then cut across the box.

He beat Dylan Robson as well as holding off Mitchell before firing in a low cross that Hughes got a hand too but could only divert into the path of the onrushing Smith who finished well from inside the six-yard box.

Park View went looking to retake the lead with Siyanbola doing well initially to burst through into the box in the inside right channel but he then blazed his effort very high well wide and not very handsome.

A quick Loveday throw then found Frizzel who played it inside to Brad Hughes who given space went for a curling effort from 25-yards that wasn't far wide of Hodgson's right-hand post.

On 41 minutes Park View had the last meaningful attack of the half. Good build-up play by Robson and Gallagher almost saw the latter get through the Newbiggin defence. His progress though was halted.

The ball though ricocheted to Loveday who curled a lovely left foot shot through a crowded area only to see Hodgson dive to his right and parry the ball away to safety.

There was still time for Brad Hughes to pick up Park View's first caution of the season right on the half-time whistle for a holding foul as the referee brought an eventful first 45 minutes to a close.

If the first half had been eventful the second half began in quiet scrappy mode with Newbiggin digging in, defending well in all areas and frustrating and blunting Park View's offensive efforts.

The only incident in the opening ten minutes being a Gallagher free-kick from just outside the box awarded after a foul on Siyanbola. Unfortunately Gallagher's effort was blocked by the jumping defensive wall.

Park View made their first substitution on 55 minutes with Conroy coming on and Robson limping off. It made little difference to the game as both teams produced plenty of endeavour but no end product.

The only thing of note happening was a Park View corner that came after Stokoe sliced a Wilkinson through ball over his own bar. Brad Hughes took the corner but Hodgson came well through a stack of bodies to claim well.

With 20 minutes to go the home side were temporarily reduced to nine men. Cameron Elliott was adjudged to have fouled Loveday right outside the box. Clearly his reaction showed he didn't agree with the referee's decision.

Such a show of dissent gave the man in the middle no option than to grant Elliott a ten-minute spell in the sin bin. Conroy took the resultant free kick and powered in a ferocious effort that just cleared the home cross bar.

Once again Newbiggin dug in and showed great resilience to constantly thwart Park View's efforts to breakthrough even with two-men less. It was frustrating for the visitor's who did try to open their stubborn opposition up.

Park View introduced 16-year-old Shay Pye to the fray for his first team competitive debut as he replaced Mitchell with ten minutes to go. He almost saw his skipper give his side a late go-ahead goal.

Coming forward from the back line with real purpose, Wilkinson drove in a superb 30-yard effort with his right foot that looked destined for the top corner of the goal. But he and the visiting team reckoned without Hodgson.

At full stretch the home keeper got across and did extremely well to get up to the shot and turn it over the bar in fine flying style to keep his side level. His defenders then helping him out by clearing Brad Hughes' resultant corner.

On 87 minutes Pye's introduction to Northern League life came to a very short end. He challenged Costello for a loose ball on half-way and although he won the ball his foot was high as Costello ducked in and then went down.

The referee deeming Pye's foot was too high and dangerous causing the full back to be injured. Despite Pye not seemingly being aware of Costello's presence the referee thought otherwise and brandished a straight red-card.

It looked like that was going to be that and it would be honours even for both sets of ten-men but two minutes into injury time Park View had other ideas and struck the decisive blow.

A long ball down the right by Gallagher saw Siyanbola take the ball well in his stride and sprint down the inside right channel away from the home defence. He got into the box and fired a cross into the six-yard box.

Substitute Mark McDonnell went for the interception in front of his own keeper but could only divert the ball into the path of Conroy who steered it home with a cushioned side-foot volley from point-blank range.

It may have seemed harsh on AFC Newbiggin to conceded so late on but credit to Park View for keeping on pressing and Conroy being Johnny-on-the-spot to take full advantage.

It was just about deserved on the balance of play and got Park View's last chapter in their history off to a winning start and a very welcome three points that they had to work really hard for.

TEAM : 1. James Hughes 2. Keane Mitchell 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Brad Hughes 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Reyhan Grimaud 7. Ben Gallagher 8. Dylan Robson 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Brandon Young 11. Charlie Loveday

SUBS : 12. Nathan Conroy (for Robson 55 minutes) 13. Joe Sykes (not used) 14. Shay Pye (for Mitchell 80 minutes) 15. Matty Henderson (not used) 16. Sam Beattie (not used)

SCORERS : Loveday 7, Conroy 90 + 2 MAN of the MATCH : Dylan Wilkinson