Two From Two As Park View Hit Four To Stay 100%

Two Goal Charlie Loveday

Ebac Northern League Division 2 - Wednesday 29th July 2026

Park View AFC 4 v 2 Billingham Synthonia

After a great win at Alnwick Town on Saturday Park View opened their home league campaign with a visit from Billingham Synthonia. Synners arriving as league leaders albeit after only one round of fixtures.

Their 5 - 0 demolition of Prudhoe Youth Club Seniors giving them that honour and marking them out as tough opposition. With Park View also having a win under their belts someone or even both were about to lose their 100% record.

Park View made three changes from the side that had one at Alnwick. Davy Carter coming in for his senior debut in goal in place of Mark Foden. Carter is a former Park View Academy student whose last club was Bishop Auckland.

A current Park View Academy student Carter Bell has made the switch from Spennymoor Town and free of suspension came in for Olly Taylor who dropped to the bench.

The third change saw Niall Armstrong who grabbed PV's late second goal against Alnwick get a start up front in place of the unavailable Nathan Conroy. There were also returns to the bench for Zac Boddy and Sam Beattie.

The game got off to a sensational start for the visitors as they took the lead in the 4th minute. Carter having to pick the ball out of his net early in his debut as Synners showed their metal.

Sam Irvine got away from Reyham Grimaud on the visitor's left and delivered a great cross into the centre of the PV area. No-one picked up the run of Jack Lamb who cleverly directed an 8-yard header past the wrong-footed Carter.

A blow to Park View and as so often happens the goal buoyed the scorers and rocked the conceded. Synners almost grabbing a second three minutes later. An Alex Clark misguided clearance falling to Connor Taggart in space on the left.

The full back whipped in a great cross and there was Irvine in the middle making a great run to get free but he could only volley over from about six yards out. A good chance missed.

Clark almost atoned when up with his attack for a long Grimaud throw-in. The ball was half cleared by Synners and picked up by Charlie Loveday who jinked to the byline before putting a great pull back across the six-yard box.

Clark and Synners keeper Jacob Crowle both went for the ball and both completely missed it as it bounced away to safety from Billingham's point of view. Synners were on top as Park View at first struggled to get forward.

It was a full nineteen minutes before PV had an effort on goal and then they had two in quick succession. Jacob Mallinson with their first shot from 25-yards that drifted well wide.

Then excellent play from Brandon Young saw him release Armstrong on the left. The lively striker controlling and then squaring the ball into the box finding Young who had continued his run into the box.

The midfielder taking a great touch and then shooting low from 8-yards to the near post but was denied an equaliser by the feet of Crowle who made a good instinctive save.

Taggart continued his attacking intentions for the visitors driving forward in the inside left position and then unleashing a powerful low left-foot 20-yarder that went inches wide of Carter's right-hand post.

Carter was then called into action when Archie Hughes did well in midfield for Synners and played Irvine through on goal. The Synners skipper advanced but his angle was tight and Carter got down to cover it well.

Then Park View had a big penalty claim waved away. Bell doing superbly to burst down the left flank and then deliver a really dangerous ball into the box towards Loveday.

As Loveday challenged Adam Groom for the ball it bounced up and although unintentionally clearly struck Groom's arm and diverted the path of the delivery. However the referee deemed it accidental and not worthy of a spot-kick.

On the half-hour mark Park View had a great chance to equalise. Grimaud charging into the box before first of all going down under a challenge but then getting up quickly and finding Loveday who in turn found Mallinson.

The creative midfielder cut the ball back well finding Armstrong with an open shooting chance from 14-yards out but the striker didn't connect cleanly with his effort and Crowle saved easily.

Park View were beginning to look dangerous and Lamb found himself in the book after bringing down Ben Gallagher just inside the Billingham half. Mallinson delivered the kick deep into the Synners box.

Clark got up well and nodded the ball back to Armstrong who from just inside the box volleyed well but saw his effort fly over the bar. A couple of minutes later Armstrong tried his luck again but his 22-yard shot was deflected wide.

The corner coming to nothing. On 39 minutes within seconds of each other came two incidents that completely changed the course of the game. A great cross from the right by Hughes flicked off the head of a PV defender.

The ball fell to Irvine who smashed an acrobatic volley in that beat Carter all ends up but crashed back into play off the post. Grimaud cleared PV's lines finding Armstrong who's neat first time pass send Mallinson racing away.

Mallinson attacked the heart of the Synners defence and then he timed his through ball perfectly for Loveday to run on to. Loveday through one-on-one on goal took a great touch to steady himself and take him away from Crowle.

His composed finish from a slight angle about 12-yards out on the right was excellent as he simply rolled the ball past the helpless Synners keeper and instead of being 2 - 0 down, Park View were level.

The incidents completely rocked Billingham and four minutes later it got worse for the visitors as Park View went in front with an excellently created and finished team goal from skipper Gallagher.

Bell up on the left played a good ball inside the box to Armstrong who contolled it well and with everyone expecting him to shoot he looked up and saw Gallagher streaking in to the box.

