Sweet Smell Of Success In The Vase At The Fourth Attempt

by Jeff King

Isuzu FA Vase First Qualifying Round - Saturday 23rd August 2025 Park View AFC 2 v 0 Steeton AFC

In front of the watchful and delighted eyes of main Club Sponsor Kevin Brown of Honest Utility Group, Park View AFC finally won a game in the prestigious Isuzu FA Vase at the fourth time of asking.

Their previous three excursions into the competition were also at home but they lost all three. In 2022 it was 3 - 1 to Newcastle University, in 2023 it was Blyth Town knocking them out on penalties after a 1 - 1 draw. Both games at The Riverside.

Last season at The Ford Hub it was another Northern League Club FC Hartlepool who vanquished them 3 - 0. All those games were under the name of Chester-le-Street United so perhaps the switch to Park View was part of the catalyst of change.

Also a brand new opponent in The Club's History from a different League also afforded them a change of track. The visitor's being Steeton AFC of The North West Counties League Division One North.

Steeton did arrive at The Riverside as a team in form having won three and drawn one of their four League fixtures played to date. They were sitting 2nd in their League table after their opening games.

Park View meanwhile had moved back up to third in The Ebac Northern League Division 2 table following their midweek 2 - 0 home win over Sunderland RCA. A win that was a return to winning ways after two previous defeats.

PV were forced into one change as Dylan Robson was unavailable and his place in the starting line-up was taken by 16-year-old Frankie Young. Frankie lining up in midfield alongside older brother Brandon.

There was also the welcome sight for Park View of Stephen Siyanbola back in playing garb. However, The Two Micky's Nelson and Barron decided he should be held back on the bench and kept faith with Sam Beattie up front.

The game started with both sides looking to gain ascendency but largely cancelling each other out in the early going. The first major incident of the game coming in the 6th minute with a caution for PV's Alex Clark.

He upended Jack Lynn just outside the home 18-yard area on the left hand side. Lynn taking the resultant free kick that Park View cleared easily and well.

Steeton skipper Jake Townsend fashioned the first chance of the game after showing good control and awareness on the right hand side. He slid a neat ball inside to Aidan Kirby who from just inside the box flashed a left foot drive wide.

It took 13 minutes for Park View to register a meaningful attack and it came from Charlie Loveday. Minutes earlier he'd fluffed a free-kick routine from a dangerous area when he failed to find the in-space Reyhan Grimaud.

This time he controlled a bouncing ball well in a central area and struck a 20-yard left foot effort that was on target but too close to Brad Emmerson in the Steeton goal who got down on his six-yard line to save comfortably.

Jacob Smith then played a good diagonal ball from the right that nearly freed Townsend on the left. Grimaud getting an important tackle in to concede a corner.

Lynn took it and swung in a dangerous right footer that almost caught James Hughes out. The PV keeper not getting a strong enough hand to the ball and was indebted to his skipper Dylan Wilkinson from heading the ball off the line.

Mbako Chalashika took the resultant throw-in and his delivery was deep seeing George Kelly getting a flick header on target but Hughes was well-placed to save comfortably.

Loveday as always seems to be the case was looking lively for Park View and when trying to set something up from the inside right channel was fouled 40 yards from goal.

Jacob Mallinson took the free-kick and put it deep into the heart of the visitor's box but Emmerson came off his line to make a decisive and positive claim.

Park View were beginning to come more and more into the game with the industrious midfield three of the Young Brothers and Ben Gallagher showing signs of control and the front three Loveday-Beattie-Mallinson looking lively.

The home side forced a couple of corners in quick succession. Jamie Frizzel winning the first off Lynn that Mallinson took but saw his kick headed clear. F Young returned it with a first time volley that was deflected wide.

Mallinson hit this one deep and Beattie did well at the back post to keep it alive where Wilkinson headed it on to Clark but he steered his header wide of the target from about 8-yards out.

Just about on the half-hour mark Park View spurned a great chance to take the lead. It came when Wilkinson headed a clearance into midfield and Loveday nipped in to nod the ball first time into Beattie's path.

The young striker was clear of the defence but with Emmerson advancing off his line his lob over the keeper from the edge of the box was just too high and went narrowly over the bar.

A good run down the left by Grimaud following a neat pass through from Mallinson saw the overlapping full back swing a cross deep to the back post. Loveday met the ball with a cushioned volley that was cleared.

Grimaud took the resultant throw and tried to find Beattie in the box only to see Owen Williamson clear it for a corner. Mallinson took it and it was headed clear where B Young got to the ball a split second before Kelly.

Kelly's dangerous follow through on Young felling the PV midfielder in some style and earning him the game's second yellow card and PV a free-kick right on the curve of the 'D' central to the goal.

There were 37 minutes on the clock when Mallinson stepped up and drove the ball low past the defensive wall to Emmerson's right hand side and watched in delight as the ball arrowed into the far corner of the net.

A great strike and a great moment for Park View as they went in front after a good spell of possession patient football that had seen them work and earn an opening they happily took.

The game was now Park View's for the taking as they started to dominate and Steeton lost a bit of composure. Smith was booked for an unceremonious foul on Gallagher who had burst past him and Townsend was sin-binned for his over zealous protests.

