WHITLEY BAY 0 NORTON & STOCKTON ANCIENTS 1
Tuesday 2nd February
Whitley are facing a battle to avoid relegation after they lost 1-0 at home to bottom of the table Norton & Stockton Ancients in cold and blustery conditions at Hillheads on Tuesday evening. They now find themselves in unfamiliar territory, just three points off the bottom of the table and while they still have games in hand on all the sides around them, this was a golden opportunity to pick up three points and relieve some of the pressure.
They had enough chances to win the game comfortably but were let down by poor finishing and some good goalkeeping.
In the opening twenty minutes Chris Youldon and Adam Shanks both went close but the nearest Whitley came was in the 26th minute when Shanks struck the post with a low shot after appearing to be tugged back by a defender as he broke through on goal.
Just before the interval, the visitors, who had the benefit of the wind at their backs in the opening period, went close but Phillip Caley’s shot was pushed round the post by Andy Jennison, with the keeper getting his hand to a shot from the resultant corner.
Four minutes after the restart, Shanks saw a lob shot headed almost off the line by Marley before captain on the night Callum Anderson had a blistering shot well saved low down by Thackeray.
The only goal of the game came in the 55th minute when a Norton free kick near the right corner flag was knocked home at the back post by Matty Lovegreen.
Despite continuing to have plenty of the ball Whitley could not break down a determined Norton defence and their evening was summed up when deep into stoppage time, Sam Norris drove the ball into the side netting when well placed. Before then, Youldon, Shanks and Kempster, three of the more influential Bay players on the night, had been substituted, decisions which seemed hard to understand.
The only bright spot in a dismal performance by Whitley was the return of defender Craig McFarlane who came off the bench for the final 15 minutes of the game. It was his first appearance since suffering a broken ankle last April.
WHITLEY BAY: Jennison, Gibson, McDonald, Lumsden, Flynn, Anderson, Norris, Bell, Shanks(McFarlane 76mins), Youldon(Foalle 67mins), Kempster(Hughes 80mins)
Substitutes not used: Laws, Williamson
Caution: Gibson
Referee: Chris Ellis
Attendance 186