Armstrong laid the ball off perfectly and without breaking stride Gallagher met the ball superbly first time with his right foot 10-yards or so out guiding it past the diving left hand of Crowle and the ball nestled into the bottom corner.

A fantastic turnaround from Park View who saw the rest of the half out comfortably to take a 2 - 1 lead into the changing rooms where the team talks were no doubt dramatically changed after the late drama.

Park View started the second 45 minutes on the front foot with livewire Armstrong upended by Lamb some 25-yards from goal in a central position. Mallinson lining up the free-kick.

He whipped it superbly around the wall only to see it very unluckily hit the outside of the post and bounce to safety with Crowle rooted to the spot and well beaten.

Then Markus Giefalk delivered a long diagonal free-kick from the halfway line into the Synners area. Jamie Frizzel timed his run perfectly but not the direction of his 8-yard header which he put wide from a really good position.

Contrasting fortunes on 52 minutes for Armstrong led to Park View taking a two-goal lead. First of all Armstrong was booked for a foul on Michael Smith. Synners free-kick was launched forward where Clark made a good clearing header.

Mallinson got to the ball first dinking it past a Synners challenge and then sending a superb long ball into the inside left channel for the breaking Armstrong to get on to the end of.

Armstrong showed no hesiation as he cut inside from the left on the edge of the box and then curled in a fantastic right foot finish right into the 'top bins' giving Crowle no chance. PV 3 - 1 up and Armstrong's pearler his second in two games.

Synners brief retaliation saw Smith beat Young about 25-yards out to create shooting room but he pulled his shot well wide of the target. Park View then thought they had made it 4 - 1 on 58 minutes.

It was a brilliant move. Loveday showing great control and nimble footwork to find Armstrong superbly on the right who delivered an excellent cross into the middle. Young getting on the end of it beautifully to head firmly home.

Unfortunately he'd just slightly mistimed his run according to the Assistant who raised his flag and the 'goal' was ruled out for offside. A let-off for Billingham who took advantage of it two minutes later.

A brilliant run by Harvey Poole down the right saw him speed past Frizzel before he delivered a pinpoint cross to Irvine who once again was denied by the frame of the goal. His first time effort cannoning back off the cross bar.

Fortunately though this time Harvey Lambert was in the right place at the right time following up and from just outside the six-yard box he volleyed home into an empty net. Synners right back in the game with half an hour to play.

The goal though didn't rock Park View who continued to look dangerous especially on the counter attack. Loveday once again showing great skill, trickery and patience to set the overlapping Bell away on the left.

Bell did well at pace to cut the ball back to Armstrong who laid it in to the path of Mallinson but the creator could not become taker as his low shot from just inside the area was straight at Crowle who saved easily. A great move though!

Loveday and Armstrong were causing havoc and panic in the Synners defence every time they got involved. Attacking the heart of the back four at pace time and time again.

Loveday once again doing well to set Armstrong up on the edge of the box for his younger strike partner to power in a left foot shot that was just over the bar. On 73 minutes Park View had a glorious chance to restore their two-goal advantage.

Brilliant work once again from Loveday saw him dance through the Synners defence before chipping a great ball over Crowle to the back post. Young came steaming in but from inside the six-yard box somehow put his header wide.

Would Park View rue the miss? No was the emphatic answer a mere five minutes later. And what a peach of a goal it was with envitably PV's front two involved. Armstrong getting the ball wide right to skipper Ben Gallagher.

Gallagher's superb right wing first time cross beating defenders to find Loveday superbly placed to plant an 8-yard header past Crowle into the net. 4 - 2 Park View and a first ever senior headed goal for Loveday doubling his nightly tally.

Synners were down but not out and continued to press in the remaining minutes searching for a way back. They pushed Park View deeper and deeper but PV defended really well as team from front to back.

The steely determination and cohesive togetherness enabling them to see out the game despite 8 additional minutes without really giving Billingham another clear cut chance to stage a late rally.

So two wins from two for Park View. Six goals scored and five of them from their forwards in the games. Defence has stood firm under pressure as well and this game showed the spirit and belief in the squad as they came back from behind.

Early days and the Management Team needs to keep young feet on the ground and not get carried away but very promising signs indeed despite the pre-season departures.

TEAM : 1. Davy Carter 2. Charlie Loveday 3. Jamie Frizzel 4. Carter Bell 5. Alex Clark 6. Markus Giefalk 7. Jacob Mallinson 8. Ben Gallagher (c) 9. Niall Armstrong 10. Brandon Young 11. Reyhan Grimaud

SUBS : 12. Frankie Young (for Mallinson 89 mins) 13. Ollie Taylor (for Grimaud 63 mins) 14. Lewis Marshall - DNP 15. Zac Boddy - DNP 16. Sam Beattie - DNP

SCORERS : Loveday 39, 78 Gallagher 43 Armstrong 52

PLAYER of the MATCH : Charlie Loveday