The half-time whistle coming at a good time for the visitor's who were in danger of succumbing to the Park View pressure and who were relieved to get off the pitch to re-group.

Despite have skipper Townsend in the sin-bin and still being down to 10 men Steeton came out of the changing rooms fired up and looking to push PV back as they searched for an equaliser.

Substitute Calum Thornton winning an early corner of Grimaud that Lynn swung in deep to the back post. Chalashika lost his markers and had a free header but the ball was just too high and he couldn't control his wide effort.

Then it was centre forward Kirby that had two half chances that perhaps he should have done better with. A chipped ball from Smith found him at an angle inside the right side of the box about 16-yards out but he blasted well over the bar.

His next effort was closer but he still failed to test Hughes in the Park View goal. A cross from the left by Williamson was slightly misjudged by Frizzel and his clearance fell to Kirby about 20-yards out.

This time the striker's effort was more measured but still was off target as the left foot shot flashed close but still wide of Hughes' goal. Now restored to 11 men it was the visitor's at this stage forcing the pace.

Park View though were defending superbly from all areas of the although were indebted to Frizzel for keeping them level. Lynn put a great cross in from the left that was awkward for Hughes. He got there but could only partially palm it away.

The ball dropping to Thornton who from 12 yards hit a ferocious first time effort that looked destined to hit the back of the net until the PV left back made a superb headed clearance only two yards from goal.

Thornton was involved again moments later when he turned well on the right drove to the byline and cut the ball back dangerously into the six-yard box. Grimaud and Townsend arriving at the same time.

The opposite side home full back Grimaud just winning the race to make a vital superb goal saving interception with Lynn's corner being well cleared by the Park View defence.

On 63 minutes PV were forced into a substitution with B Young being the victim of a tackle that saw him hobble off to be replaced by 16-year-old striker Zac Boddy.

It meant a change of formation as Boddy went up top centrally, Beattie switched to wide right and Mallinson went into the centre of midfield. The changes didn't affect Park View as the players showed their versatility.

It also gave them a slightly different impetus and they began, like they had in the first half, to get more and more into the game and start to look the team more likely.

With the back four solid, F Young sweeping up in front of them and keeping things simple by finding neat passages of play and possession the more attack minded players began to flourish.

Beattie did well on the right to hold a ball from F Young up and then find Loveday inside. He in turn spotted Grimaud charging forward on the overlapand laid the ball into his marauding path.

Grimaud sped into the box to the byline and then cut a lovely low cross towards Boddy but Emerson Mitchell stepped into intercept at the expense of a corner to be taken by Mallinson.

His delivery to the back post saw Frizzel time his run and leap superbly to head over Emmerson in the Steeton goal from about 8-yards out but Frizzel and his side were denied by the visitor's cross bar.

This lead to a spell of good possession and probing by Park View who doubled their lead on 73 minutes with a well worked goal. It started with good holdup play by Boddy on the left who created space.

He then switched play delightfully to the left picking out Loveday who controlled instantly and left Mitchell in his wake as he advanced at speed into the box.

His left foot cross come shot was low and saw Emmerson dive down to keep it out. He however only pushed the ball into the middle and there was Gallagher about 10-yards out to clinically crash the loose ball home for Park View.

A great fillip for the home side and with well under twenty minutes to go a timely strike that gave Steeton real problems if they were to get anything from the game. The confidence now oozing through this young Park View side.

In truth Park View were now in total control of the game. The Steeton defence having to work overtime to stem the PV tide and doing well to stop their opponents from creating more chances.

The only half chance they had to get back in the game came late on when Clark fouled Smith who took a quick free kick that Lynn nodded down neatly to Kirby but once again the striker's effort from the edge of the box was wayward.

Park View returned Siyanbola to the playing ranks following his injury when he replaced the tiring Beattie who had put in another good shift on 86 minutes. Siyanbola adding his physical strength to the cause at both ends.

It was very nearly three-nil as time almost expired with another flowing Park View move. Loveday pushing hard and quick down the left before finding Gallagher inside who transferred the ball to Boddy inside the box.

The substitute striker turned inside on to his left foot and from 14-yards curled a delightful effort that beat Emmerson all ends up but was inches over the bar. It was the last action of an entertaining quality game.

This was a great win for Park View and a worthy result. They had followed their midweek league win over RCA in some style with excellent work-rate and commitment all over the park.

They will now travel to North East Counties Premier League side Eccleshill United in the next round on September 20th but before that they have several League games to play as well as the Durham County Challenge Cup.

Their next challenge being an away game at high-flying Seaham Red Star on Tuesday 26th August with a 7:30pm kick-off. Park View will travel there in good form and mood after finally tasting FA Vase success.

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

SUBS : 12. Stephen Siyanbola (for Beattie 86 minutes) 13. Shay Pye (not used) 14. Joe Sykes (not used) 15. Zac Boddy (for B Young 63 minutes) 16. Keane Mitchell (not used)

SCORERS : Mallinson 37, Gallagher 73

MAN of the Match : Frankie Young