by Jeff King
Wearside League Division 3 - Saturday 20th August 2022
Billingham Synthonia Res. 0 v 15 Chester-le-Street United Res.
After a long, at times tough pre-season with twists and turns Chester-le-Street United Reserves finally played their first ever Wearside League Division 3 game and their first ever official fixture anywhere.
Another momentous and forward step for our young Club and one that was to showcase the talent that United have in reserve as the youngsters put in an amazing performance. It went something like this.
15 mins - A great start for United as Josh Scurfield works into the Billingham box to cut back to Benjamin Jackson to slot home from 10 yards out.
20 mins - It hasn’t took long for the second, a well worked corner finds Aaron Davidson outside of the box who forces a save from the Billingham keeper but Jude Anderson is on hand to fire home the rebound.
25 mins - Ethan Gray finds himself fortunate to be on the scoresheet as a lofted cross floats into the back of the net! Great start for Chester!
37 mins - A quick fire 2 goals for United. First from Jamie Gibson who fires a lovely shot into the bottom left hand corner. Jackson then has his header find the bottom right corner after lovely build up play from Joe Sykes and Elliot McClen down the right hand side. 0 – 5!
40 mins - And it’s 6! McClen finds Anderson who hammers a right footed shot into the top corner.
Half-Time – Billingham Synthonia Reserves 0 Chester-le-Street United Reserves 6
Fresh faces for the second half as Luke Curry, Jay Giles, Tse Moholo, Callum McGilvray, Michael Mallaburn and Jacob Freemantle all come on.
49 mins - Doesn’t take long for the substitutes to make a mark as United grab a 7th after the restart with Giles nodding home from 4 yards out.
51 mins - Neat little turn in the box from Jacob Fremantle who fires into the bottom right corner to make it Synners Res. 0 CLS Utd Res. 8.
55 mins – Penalty to United and Michael Mallaburn slams the kick into the bottom right to make it nine.
60 mins - Mallaburn takes us into double digits with a tidy finish.
69 mins - Jacob Fremantle adds his second and makes it 11.
74 mins - Giles and Davidson with 12 and 13 as United continue to run riot.
87 mins - Giles with another to make it 14.
Somewhere in the Second Half our match tweeter missed a goal from Mallaburn which meant that he, along with Giles completed second half hat-tricks for United in what turned out to be an incredible 15 – 0 away win.
There can’t be many sides anywhere that have started both their careers and League campaigns with a 15 – 0 away win, if there has ever been. It may only be one match but it has sent quite a message out from a side that included several 16 and 17-year-olds.
Undoubtedly there will be bigger tests along the way but if the expression start as you mean to go on can be applied then Chester Reserves are in for one heck of a season!