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First Team

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Chester Le Street

Tue 23 Oct 2018 | Durham Challenge Cup | Home

Stadium

Ferguson Motor Stadium, Seaham

Referee

Mark Ryan

Kick-Off

07:30

 

Nichol double knocks Seaham out of Durham Challenge Cup

 

Two Cameron Nichol strikes either side of half-time saw a much-improved Seaham exit the competition at the First Round stage on Tuesday evening, despite debutant Michael Chilton’s superb effort giving The Star the lead.

 

On a night when high winds were a prominent feature, another defeat ultimately ensured Seaham would have to continue to work against the tide, at least until their trip to Penrith on Saturday.

 

This was a much more promising performance than the two previous outings, which had both ended in 4-0 losses, with manager Mark Collingwood reflecting that “We should have been in 3-0 up at half-time.”

 

Yet he admitted that he could “take very few positives” from the contest, with results now the sole focus after six consecutive defeats.

 

Amongst the few plusses, though, were the displays of debutants Michael Chilton and David Henderson. “The new lads who played tonight were probably our star men”, said Collingwood.

 

And it was Chilton, an experienced Northern League striker with a superb goal record, who put the hosts in-front on 31 minutes in brilliant fashion.

 

After taking the ball down on the edge of the box, he worked it onto his left-foot and then wasted no time in sending an unerringly accurate half-volley into the top-right corner, beyond the dive of Aaron Steavans.

 

Playing with the wind, that moment capped an impressive start by The Star that saw them control much of the early tempo.

 

Jon Weirs had a shot smothered by Steavans after he raced through in only the fourth minute and Paul Weldon’s cross-shot from the left flashed agonisingly across the face of goal 15 minutes later.

 

Weirs then looked to capitalise on the substantial gusts in the 30th minute when he whipped a free-kick from the right in towards Steavans, with the goalkeeper only able to parry the ball behind.

 

Chilton’s opener seemed to take the Chester le Street determination levels up a few notches, though. They had a long-range effort tipped onto the bar by John Mordey within moments of the game restarting after the goal and, despite Mechack Kanda being denied by Steavans in a one-on-one moments later, it wasn’t a huge surprise when the equaliser arrived.

 

With 38 minutes on the clock, Nichol was teed-up on the edge of the box and he proceeded to drill a low right-footed shot into the bottom-left corner of the net.

 

Weirs caused Steavans more trouble with a similar free-kick routine three minutes later, but Nichol had ensured that Seaham were only able to go in level after their half with the wind behind them.

 

Cieran Jackson whipped a 30-yard free-kick narrowly over for the home side seven minutes into the second-period but the tide was steadily, yet noticeably, shifting in the direction of the visitors.

 

Collingwood observed that “Chester le Street managed the game better”, and as the minutes ticked by, they began to cut down Seaham’s openings and knock on the door that bit harder themselves.

 

Nichol proved to be the difference-maker once more in the 63rd minute, when he tucked Harry Whisker’s unselfish square-pass into the gaping goal after Seaham had surrendered possession in their own half.

 

Jackson almost provided the perfect response moments later, with him also seeing a shot from range tipped onto the bar.

 

Nichol should really have had a hat-trick in the 67th minute when he blazed over from point-blank range, but he had done enough to decide the contest.

 

The visitors saw the game out assuredly, with the otherwise excellent Alex Walker missing a chance to extend their advantage when he sent a free-header wide from a corner with 14 minutes of normal time remaining.

 

Substitute Tommy Scott had Seaham’s only genuine chance of the closing stages, but luck wasn’t on his or the home team’s side as his seemingly goal-bound shot struck Chilton. The striker converted from close-range but was correctly flagged for offside.

 

It does now feel like Seaham have considerably more in the way of promise to build on, and that should only be enhanced as new signings continue to arrive in the build-up to their trip to Penrith. Points, though, are the only ‘P’ that truly matter to the club – and Collingwood – at this moment.

 

“It doesn’t matter about the performance, we need a result… We’ve got Penrith and Wickham; two cup finals.”

 

Seaham Red Star (4-2-3-1):

 

1. John Mordey; 2. Matthew Lowrie (YC), 5. Stuart Bramley, 6. Darryll Donnelly (C), 3. Paul Weldon; 8. David Henderson, 4. Liam Hodgson (YC) (Jewitt, 76’); 7. Cieran Jackson, 10. Mechak Kanda, 11. Jon Weirs (Scott, 80’); 9. Michael Chilton

 

Substitutes: 12. Tommy Scott (YC), 14. Harry Jewitt, 15. Liam Haley, 16. Andy Hunter (GK)

 

Manager: Mark Collingwood

 

 

 

Chester le Street (4-4-2):

 

1. Aaron Steavans; 2. Christopher Stephenson, 6. Daniel Hepplewhite, 5. Alex Walker, 3. Rhys Turnbull; 4. Michael Hepplewhite (C), 7. Connor Lyon, 8. Joe Grant, 11. Jai Grant; 10. Cameron Nichol (Robson, 75’), 9. Harry Whisker (Oliver, 78’)

 

Substitutes: 12. Scott Robson, 14. Jack Oliver, 15. Joshua King, 16. Owen Henderson,

 

Manager: Colin Wake

 

 

 

Referee: Mark Ryan

 

 by James Noble

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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