DURHAM CITY 2 WHITLEY BAY 2
Tuesday 11th August
A thoroughly entertaining game saw Whitley stage a tremendous second half come back after going two goals down shortly before half time. Appropriately it was Peter Watling, playing his final game before his move to Dubai, who got the equaliser with a stunning 20 yard shot midway through the second half.
The only change from the side that defeated West Auckland on Saturday was the inclusion of Chris Reid in the starting eleven in place of Richard Flynn, whose arrival was delayed because of work commitments. Unfortunately Reid’s involvement in the game lasted just 14 minutes after he suffered a recurrence of his recent groin injury and he is now likely to be facing a significant period on the sidelines.
The game began with City passing the ball about accurately on their 3G artificial pitch and in the third minute Callum Patton went close, attacking down the left before clipping the ball narrowly wide of the far post. With ten minutes played a speculative 30 yard effort from Sam Norris flew just over the City goal but then came Reid’s injury which forced a reshuffle in the Bay defence with substitute Kris Hughes playing in an unfamiliar centre midfield role.
Whitley were struggling to deal with the speed of the City attacks and former Whitley midfielder James Fairley tried his luck with a shot that Andy Jennison saved well. In a counter attack, Adam Shanks drove a first time effort inches past the post but it was the hosts who deservedly took the lead on the half hour when an incisive move cut through the Bay defence and Patton, clear on goal, slotted home from 12 yards.
Whitley fought back and from a Hughes corner, Alex Kempster sent a header wide of the target. Hughes then set Norris away down the right wing and his cross into the box found Shanks whose effort was blocked. A minute later Kempster’s cross gave Shanks another chance but this time Tom Flynn pushed the ball around the post. The former Alnwick striker was out of luck a few minutes later when he poked his shot wide after being played in by Kempster.
City remained a threat however, breaking quickly out of defence and they capitalised on hesitancy in the Bay defence, the ball being taken wide down the left flank before a cross into the box gave Patton the opportunity to double his side’s lead just a minute before the interval.
It was looking bleak for Whitley and a confident looking City started the second half strongly but a key moment in the game arrived just five minutes after the resumption, when Jennison made a superb one handed save to deny Craig Lynch. The Bay keeper appeared to be moving to his left but then flung out his right hand to palm away a goalbound shot. A third goal for City would probably have put the game beyond Whitley and when Callum Anderson was forced off with a hamstring injury two minutes later, a heavy defeat seemed inevitable.
However, Bay spirits were quickly lifted when Michael Laws pulled a goal back in the 57th minute. Sam Norris delivered a free kick from 25 yards out on the left and Laws got his head to the ball, diverting it beyond the reach of the despairing Flynn into the far corner of the net.
Whitley were now gaining the upper hand with City captain Dan Dillon less influential than in the opening period and the Bay defence looking much more secure.
The equaliser came after 73 minutes, Shanks and substitute Redhead setting up Peter Watling who curled a superb 20 yard shot into the top corner of the net. With the large contingent of Bay fans still celebrating, Kris Hughes almost put Whitley in front with a virtually identical shot but Flynn, briefly at Hillheads last season before moving to Conference club Alfreton, made a superb save, getting his fingertips to the ball and pushing it just over the bar. City replied with Patton forcing another good save from Jennison after the hosts had been awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal. With both sides going for the winner, Hughes played in Shanks who was denied by another top quality save from Tom Flynn.
Six minutes from time and having just arrived from work, Whitley’s Richard Flynn came off the bench, his fresh legs strengthening the defence but with City tiring, it was the departing Watling who almost had the final say, curling the rebound just past the post after his free kick had been blocked.
It was a happy Paddy Atkinson who reflected on the game. “You could see the character of the lads, we’ve worked hard in the summer to get that kind of togetherness in the team. Durham are a good team, they played really well first half and deserved their goals, their energy levels were good and Flynn made some top drawer saves. We had him for a while last season and thought he’d be playing at higher level but he kept them in the game with some great saves. In fact both keepers did really well and a draw was a fair result.” He added that stern words were said at half time, “Our work rate defensively wasn’t good enough first half, but they reacted to it and were much better second half.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s FA Cup tie he commented “We’ve got strength in depth so there are players ready to come in to cover those with injuries.”
WHITLEY BAY: Jennison, Gibson, McDonald, Anderson(Redhead 52mins), Laws, Reid(Hughes 14mins), Norris, Bertram, Watling, Shanks(Flynn 84mins), Kempster
Substitutes not used: Gladstone, Young
Cautions: None
Referee: Stephen Dial
