Stephen At The Double As Ten Men Park View Move Up

Two Goals And Player Of The Match For Big Stevie

by Jeff King

Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 28th February 2026 Park View AFC 2 v 1 Durham United

After losing 2-0 to play-off rivals Seaham Red Star in midweek this was a game were Park View desperately needed a win to get back on track. Their opponents Durham United in the lower half of the table did though provide a stern test.

The Northern League rookies have acquitted themselves well in the division in their first year and are well clear points wise of the relegation zone. It meant a team that could play with freedom and no fear for the rest of the season.

Meanwhile Park View have to take it one game at a time with every game almost feeling like a Cup Final as they strive to make the end of season play-offs. A place they have long targeted.

Despite not being at their best against Seaham and tasting defeat Head Coach Micky Nelson only made one change to us starting XI. Top scorer Stephen Siyanbola restored to lead the attack following his return from Blyth Town.

A pleasing sight greeted the teams as they walked out to bright sunshine flooding the pitch. It certainly seemed to inspire Park View who almost made a scorching start.

From Siyanbola's kick-off Dylan Robson sent a diagonal ball left that Jamie Frizzel headed on to send Charlie Loveday away. He got to the byline before cutting the ball back towards the waiting Siyanbola.

George Jones doing well for Durham to intercept and concede a corner. Jacob Mallinson took it and his inswinger just evaded everyone at the back post with keeper Pat Dixon struggling to get to it.

Alex Clark played a similar ball down the right for Siyanbola who found Brandon Young inside the Durham box. He cleverly flicked the ball back into Siyanbola's path who crashed a left foot shot that Kristian Wigg make a brave block.

It was no surprise when Park View's bright opening brought them the reward of the game's opening goal on 7 minutes and no surprise either to the scorer. Siyanbola netting his 11th league goal of the campaign.

Young's clever header finding Ben Gallagher in midfield who created the space to put a slide rule precision pass through heart of the United defence and into Siyanbola's path. The PV striker one-on-one with keeper Dixon.

Siyanbola coolly rounded the Durham stopper on the six-yard line before from an ever tightening angles slotting the ball home into the empty net with his right foot to give Park View a precious platform.

Durham responded when Dylan Robson fouled Harry Stewart 40-yards from goal after Stewart intercepted Reyhan Grimaud's wayward cross field ball. Ex-Park View player Olly Dixon put the free kick into the PV box.

Dylan Wilkinson headed clear but Oscar McCooke was first to the loose ball and had an opening but his 20-yard volley flew wide of James Hughes' right hand post with the Park View keeper largely untroubled with the shot.

PV's next chance came from a Robson long throw that Clark flicked on allowing Siyanbola to bustle in on the six-yard box but although he got his header on target Dixon saved it easily.

From a Park View free kick on the halfway Frizzel got up well at the back post to head towards Young who was just beaten to the ball by Jones who conceded a corner. This time Mallinson worked it short to Young.

Young returning the ball to Mallinson who clipped it in towards goal. Loveday getting across his marker inside the six-yard box but he couldn't get any purchase on his diving header.

Olly Dixon then did well to win a midfield battle and pushed a ball forward to Stewart who brilliantly flicked it on giving Ossie O'Neill space for a long range drive. It was reasonably struck but Hughes collected as he dived to his right.

The visitors though did convert a gift chance given to them by Park View on 38 minutes. There was seemingly no danger as Clark had the ball in defence but he elected to play it back to Hughes instead of forwards.

Hughes tried to work the ball on to his left foot but was closed down by Tomas Boothroyd and as his attempted clearance cannoned off Boothroyd the PV clumsily blocked the striker's route to goal bringing him to the ground.

A penalty was awarded with Hughes also receiving a yellow card although the opposition bench clearly wanted a different coloured card. Boothroyd got up though sending Hughes the wrong way with his right-footed spot kick.

Park View were stung and it almost got worse a couple of minutes later when from their own corner they probably should have gone behind. Mallinson's flag kick cleared and then helped on by Olly Dixon to Boothroyd on the halfway line.

