Superb Comeback Completes Wonderful Away Run As China Beckons
Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Saturday 10th October 2026 Sunderland RCA 1 v 2 Park View AFC
Park View AFC rounded off a run of three away games in eight days with their third consecutive win. It was a great way to sign-off from Northern League duties for three weeks as they prepare for a trip to China.
All the Coaching staff and the vast majority of the First Team squad about to depart this Friday to represent England in the International Schools World Cup. A tremendous honour and experience for all that will be involved.
They travel in great heart and with confidence high after another excellent win in the League that keeps them riding high in the table. They may not be as high as fourth when they return from China but it's looking good so far.
Park View made one change from the side that had won 3 - 1 in midweek at Darlington Town. The cup-tied Dylan Robson returning to the starting XI with Will Dryden slightly unlucky to drop down to the bench.
Dryden had been impressive in his first start in midweek but Robson has also been in fine form since his return from Newton Aycliffe. The change meant Reyhan Grimaud switching to right back.
The game almost got off to a dramatic opening as RCA probably should have been in front after 25 seconds. Ben Gallagher hitting the ball too long for Park View from the kick-off straight to Sunderland keeper Zach Wilkinson.
Wilkinson punted it long down the slope and with the wind behind it. Neal Atkinson won the ball in a tussle with Alex Clark and slipped the ball through to Owen Imeson who was one-on-one with Trystan Hounsell in the PV goal.
But although Imeson's shot beat Hounsell from 16-yards out he failed to hit the target and the ball rolled wide. It had been a glorious chance not taken for the home side to make a dream start.
RCA were looking bright and in particular Imeson. Receiving a ball from ex-Park View player John Anderson he jinked to the centre of the pitch before being upended by Robson about 20-yards out. Robson receiving a yellow card.
Anderson taking the free kick but firing his effort over the bar from a good position on 4 minutes. Then it was Kyle Fryatt trying his luck not long later from fully 30-yards but the effort was staright at Hounsell who saved easily.
Park View then started to get a foothold in the game and a swift counter attack almost gave them their first opening. Frankie Young's intelligent defensive header setting up a quick counter attack.
The ball finding Jacob Mallinson who made good ground through the centre of the pitch before finding Grimaud on the right. He turned the ball into Gallagher just inside the RCA box but the PV skipper was crowded out as he tried to shoot.
The best move of the game thus far though came from Park View on 17 minutes. Robson played a good pass out of defence to Mallinson who turned it to Isaac Anderson free on the left.
Anderson finding Nathan Conroy on the edge of the box and he turning put Charlie Loveday through on goal. Loveday's 12-yard left foot cross shot was well hit but Wilkinson dived low and at full stretch kept the ball out with his left hand.
The next chance of the game brought the opening goal of the game as the home side took the lead on 22 minutes. Chris Trewick's long diagonal ball saw Fryatt just get ahead of Grimaud inside the Park View box.
Grimaud did really well to challenge Fryatt and stop him shooting. But the ball came back to Fryatt who squarded it across the six-yard line finding Imeson in space. Imeson had time to pick his spot as he fired past the helpless Hounsell.
Park View were not rocked by the goal though and tried as always to play incisive passing football to get back in the game. RCA skipper Andre Bennett picking up a booking when he pulled Loveday back in midfield.
Then a good sweeping move from Park View saw Conroy pass to Loveday who picked out the breaking Gallagher in the box. This time Gallagher did get his shot away but Tom Howard did well to block it bravely.
A Bennett corner won by Anderson was swirled in dangerously under the Park View cross bar but Hounsell under pressure from Atkinson did well to palm the ball away to safety with Gallagher completing the clearance.
Park View thought they had levelled proceedings on 36 minutes. Loveday and Conroy the architects. Loveday making a brilliant run from left to right to open up the RCA defence and then playing a great reverse ball to Conroy.
From a central position on the edge of the box Conroy fed Mallinson in front of him who smashed the ball past Wilkinson with aplomb. But the Park View midfielder just time his run wrong and was flagged narrowly offside.
Two minutes later though it mattered not as Park View did pull level. A touch of fortune about the goal but a goal nonetheless. It came initially from a free kick wide left delivered into the box by Anderson that was headed out back to him.
Anderson whipping in a cross that appeared to be comfortable for Wilkinson who inexplicably fumbled the ball behind him. Clark who had stayed up from the free kick suddenly found himself with only an empty goal in front of him.
The big defender all alone in the six-yard box had no hesitation in tapping the ball home for his first league goal of the season. The Park View players looking round to make sure that the referee had awarded the goal before celebrating.
Back on level terms Park View began dominating possession although the last on target of the first half did come from RCA. Fryatt with a good run cutting in from the left but his low 20-yard effort was easily saved by the diving Hounsell.
In the second half Park View had the slope in their favour and the wind at their banks although initially they too time to adapt and RCA looked the brighter without creating anything of note.
When Park View did get into their stride it began to put real pressure on the RCA defence. Gallagher playing a great ball through to Loveday to give him a real chance. Another left-foot cross shot producing a good parry from Wilkinson.
