Missed Opportunities As PV Pay The Penalty Price Again

by Jeff King

The Isuzu FA Vase Second Qualifying Round - Saturday 20th September 2025 Eccleshill United 1 v 1 Park View AFC Eccleshill Win 2 - 0 On Penalties

A second cup competition for Park View and a second defeat on penalties after a 1 - 1 draw in the 90 minutes. The first was against Gateshead Rutherford in the Durham FA County Challenge Cup but this one in 'The FA Vase' hurt more.

It came after a great all-round performance in testing conditions on the road against a higher league opposition. In the driving often torrential rain and on a difficult pitch Park View more than held their own and were unlucky to go out.

There were no changes to the starting XI from the side that had won 1 - 0 away in The NL at Prudhoe YC Seniors but Jamie Frizzel did return from injury to take a place on the bench in place of Nathan Conroy who hadn't travelled.

Eccleshill United play in the North East Counties Premier Division. Their home is Cougar Park, Keighley where the Rugby League side Keighley Cougars are the landlords. A good old fashioned and spacious stadium awaited both sides.

The home side made the better start and immediately put the PV defence under pressure with searching balls and set plays driven at the heart of the visiting rear guard.

From a Mark Ferguson long throw the ball fell to Gabriel Wadsworth in the PV box. His first-time snap shot was well hit but James Hughes was well positioned to make a smart low save.

Cole Roberts on the left drove towards the PV box but was cut off by Dylan Wilkinson who conceded a corner. Eccleshill worked a short corner routine where the ball was pulled back to Wadsworth just outside the box.

His searching effort was on target but straight at J Hughes who saved comfortably but the pressure was on and when you are on top you need to take advantage and that's what the home side did on 5 minutes.

PV lost possession on their left-hand side and Chris Bunhira made a great burst into their box to the by-line. His low cross into the near post saw Ferguson do what good strikers do.

He got in front of Wilkinson and J Hughes with a well-timed run and was able to turn the ball home to give his side a precious breakthrough. No more than they deserved after their strong start.

To their credit after their shaky start PV responded really well and Reyhan Grimaud was unlucky to see a terrific rocket of a 25-yard right foot shot go narrowly wide with Oliver Riva in the United goal well beaten.

It was the visitor's turn to press now. Wilkinson's long diagonal ball from right to releasing Charlie Loveday on the left. He worked a good crossing position after clever link-up play with the industrious Brandon Young.

Loveday's low cross was aimed towards Stephen Siyanbola but home centre back Max Davies nipped in front of the big striker and made a crucial clearing challenge.

Then Grimaud made ground on the left and sent a high cross inside the six-yard box that Riva did really well to claim under pressure from Siyanbola and Jacob Mallinson.

Siyanbola was causing problems for the Eccleshill defence in his usual all-action combative style and was almost in on goal when Loveday crossed from the left. The ball caused confusion and Mallinson nodded it forward to Siyanbola.

He had to try a first-time effort under pressure and once again it was Davies to the rescue for United making a great blocking tackle to stop Siyanbola's 8-yard effort from troubling Riva.

At the other end Ferguson's long throw-ins were causing problems for PV who were defending them manfully with Alex Clark and Wilkinson in particular getting their heads to the ball.

However when one was cleared by Clark, Roberts retrieved it only to see his clipped cross cleared by Wilkinson heading the ball just outside the box where Ferguson was following up his throw.

Ferguson at a slight angle drove in a right-foot shot from 20-yards that wasn't far wide of J Hughes' left hand post. Then Josh McKiernon who was prompting well from midfield almost put Ferguson through.

Clark getting there first and suddenly his half-volley clearance turned defence into attack for Park View. Loveday was first to the ball and looked to have a clear run to goal but Davies again got across to make a sliding clearing challenge.

The ball was recycled by Young who found Mallinson in a good position inside the home box but he was quickly closed down and crowded out by the recovering United defence and the chance was snuffed out.

Park View were playing the better football and trying to create openings but Eccleshill always looked capable of a threat when they got into the PV half. A nice move from PV though gave them a half chance.

Ben Gallagher doing well to win a ball in the right back area off Roberts. He turned it inside to Wilkinson who slid a lovely ball forward to Siyanbola who held it up well and then found Loveday on the left.

The clever PV wideman cutting in to create a shooting chance from the edge of the box but his left foot show although well-struck was always rising and didn't cause Riva any concerns as it went over.

Five minutes before half-time PV were indebted to goalkeeper Hughes who made two terrific saves within seconds of each other to keep his side in the contest.

A Zack Sangster corner was hit deep to the back post and saw Alex Laird arrive and power a low volley towards the bottom left corner from 8-yards. Hughes diving full length low to his right to palm the ball away.

McKiernon retrieved the ball and put a lovely dangerous cross into the centre of the box where Davies was well placed to bullet a header on target. This time Hughes reacted superbly to make a brilliant reflex save going to his left.

As time ticked down a PV attack saw Mallinson make room for a 22-yard effort from the inside right channel but Riva got across his line quickly to hold on to a ball that was heading towards the top left hand corner.

The final action of a pulsating well contested half came from the home side after Siyanbola fouled McKiernon some 25-yards from goal in a central position. Ferguson lined up his shot and drove it past the wall but it was well side.