His first time chested control gave him space to sprint away from Reyhan Grimaud and close in on Hughes' goal. Grimaud chased him down but Boothroyd stayed in front as he went into the PV box.

Hughes came out to narrow the angle and under pressure Boothroyd placed his shot just wide of the goal from a great position from which he will think he should have done better.

Park View then went very close to retaking the lead. Frizzel fouled 40-yards from goal in the inside left channel. Ben Gallagher hit the free kick deep into the Durham box towards a crowd of players.

Robson though timed his run well getting to the ball first and powering an 8-yard header just over the bar with keeper Dixon nowhere near the ball. Then from the resultant goal kick Gallagher won a ball in midfield.

He quickly played it forward to Siyanbola who held it up well and then rolled it into Gallagher's path as he burst into the box. Wigg though getting across to tackle Gallagher as he was about to pull the trigger.

The last chance of the half also fell to Park View. Another Robson long throw was flicked on by Clark and Jones got his head to the ball to clear. The ball reaching Loveday on the edge of the box who hit an on target volley.

Dixon though getting across his goal to make a smart save that he would have expected to make but make it he did and it meant the side's went in at half-time level.

The second half opened with both sides having good moves that almost brought them joy. First Park View had an excellent move when Frizzel played a neat ball up to Siyanbola.

Siyanbola held the ball up well then found Gallagher in midfield who immediately released a superb ball to the left finding Young in space. Young cut in well and then spotted Mallinson breaking into the box unmarked.

Unfortunately Young's ball was just not firm enough and Elliott Clarke got across to clear the danger. Then it was Durham's turn to threaten with a ball from Oliver Tweddle into the path of Boothroyd.

The Durham skipper and striker getting ahead of his counterpart Wilkinson and sprinting towards the byline where he pulled a ball back towards the far post for O'Neill but it just lacked direction for the unmarked wide man to convert.

On 58 minutes everyone connected with Park View were left scratching their heads as to how they failed to retake the lead. Young playing an incisive ball left to free Loveday to run at the Durham defence.

Loveday danced past substitute William Rees to get to the byline before crossing to the back post for Mallinson to nod the ball inside the six-yard box to find Siyanbola in a great position but his header lacked power.

Dixon though not able to claim it did claw it away with the ball falling to Gallagher who twice from very close range had efforts blocked by the scrambling Durham defence virtually on the goal line.

In the ensuing melee of bodies and ball the final touch was off a PV player and Durham escaped with a goal kick. Then Loveday went close again volley just over the top from 14 yards out when well placed.

The chance coming when Mallinson did well to retrieve a cleared corner and floating a ball into the box for Wilkinson to lay back to Loveday who much to Durham's relief failed to hit the target.

It was though only a temporary reprieve for United as in their very next attack Park View went back in front on 60 minutes. Siyanbola the scorer with his second of the game and his 12th league goal of the campaign.

Robson playing a ball forward to Siyanbola who flicked it into Young's path. Young tried to slide a ball through to Loveday who was running into the box but Jones blocked the pass.

However his block dropped to Siyanbola who from just outside the box smashed a first time right foot rocket into the bottom corner of the net past the despairing right hand dive of Dixon. A real opportunist strike.

Park View now had their tails up and were driving forward with Young and Gallagher prompting from midfield, Mallinson and in particular Loveday looking dangerous on the flanks and Siyanbola a real handful for the Durham defence.

Loveday on the left finding room to send in a dangerous cross into the box. Olly Dixon cleared the ball only to Young just outside the area. The PV midfielder taking a great first touch and then curling his shot inches wide of the far post.

Another Robson long throw almost gave Siyanbola a hat trick. Clark again getting a good flick to the ball and it fell on the six-yard box to Park View's top scorer who swivelled but didn't connect fully.

