Park View Take 3 Well Deserved Points In Great Display

by Jeff King

Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Wednesday 29th October 2025 Park View AFC 1 v 0 Billingham Town

This was a much more convincing win than the score line suggests. True Billingham Town had their moments and could have snatched a point but Park View probably should have been out of sight by half-time on chances created.

But if you continue to keep clean sheets then all you need to do at the other end is take one of those opportunities created and a win and three league points will be garnered.

That was certainly the case in this game as PV kept the opposition scoreless for the tenth time in 20 League games to have the equal best defensive record in the Division at the moment.

Park View made two changes from the side that had lost 1 - 0 at home to Darlington Town the previous Friday. Alex Clark coming back in and Jacob Mallinson returning to in attack.

It meant Clark returning to the centre of the defence alongside skipper Dylan Wilkinson and Ben Gallagher going back in to midfield with Reyhan Grimaud moving to right back. Frankie Young and Nathan Conroy dropping to the bench.

In the early exchanges it was fairly even with Charlie Watt firing a 30-yard free kick straight at George Havelock and Mallinson creating space for a 20-yard effort that he curled over the bar.

Clark fouled John Stephenson outside the 18-yard area on the left. Town skipper Dale Hopson curled in a ball dangerously to the back post but Havelock did well to palm the ball away at full stretch.

Stephen Siyanbola doing well to head clear Watt's resulting corner. A quick break for PV ensued with Charlie Loveday putting Dylan Robson away on the right. Robson overhitting his cross which drifted well over the bar.

A Robson long throw created the next chance. Clark flick headed it on and Mallinson met it inside the six-yard box flicking it on target but George Briggs in the Town goal made a good parry to keep it out.

Then Mallinson played a lovely ball over the top of the visitors defence for Gallagher to race into the box. It looked an open opportunity but Gallagher declined the shot sliding the ball to Loveday on the left-hand side.

Loveday cutting inside and firing low from 10-yards only to see Briggs dive low and do well to push the forward's effort away. Park View were really in the ascendency now.

A tussle in midfield saw Loveday come away with the ball and he found Siyanbola in the clear on the edge of the box. But from such a promising position he blazed his left foot shot over the bar.

Little had been seen of Town in attack although both Stephenson and Gary Mitchell combined well before the latter fired an angled 14-yard drive inches wide with his right foot.

Gallagher then sprayed a superb diagonal ball from the right to find Loveday on the left. Loveday cutting inside and firing in a 20-yarder that Briggs did well to get down to and parry. Brandon Young being flagged offside on the follow-up.

Mallinson created some great play with a one-two with Young before firing in an effort from just outside the box that flew narrowly wide. Park View looking really bright at this stage.

Grimaud then played a neat ball down the right releasing Mallinson who won a corner off Joel White. Mallinson delivered with Siyanbola heading straight at Briggs from 8-yards out.

The next PV attack saw Jamie Frizzel send a long cross from the left towards te back post where Gallagher was ghosting in but White beat him to it and conceded a corner.

Mallinson delivered and saw Wilkinson meet it on the full barely 8-yards out. But he could not keep his header down and it flew just over the bar. Another great chance missed for PV.

Park View were trying to play the ball in behind the Town full backs to create space and crossing opportunities. One such ball from right to left by Wilkinson saw Loveday cross and Briggs take the ball well under illegal pressure from Siyanbola.

Another Billingham counter saw Mitchell put Watt into the box in the inside left channel. Watt striking is 16-yard left foot effort well but into the side netting with Havelock watching it wide.

At the other end it was another Mallinson corner that flashed across the six-yard box without anyone getting a decisive touch that almost opened up the visitors defence, Siyanbola being closest to the ball.

A corner was given as a result on the opposite flank. Again Mallinson took it this time short to Loveday who slipped Young into the box. Young had his shot blocked and on the rebound Frizzel smashed a 20-yard effort narrowly over.

On 39 minutes it looked as if Park View would finally break the deadlock. Mallinson carrying from his own half before sliding a ball through the Town defence for Loveday to race clear and into the opposition box.

Loveday drew Briggs from his line but then curled his 1-on-1 effort inches wide of the far post when he had looked like a certain scorer. Park View ruing another golden missed chance.

Billingham almost made their hosts pay. More combination play from Mitchell and Stephenson saw the latter hold off Wilkinson before firing across Havelock who made a brilliant reflex save with his leg to keep the ball out.

Right on the half-time whistle Park View and Siyanbola missed another gilt edged chance. Gallagher playing a ball up to the PV number 9 who turned well to open up the goal only to see Briggs make a superb blocking save.

Nil-nil then at half-time with many scratching their heads trying to work out how.

The pressure continued from PV almost immediately on the resumption of proceedings. Loveday started another excellent home move cutting in-field and finding Mallinson who played a return ball to Loveday.

Loveday rolled the ball square to Robson on the edge of the box and he hit a low right foot drive that Briggs dived low to grasp well on his six-yard line. Town then had a free kick some 35-yards from goal.

Hopson floating it to the back post and inside the six-yard box finding Reece Littlefair unmarked but he could only head wide from a very good position. Back came Park View and good work from Frizzel and Mallinson on the left won a corner.

