Resilient Park View Back To Winning Ways

by Jeff King

Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Wednesday 17th September 2025

Prudhoe YC Seniors 0 v 1 Park View AFC

It wasn't pretty, it wasn't fluid and it certainly wasn't free-flowing. But it was gritty, it was determined and it was definitely resilient as Park View took a deserved 1 - 0 win at Prudhoe to move back into the Play-Off places.

Sometimes winning ugly is a sign that you're making progress. This was one of those games where in the past Park View may well have been bullied out of the contest by a physical strong opponent that never gave an inch.

But these days Park View are showing that they can stand tall and firm against an intimidating opponent that were clearly trying to outmuscle them from the off. A good sign indeed going forward.

There were two changes for Park View from Saturday's 2 - 0 defeat at home against Alnwick Town. Alex Clark after turning down an approach from Newcastle Benfield for his services returned from injury at centre back.

Brad Hughes was also back in the centre of midfield after being unavailable on Saturday. It meant top scorer Nathan Conroy dropping to the bench with the injured Keane Mitchell not even in the squad.

The versatile Reyhan Grimaud switched to left back replacing Mitchell and covering for Jamie Frizzel whose injury continues to keep him unavailable for selection.

The pitch looked demanding and not conducive to open football and so it proved as both sides struggled to get a foothold in the game and largely cancelled each other out.

Pv almost created the first chance of the game with a lovely move. Clark tidying up at the back and then playing the ball square to Gallagher who moved it into the Prudhoe half finding Stephen Siyanbola.

His excellent first time flick sent Jacob Mallinson away on the right from where he delivered a superb cross that looked destined for the unmarked Charlie Loveday at the back post. But Sam Wilson in the Prudhoe goal was alert.

He came flying off his line to palm the ball away from the awaiting Loveday and in the battling play that followed B Hughes created space for a 22-yard shot which was well-struck but always rising as it went over the bar.

Loveday then broke away on the left showing great control and awareness he found the breaking Dylan Robson in the centre of the park. Robson driving into the box but forced a little wide to the right.

It was enough to make his angle difficult as he was slightly off balance as he drove his 14-yard right foot effort wide of the target. PV more on the front foot as the half continued.

Robson though going into the referee's note-book for a late unnecessary lunge on Riley Boertien giving him a long time to play in what was already looking like a hard physical committed game.

Indeed the challenges going in and the difficult bobbly pitch made it difficult for either side to create any clear cut chances for sometime. PV were trying to play their usual passing game with little effect.

The home team were trying the more direct route playing the ball into channels trying to get behind the PV defence but with skipper Dylan Wilkinson and Clark in commanding form they soaked up any pressure with ease.

On 34 minutes a moment that started with a little bit of luck turned into a superb piece of play from Park View that enabled them to break the deadlock in style.

Gallagher won a challenge just inside his own half and the ball ricocheted off him up to Siyanbola in the Prudhoe half. He did brilliantly to hold the ball up and then slide an excellent through ball in to the home box for Loveday.

The speedy wide forward took the ball in his stride perfectly and then as Wilson came off his line to narrow the angle Loveday showed great composure and unerring accuracy to slide the ball past him and into the waiting net.

Park View were now well on top and in control of the game. Little had been seen of any Prudhoe attacks as the visitor's midfield and defence coped well with any prospective danger.

There were two more goal attempts by PV before the break. Robson winning a ball in midfield about 30-yards from goal and then driving forward but he hit his effort well wide of the target.

Right on half time Loveday almost repaid the complement to Siyanbola setting the big striker up on the left-hand edge of the box. Siyanbola struck his effort well but it was too straight and Wilson parried and then grabbed the ball.

Half-time in a feisty lively affair mainly played out in a battling midfield saw Park View well worth their half-time lead. Prudhoe not having any notable efforts on goal.

That changed almost immediately on the restart. A corner from the right by Prudhoe saw Wilkinson head clear under pressure and he went down with a head injury that saw the game stopped with Prudhoe in possession.

Once Wilkinson received treatment the referee inexplicably decided a drop ball right outside the PV box was in order despite Wilkinson's initial header having cleared his lines.

Whether the confusion surrounding the placing of the ball caused PV to lose concentration it almost cost them. Thomas Wilson taking advantage of the slack PV attention.

He controlled the drop ball manoeuvred slightly right and hit a crisp low right foot shot that James Hughes did superbly to dive to his left and turn around the post. The resulting corner saw J Hughes punch the ball away in fine style.

Loveday was causing problems for Prudhoe and was the main source of Park View's promptings. Another great run down the left gave him space to cross deep finding Mallinson at the far side of the box.

Mallinson did well to control and then lay the ball back into Siyanbola's path but his first time right-foot shot although well hit went wide of the goal. The game was still very scrappy and further distrupted by a string of home substitutions.

Obviously trying to turn the contest around Prudhoe had to gamble and one of those substitutes Billy Foster came on to immediate effect. Winning a ball about 25-yards out he immediately let fly but his shot was well over the bar.

Prudhoe were showing signs of life and got a free-kick in a dangerous position when Mallinson fouled the combative Reece Bickerton 22-yards out. Bickerton got up and took the free-kick himself.

With players up for the set piece Bickerton rather wastefully tried a shot that was straight at the well placed J Hughes who saved easily. As the game entered the last ten minutes Prudhoe keeper Wilson was sin-binned for dissent.

It meant Jordan Plunkett going in goal as the home side were reduced to ten-men. He was called into action almost immediately to deal with a free-kick that had caused Wilson's dissenting displeasure.

Mallinson with the strike from distance that Plunkett dived across too and punched out in an unorthodox but highly effect manner to keep his side in the game.

That said going down to 10-men severely restricted the home side's efforts to force an equaliser. They did have a couple of late corners but J Hughes' handling as they came into the box was decisive and clean.

Hughes though did blot his copybook after PV were awarded a free kick for a Prudhoe offside in their own box. His delay in taking the kick earning him a yellow car.

The only real dramatic incident in what was injury time was the referee declaring a minimum of 4 minutes and then playing 9! It even meant Wilson got back on the pitch and the home side were restored to 11-men.

It though made no difference to the result and indeed Park View on the counter almost got in on goal on a couple of occasions with Connor Lane as last man twice denying Loveday a clear run on goal.

The last action saw Loveday play a delightful ball through the middle where Mallinson seemed to have timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap but the Assistant thought otherwise.

The final whistle eventually came with Park View comfortably holding on for a great road win and three points well deserved. The victory lifting them temporarily back into the playoff positions into 5th place.

It was also a win from which they can take confidence and momentum into their next game. That is a huge FA Vase Cup tie in Yorkshire against Eccleshill United from the North East Counties Premier Division.

It promises to be a great occasion and a day out that everyone at Park View is looking forward to as they look to go further than they have so far in their history on Saturday.

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 : All Not Used. 12. Nathan Conroy 14. Zac Boddy 15. Lewis Stephenson 16. Frankie Young 17. Sam Beattie

GOAL SCORER : Loveday 34 MAN of the MATCH : Charlie Loveday