The half-time whistle signalled a slender lead that the home side had earned following their fast start but as the game had worn on Park View had more than matched their opponents and were well in the game.

The home side made a substitution at half-time bringing Etienne Somaili on for Laird who had been booked for a first-half tug on Young's shirt towards the end of the 45 minutes when Young tried to break free.

Park View's first opportunity of the second half came from a Robson long throw. It was cleared but only back to Robson who crossed it back into the middle. Clark flicked it on and Wilkinson got to the ball but his off balance header went wide.

McKiernon then won a corner for his side off Young that Sangster took. His inswinger dipped as it swung right in towards goal but Hughes watched it well as it drifted just over the bar.

Siyanbola did well on the left to intercept a throw-in by Ben Gordon only to be fouled on half-way by Davies. Mallinson launched a deep free kick into the heart of the Eccleshill defence that Riva did well to come out too and punch away.

Siyanbola was a good outlet for his side all came and started a really nice move for the away side with good hold-up play before finding the supporting Robson. Robson squaring the ball nicely to Young who worked a shooting space.

His 20-yard effort though was deflected by Bunhira and made the save easy for Riva. PV were though despite the driving rain and slippery conditions beginning to put together some neat passages of play.

Robson and Young combining well in midfield before Robson slid Siyanbola a great ball inside the box. His marker Davies making a good block but the ball fell to Mallinson who struck a vicious 12-yard angled drive that Riva had to beat away.

It was Mallinson's last contribution as he limped off to be replaced by Zac Boddy. The hosts also making a change with Junior Nasihonu coming on for Sangster.

Right on the hour mark there was delight in the Park View camp as they fashioned a deserved equaliser. It came after Bunhira was booked for a foul on Siyanbola wide on the right.

Brad Hughes whipped in a great free kick to the back post post and Skipper Wilkinson lost his marker to hook the ball home in great style from 6-yards. No it was game on and Park View almost took the lead on 63 minutes.

Loveday held the ball up well on the left wing allowing Grimaud to loop around him on the overlap and playing a lovely reverse pass into the path of the full back who crossed deep to the back post.

PV's opposite side full back Gallagher arriving late to meet it on the half-volley some 8-yards out but Riva produced an instinctive reflex save with his left foot to keep his side level.

Then Gallagher who was switched to midfield after Frizzel came on for B Hughes made ground through the centre of the pitch before finding Loveday who had switched to the right flank.

Loveday showed speed and a clean pair of heels to fly around Gordon and into the box. His low cross inside the six-yard box looked destined for Siyanbola who went down under pressure from Somaili but penalty claims were waved away.

The rain now seemed to have sapped a lot of energy out os both sides as the conditions got heavier and tougher. Both teams continued to probe and push for openings but little was created as time ticked on.

There was a late incident that almost brought controversy. Frizzel rightly booked for a foul on half-way on Nasihonu. It looked like Riva well out of his goal to take the free kick had indeed done just that as he tapped it forward.

Siyanbola certainly thought so and with Riva well outside the box tried to fire what he thought was a played ball into the empty net from fully 45 yards out. However the ball didn't go in and the referee indicated he hadn't whistled.

It meant a harsh yellow card for Siyanbola who was not delaying the game and had genuinely thought that Riva had taken the free kick. It was perhaps just as well that the PV's striker's effort didn't find the net.

It was the last action of the game which the referee brought to a close with his final whistle of the 90 minues to signal a penalty shoot-out to decide the two sides fate.

Ben Gallagher went first for Park View but smashed his effort well over the bar. But J Hughes kept the shootout level making a great stop as Roberts tried to go down the middle.

Boddy was next but he completely shanked his effort wide. Again though Hughes rose to the challenge diving well to his left to keep substitute Joe Storey's effort out.

Up stepped PV skipper Wilkinson but again he failed to find the target as he drove his kick inches wide of Riva's right hand post. At the sixth time of asking it was McKiernon who netted. His shot going left as Hughes went to his right.

Robson then stepped up for Park View and although he sent Riva the wrong way he too failed to find the net as his effort struck the outside of the righ-hand post and bounced away.

The stage was set for home skipper Mohammed Farhan Sobhani to answer his side's call and his was perhaps the coolest and most composed of all the penalties as he sent it to Hughes' right into the net to send Eccleshill through.

Whilst there was no disgrace for Park View to go out to their higher placed oppostion there was a great sense of disappointment and frustration after a really good performance on the road.

But if you don't hit the target with your penalties and work the keeper you can have no complaints as they bowed out of 'The Vase' and just failed to reach the First Round Proper for the first time.

Little time to rest for the weary Park View troops though. They have to pick themselves up, dry themselves off and get ready to travel to Boldon CA for a tough Northen League Division 2 game this coming Tuesday night.

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

SUBS : 12. Jamie Frizzel (for B Hughes 69 minutes) 14. Zac Boddy (for Mallinson 55 minutes) 15. Lewis Stephenson (Not Used) 16. Frankie Young (Not Used) 17. Sam Beattie (Not Used)

GOAL SCORER : Wilkinson 60 MAN of the MATCH : Stephen Siyanbola