Mallinson again delivering to find Wilkinson in the centre of the penalty area but once again the PV skipper could not keep his header down and the ball went over the bar.

Just before the hour mark disaster almost struck for Park View. Mitchell tried a long-range speculative low shot that squirmed from the grasp of the diving Havelock but fortunately for him and Park View the ball bounced back off the post.

Then a lovely flowing move from Billingham was only denied an opening goal by brilliant defending from Wilkinson. Josh Stiff inside the PV box found White on the left.

White laid the ball back to Hopson who attempted to find Watt at the back post who looked to have a tap-in. But Wilkinson made a superb intercepting block to divert the ball away to safety.

Another superb Park View attack brought another superb save from Briggs in the Billingham goal. This time Frizzel played a ball wide to the left once again finding Loveday who showed his beleaguered marker Curtis Collantine a clean pair of heels again.

Cutting inside Loveday held the ball up well just outside the box and then laid it in to the path of Young. The central midfielder curled in a great right foot effort that looked destined for the top corner.

Briggs had other ideas and flung himself high to his left to turn the ball around the post in brilliant style drawing applause from all sides. Mallinson’s corner was easily dealt with by the visiting defence.

Billingham then wasted a good opportunity to put Park View under pressure. They won a free kick some 35-yards from goal after Clark fouled Stephenson. Hopson instead of playing a ball into the box decided to go for goal.

His shot beat the wall but laced pace and power as it reached Havelock who collected it easily. Then Watt won a corner for Town off Young on the right.

Watt himself taking the kick and swinging it in to find an unmarked Jamie Poole, but his header was straight at Havelock who held it comfortably.

Finally, though Park View got the breakthrough on 72 minutes. It came initially from the right with Gallagher and Mallinson involved and the ball finding Loveday inside the ‘D.’ He waited the overlapping run from Frizzel who ran on to the pass at the edge of the box.

Frizzel’s first effort with his left foot was blocked by Lennox Barry. Frizzel kept going forward and did well to get to the rebound first and then cooly slotting the ball past Briggs with his right foot from just outside the six-yard box.

It was no more than Park View had deserved. PV had already brought Sam Beattie on for Siyanbola and not long after going in front brought Conroy and Brad Hughes on for Mallinson and the limping Gallagher with 15 minutes to play.

Conroy going close not long after coming on when picking up a loose ball 22-yards out and clipping over Briggs but also narrowly over the bar. Then it was fellow substitute Beattie that squandered another great Park View chance.

Once again it was lovely football to set it up. Young, Loveday and Conroy combining really well before Conroy rolled it into the path of Beattie who was about 16-yards out with only Briggs in front of him.

Unfortunately, his finish lacked composure, and he put a well-struck but not so well-directed effort over the top with the Town goal beckoning. Then Hughes opened up Billingham again with a good ball over the top to the left that once again found Loveday.

He streaked away from Collantine once again and then crossed low into the six-yard box with Conroy just failing to get on the end of what would have surely been a tap-in.

The game entered injury time and there was a dramatic ending to the contest in the five plus extra minutes. Firstly, Billingham almost got an equaliser and Park View were reduced to ten men.

Grimaud allowing Stephenson to get on the wrong side of him through the middle and the new Billingham striker was about to bear down on Havelock.

Grimaud in trying to recover the position only succeeded in bringing Stephenson down right on the edge of the box.

Grimaud was shown a straight red for denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity. Watt stepped up to the free kick and got a great effort up over the defensive wall.

Havelock though was quick across his line and produced a great fingertip save to preserve the PV lead.

The resulting corner well defended by Park View who for the next few minutes were as resolute and committed to holding on to their lead. Then Hopson clipped a ball over the defence into the Park View box.

Havelock came quickly from his line to beat Watt to the loose ball with the Billingham attacker deciding to follow through despite not being anywhere near the ball and he clattered unnecessarily dangerously into the Park View keeper.

It was a challenge that Watt looked as though he could have pulled out of. The referee clearly saw it the same way and immediately red-carded the forward with seconds left to go.

It perhaps thankfully was the last action of a pulsating contest.

After losing to Darlington Town last Friday this was exactly the sort of response Park View needed, and the coaching staff wanted. They’d had numerous chances to make it more comfortable and survived a late scare.

But when you’re defending as well as Park View are this season sometimes all you need is to convert that one chance and that’s what they managed to do.

Three points and a look upwards as they improved their position without improving their actual League placing.

All is now set for another spooktacular Ebac NL 2 home game on Friday night against AFC Newbiggin as Park View look for their first league double of the season following their opening say 2 – 1 win in Northumberland.

TEAM : 1. George Havelock 2. Reyhan Grimaud 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Ben Gallagher 5. Dylan Wilkinson 6. Alex Clark 7. Jacob Mallinson 8. Dylan Robson 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Brandon Young 11. Charlie Loveday

SUBS : 12. Nathan Conroy (for Mallinson 76 mins) 14. Brad Hughes (for Gallagher 76 mins) 15. Sam Beattie (for Siyanbola 66 mins) 16. Ollie Taylor (Not Used) 17. Frankie Young (Not Used)

SCORER : Frizzel 72

MAN of the MATCH : Charlie Loveday