Ten Men PV Slip To Disappointing Defeat

by Jeff King

Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Friday 24th October 2025 Park View AFC 0 v 1 Darlington Town

On a dark dank dismal damp night under the lights Park View failed to dazzle in their first ever venture into home Friday night venture. The game did attract a 3-figure crowd but unless you were of Darlo persuasion it wasn't pretty viewing.

PV have struggled for goals this season despite being amongst the front runners in the play-off race. A little lack of creativity going forward is now beginning to undermine their decent defensive efforts.

That was the case again in this game where an often to reliant bias in the direction of Charlie Loveday saw him being the only real spark in forward areas.

Defensively until right at the end Park View were solid and the midfield worked hard without being creative although Dylan Robson particularly in the first half did his best to drive them forward.

PV had to make two enforced change to the starting XI. Ever present goalkeeper James Hughes succumbing to a groin strain and being replaced by George Havelock playing only his second senior game in two seasons.

Alex Clark was absent due to trials for the England Colleges FA side with Ben Gallagher coming in at right back and Reyhan Grimaud moving into the centre of the back four alongside skipper Dylan Wilkinson now PV's only ever present.

The game kicked off with the wind picking up and the rain driving down as both sides tried to zip the ball about on a slick surface. The pitch looking in great condition considering the amount of water on it.

It was into the fourth minute of the game before we saw the first serious foray from either side. Debutant George McCowie winning a corner on the left for the visitor's off Jamie Frizzel.

Reece Brown delivered and swung a dangerous ball into the PV six-yard area where Luke Jackson got free but but his header wide from a really good position.

PV had through Robson and Brandon Young looked to feed their front three of Nathan Conroy, Stephen Siyanbola and Loveday but Town's defence looked resolute and in control.

A full ten minutes had passed before PV had their first effort on goal. Robson did well in midfield to win a ball and find Siyanbola on the edge of the box. The striker making room for a 20-yard left foot effort that sliced well, well wide.

Skipper Wilkinson then splayed a fine diagonal ball from his own half to find Loveday on the left. The speedy wide man cutting inside and then outside his defender to get into the penalty area.

His trickery opening up a shooting opportunity from an angle that he drove in well but Tyler Smith was well placed and made a smart blocking save with his feet.

Darlo were having the better of the possession though and also territorial advantage and a move inside the PV half saw Grimaud foul Gareth McMahon 40-yards from goal.

Captain James Wilson sent in the free kick where under pressure Robson made a good clearing header at the expense of a corner that Wilson again delivered to the back of the PV box.

The ball found Cam Holiday unmarked and he nodded it dangerously back into the heart of the PV defence but Wilkinson was on hand just in front of a stron Town presence to make an excellent under pressure clearing header.

The next PV attack saw Gallagher bringing the ball out of his own box and finding Conroy on the right. Conroy doing superbly to switch the ball with a raking ball to find Loveday once again in space on the left.

Loveday cutting inside well past a couple of trailing defenders before sending in a well-struck 20-yard effort that was on target but unfortunately for the home side straight at Smith who parried it down and grabbed the loose ball.

As the half hour mark approached McCowie showed why the Darlington management had wanted his signature. Great pace down the left saw him leave Gallagher in his wake as he got to the PV byline.

McCowie doing well at speed to pull the ball back into the path of the onrushing James Beauchamp who smashed it goal wards only to see Grimaud make a decisive saving block.

The ball was recycled by Brandon Mallaburn who found Lewis Cocks in space on the left wing. Cocks advancing towards the PV area put in a cross that drifted and ended up going over Havelock hit the cross bar and bounced away.

Then Mallaburn did well to win a tussle with B Young before weaving through a couple of challenges. From fully 25-yards he hit a fierce effort but it wasn't wide enough to trouble Havelock who made an easy save.

Park View nearly produced a telling response to the Town pressure when B Young played a superb ball through the heart of the Darlington defence. Loveday looked to be in the clear and heading for goal.

But carrying the ball just slowed him down a touch and Jackson came across well to make an excellent sliding challenge to avert the danger for the visitor's.

Town almost created the opening to take the lead with good build-up play that saw McMahon get free on the right. The centre forward delivering a great cross to the far post that saw McCowie ghosting in behind the PV defence.

Unfortunately despite looking free McCowie was at full stretch and could only divert the ball wide from a promising looking position inside the PV six-yard box.

A feature of the first half was the number of corners that Darlington forced particularly through McCowie and once again he earned a kick when Gallagher did well to block his run down the left.

Wilson delivered and in a crowded six-yard box McMahon got to the loose ball first but could only divert the ball just over the bar with the goal seemingly at his mercy.

Right on half-time it was another Wilson corner that created the last chance of the first 45 minutes. This one caused a scramble in the PV area and the ball was half cleared back out to Wilson who moved just inside the penalty area.

Wilson seeing space curled a lovely effort around the defenders but was denied an opening goal to the game when Havelock flung himself to his left and with both hands pushed the effort away in fine style.

The last action of a half where Darlington were probably on top but precious few chances had in effect been created by two sides not renowned for their goal output.