The ball though dropped to the feet of Conroy who looked a certain scorer until Dom Moan bravely slid in and blocked Conroy's path to goal. Frankie Young then was fouled by Atkinson midway inside the RCA box.
Mallinson floated the ball in and it was headed out by Chris Trewick to the edge of the box and met first time on the volley by Conroy but the ball flashed not far wide of the goal.
On 58 minutes though Conroy was not to be denied as he netted his fourth goal in three games to put Park View in front. It was a case of a striker being in the right place at the right time as well.
Loveday playing a great through ball putting Gallagher one-on-one with Wilkinson. The PV's skipper's left foot shot across towards the bottom corner beating the keeper but coming back off the post to Conroy who tapped it home.
RCA were almost level within a couple of minutes. The extremely lively and dangerous Imeson working a shooting chance 22-yards out. Imeson curling a peach of an effort towards the top corner.
But the big frame of PV keeper Hounsell was equal to it. The Welsh Under-17 international diving high and at full length the Middlesbrough loanee turned the ball aside in fine style.
Bennett took the resulting corner aiming to find someone at the near post but Hounsell was on his game and stepped forward to make a save clean great catch.
However it was Park View that should have claimed the next goal that would have killed off the game as they were really unlucky on a couple of occasions in quick succession.
A ball up to Niall Armstrong saw him in a race with Wilkinson who came outside his box to try and get to the ball first with Moan also covering across. The keeper and defender winning the race but not clearing the danger.
Armstrong doing brilliantly to go back on the ball turn sharply and chip it over Wilkinson as he tried to get back in his goal. Armstrong and PV desperately unlucky to see the ball hit the bar and drop over it.
Armstrong then almost turned provider with quick thinking as he was forced wide inside the RCA box. He turned well and found Loveday supporting him in a good position.
Loveday showing great close control and brilliant footwork to get the ball into a shooting opportunity and then smashing his 12-yard effort past Wilkinson only to see it rebound off the inside of the left-hand post.
It was all Park View now and Armstrong danced through the RCA defence to the byline before cutting the ball back towards the waiting Loveday. If the ball had reached PV's top scorer it was surely a goal.
That it did not was down to a brilliant goal saving intervention and interception by Howard who got their first to clear his lines and keep his team very much in the game.
Would Park View rue the missed chances? Well RCA seemed buoyed by them and came at Park View strongly looking for an elusive equaliser. A quick counter seeing Ethan Docherty winning a corner off Anderson.
Bennett delivered and Clark headed out. Substitute James Akeeorge retrieving the ball and chipping it to the back post. Anderson stealing in but from an excellent position could only put his header over and on to the roof of the net.
Loveday at the other end did well to find Gallagher inside the box. The midfielder outpacing Moan before hitting an on-target effort that Wilkinson did well to save.
Then Anderson and Docherty combined brilliantly down the RCA right to give the overlapping Anderson a chance to fire in a dangerous low cross. Hounsell though diving forward low at his near post to claim it really well.
On 80 minutes the big young keeper did even better to keep his side in front. A deep cross by Anderson saw his teammate and opposite full back Howard steaming in at the back post and getting a firm header on target.
Hounsell was across his goal quickly and made a great parry to keep the ball out in what might be his last save for Park View as his loan ended after this game. Grimaud on hand to clean up from Hounsell's save.
Substitutions followed from both side's but Park View once again showed resilience determination and togetherness in their defensive efforts. They were not allowing RCA any further space nor chances.
Indeed the last effort of the game saw Trewick concede a free kick and a receive a booking for a late challenge in the back of Mallinson. Armstrong decided to try his luck from fully 30-yards out.
Confidence flowing he did get his long-range effort past the wall and on target but it lacked the power and direction to seriously trouble Wilkinson who saved the effort comfortably at the foot of his near post.
When the referee's whistle went for full time it signaled another three points for Park View and revenge for their home defeat at the hands of the same opposition last month. It was also their third away win in eight days.
They are sitting in fourth place but many will point to them having played at least two more games than those around them. But they have the points on board and that can be more crucial at times than games in hand.
There's no doubt that Park View are worthy of a high placing in the league right now with the form they are in and the performances being given. Whether that will be the case in three weeks time we will wait and see.
Until then it's not a slow boat to China but a sleek fast jet as the Academy takes to the skies to represent England in the prestigious International Schools World Cup. Exciting times for the Park View youngsters.
TEAM : 1. Trystan Hounsell 2. Reyhan Grimaud 3. Isaac Anderson 4. Frankie Young 5. Alex Clark 6. Dylan Robson 7. Jacob Mallinson 8. Ben Gallagher (c) 9. Nathan Conroy 10. Niall Armstrong 11. Charlie Loveday
SUBS : 12. Ollie Taylor (Not Used) 13. Will Dryden (for Anderson 77 mins) 14. Brandon Young (for Conroy 77 mins) 15. Bobby Gough (Not Used) 16. Zac Boddy (Not Used)
GOAL SCORERS : Clark 38, Conroy 58
PLAYER of the MATCH : Ben Gallagher
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