It still took an excellent diving parry from Dixon to keep the ball out who was then grateful for the frame of his goal. The parried effort falling to Loveday who on the rebound and stretching thumped the rebound against the post.

Then on 74 minutes an incident that almost changed the course of the game and reduced Park View to ten men. Grimaud was on the charge forward but was tripped on the run by Anthony Selvadoray.

Grimaud tried to stay on his feet and retrieve the ball but his follow-up saw him dangerous fly in on Clarke who had already cleared the ball. Clarke going down as he was clearly taken out.

It sparked a furious confrontation between both sets of players and the officials had to step in to calm the situation down. When it did quieten the referee adjudged Grimaud's challenge to be dangerous and he was red-carded.

It left Park View with 15 or so minutes plus what ever time was added on to negotiate and defend their lead. It almost went immediately with what would have been a freak goal.

Substitute Evan Cook launching a ball forward from halfway that looked really overhit. However the ball although evading everyone in the PV box took a wicked bounce and almost went over Hughes head.

The keeper did manage to grab it though and then slipped as he tried to recover his balance and he almost carried the ball over his own line for what would have been a bizarre own goal. However, he stopped it on the goal line.

Another flashpoint incident gave the referee a decision or even two to make. A loose ball saw Loveday dive into a tackle and upend Selvadoray. Rees sprinting 20-yards to firmly push Loveday to the ground with both hands in his chest.

Once again the players came together in another melee that saw jostling and pushing. The referee plumping for yellow cards for both Loveday and Rees although for for their actions on another day they both may have seen red.

As time ticked down it was Hughes who became the hero after being the villain in the first half. On 87 minutes he made a remarkable double save to keep his side in front and showed why he is rated so highly.

An O'Neill cross into the box was only partially cleared and Stewart's follow-up shot was deflected into the path of Rees who burst on to the ball only six-yards out. He hit a tremendous strike but Hughes was equal to it.

A brilliant reflex block from Hughes throwing himself at the ball saw it bounce away from goal to Olly Dixon who from a tight angle smashed it goal wards again. Hughes though on recovery making another instinctive superb stop.

Park View made a late substitution with Sam Beattie coming on for the tiring Mallinson who had put in a good shift down the right. Beattie brought on to help Gallagher who had slotted into Grimaud's position at right back.

PV though were not sitting back and were still probing. Frizzel playing a ball to Loveday who found space to fire in a left foot effort that was blocked by Wigg with Young volleying the follow-up wide of the post.

A neat move from Durham almost brought them late joy in injury time. O'Neill started it with good footwork on the left before finding Selvadoray who in turn released Tweddle on the run down the flank.

He got into the box and pulled the ball back towards the waiting Stewart. But Robson making great ground slid in superbly to deny the shooting chance. The ball though broke to Boothroyd who blazed over from a tight angle.

There was still time for Siyanbola again to go close to ending the game with the match ball and sealing the deal for his side with what was the last meaningful effort of what in the end was a pulsating contest.

Robson playing a ball forward that Cook looked to have intercepted but the substitute defender could only play his attempted clearance onto Siyanbola who controlled it well inside the box and then turned past the defender.

Unfortunately though he went for placement as much as power and although his effort was on target Dixon was able to get across to the ball and cleanly prevent it from going into his net.

The referee's whistle came not long after to signal the end of the game and three welcome hard earned points going to Park View. On the balance of the play and chances created it was a deserved win.

Plus the resilience determination and character they showed when they went down to ten men also shone through as they took a win that moved them back into the play-off positions at least for now.

Once again though Park View face a tough midweek game as they have to go North Northumberland on their longest trip of the season to take on Alnwick Town on Tuesday night at the 'other' St. James' Park.

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

SUBS : 12. Frankie Young (Not Used) 14. Harry Laydon (Not Used) 15. Sam Beattie (for Mallinson 89 mins) 16. Joe Sykes (Not Used) 17. Ollie Taylor (Not Used)

SCORERS : Siyanbola (7, 60) PLAYER of the MATCH : Stephen Siyanbola