The second 45 minutes opened with Darlington on the attack but PV defending and clearing their lines well only for the ball to come back at them. A Cocks cross from the left finding Beauchamp about 10-yards out.

The forward's header was firm but his placement didn't match it and Havelock was not required to make a save as the ball went wide from another good Town position.

PV launched an attack down the right side with Frankie Young sliding Gallagher a neat ball that saw the advancing full back try a first time shot that was deflected for a corner delivered by Conroy but easily cleared by Town.

On 54 minutes Park View had a glorious chance to take the lead. Wilkinson lifting a ball over the top of the Darlington defence and sending Loveday away on goal. This time the Town defenders couldn't catch the speedy wide man.

He looked favourite to score as he bore down on Smith but the goalkeeper timed his move from his line cut down the angle and made an excellent block to keep the game goalless.

The Wilkinson-Loveday combination were again the creator of the next chance. Wilkinson winning a ball in his own back line and then advancing into the Darlington half before finding Loveday.

He drifted from inside left to the centre of the pitch and then from 20-yards out hit a shot on the reverse angle but once again Smith was alert and dived well to his right to push the effort away.

Darlington continued to look bright and tried to fashion chances inside the Park View box. A couple of scrambles came to nothing although one Beauchamp snapshot was well blocked by Grimaud.

Back came Park View and won a free-kick of the right. Jacob Mallinson who had come on for Conroy took it. His kick hitting the defender and coming back to him for him to head into the box.

Wilkinson flicked it on and Siyanbola got in front of his marker but could only direct his 8-yard headed effort narrowly wide. Then a B Young right wing cross again found Siyanbola slightly further out.

This time his header was on target but lacked power and Smith was able to gather it comfortably. Darlington though were still pressing and still winning corners that Park View were managing to clear.

One such moment saw the ball fall to Hari Bondarenko some 35-yards out and he smashed a first-time effort at the Park View goal that Havelock was able to get across too and deal with comfortably.

Neither side though trying manfully seemed as though they had enough craft nor creativity to really fashion tht clear cut chance until the 79th minute when disaster struck for Park View.

A clearance from the back by Darlington turned into a dangerous attack as McCowie looked to race onto the loose ball behind the home defence. Havelock attempting to snuff out the opportunity came sprinting from his box.

Unfortunately for him and his team McCowie got there first and as he nudged the ball forward into clear open space behind Havelock the keeper clattered into him and the forward went crashing to the ground.

The referee having no hesitation nor choice other than brandish a straight red card and dismiss Havelock who up until that moment had been having a solid game.

As McCowie received treatment Park View reorganised. Gallagher being the brave volunteer, Grimaud moving to right back and Robson after a fine stint in midfield dropping into the centre of the defence.

The resultant free-kick was about 25-yards out and up stepped Beauchamp to fire a low effort past the wall. With Gallagher rooted to the spot and nowhere near the ball Park View were grateful to see it whistle inches wide of the post.

Ten minutes plus injury time to play. Could PV hold out was the obvious question and could they protect Gallagher. It looked despite all Town's probing and patience in trying to find the perfect ball they were going to achieve that.

They kept giving Darlington opportunities to get the ball in wide areas and attack the box but under pressure they kept the ball away from dangerous areas as the game ticked into injury time.

Two minutes in to that time Darlington did strike. It came almost inevitably from a cross. Bondarenko on the right and close to the byline whipped in a low cross that went right across the Park View six-yard box.

Gallagher was unable to cut the ball out and Mallaburn came crashing in at the far post to dive head home from very close range. Park View claimed in vain for offside but the officials waved that away and Darlington were in front.

Four minutes of injury time had been indicated and it was almost enough time for PV to snatch what would have been an even more dramatic equaliser. It was substitute Sam Beattie doing well to turn a loose ball inside the Town box into the net.

But a split second before he did the Assistant's flag went up to indicate a narrow offside call and the potential equaliser was ruled out amid premature PV celebrations.

The referee ending the game very shortly afterwards to give Darlington that single goal victory and all three points in a game of few chances but the one taken late on that made all the difference.

It had not been a great performance from Park View and Head Coach Micky Nelson was very honest in his post game review. He said he felt that his team had gotten what they deserved.

He advised that they had worked all week on closing games out and looking to see how they could be more effective going forward. But in truth he felt that they had relied on Loveday too much and hadn't followed what they'd practised.

He hinted at changes for the next game which will be against Billingham Town once again at The Riverside under lights this coming Wednesday night the 29th October with a 7:30pm kick-off.

TEAM : 1. George Havelock 2. Ben Gallagher 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Frankie Young 5. Dylan Wilkinson (c) 6. Reyhan Grimaud 7. Nathan Conroy 8. Brandon Young 9. Stephen Siyanbola 10. Dylan Robson 11. Charlie Loveday

SUBS : 12. Jacob Mallinson (for Conroy 61 mins) 14. Brad Hughes (for F Young 61 mins) 15. Sam Beattie (for Loveday 83 mins) 16. Olly Taylor (Not Used) 17. Joe Sykes (Not Used)

MAN of the MATCH : Dylan Robson