CAMERONS BREWERY BROOKS MILESON LEAGUE CUP 3rd ROUND
WHITLEY BAY 5 DUNSTON UTS 1
Thursday 3rd March
Playing their third game of the week, Whitley really turned on the style to reach the Quarter Finals of the League Cup, recording their biggest ever win over Dunston at Hillheads.
It was a quite outstanding performance and unexpected result against the team that has knocked them out of the FA Vase in each of the last three seasons and there could have been few complaints from the visitors if the margin of victory had been even greater.
With three of his recent signings cup tied, Ian Chandler was forced into changes from the side that lost narrowly to Marske just 48 hours earlier, with Josh Day, Craig McFarlane and Adam Shanks back in the starting eleven.
After a quiet opening, the game burst to life with two goals in rapid succession. The first came when Adam Shanks crossed from the right and Ash Davis burst clear to rifle a powerful shot past Dunston skipper Liam Connell, giving Whitley a 13th minute lead.
The second, three minutes later, came in rather bizarre circumstances. The Dunston defence lost concentration when Adam Shanks went to ground after taking a knock and Davis took full advantage of their hesitancy, rounding Connell before tapping the ball into the empty net. Even the fans were initially confused, expecting play to be brought back but the goal stood and Whitley were in command of the game.
Rather than trying to press home their advantage, Whitley sat back and allowed Dunston time on the ball with much of the play taking place in the Whitley half. Steve Gibson made a crucial block after 36 minutes as the visitors grew in confidence and five minutes later a shot from Alex Francis flew inches over the bar. Whitley failed to take heed of the warnings and just as they had done on Tuesday, they conceded a goal right on half time. It came when former Bay reserves striker Malky Morien crossed from the left and Adam Wilkinson stabbed the ball home from six yards.
It looked as if Whitley could be up against it in the second half but the half time team talk had clearly done its job as there was renewed purpose and energy in the Bay side. Four minutes after the restart, Davis turned supplier when his well timed through ball saw Shanks nip in just ahead of the advancing Connell to restore Whitley’s two goal lead. It was a pivotal moment as it knocked the confidence out of the Dunston side and put Whitley back in control.
Apart from a Morien header that struck the bar, Dunston rarely threatened to get back in the game and slack defending led to a fourth Whitley goal. Chris Youldon took the ball down the right almost to the by-line before cutting in past static defenders and when he drove the ball low into the goalmouth, it took a deflection and ended up in the net. Who got the final touch was open to question but Youldon was certainly the architect of the goal and it was credited to him.
Fourteen minutes from time the rout was completed when Shanks headed home from Chris McDonald’s right wing corner.
Further chances came Whitley’s way in the closing stages, Kempster seeing a shot saved by Connell while an attempt from Anderson flew narrowly past the post.
With the heavy schedule of fixtures continuing through the next two months, Whitley took the opportunity to rest some key players in the closing stages and give game time to three of the club’s promising youngsters. Scott Prosser, Dillon Blake and Dan Chambers all did well and with a minimum of 20 games still to play, they look set to feature in the coming weeks.
The Bay management were understandably delighted with the performance, especially the way the players responded in the second half with many of them having played three times in five days.
The reward for this victory is a Quarter Final tie away to Second Division strugglers Esh Winning and the game has been arranged for next Wednesday, 9th March. This means that Tuesday’s scheduled league game at Newton Aycliffe has been postponed until the first week in May.
WHITLEY BAY: Gladstone, McFarlane(Blake 70mins), McDonald, Anderson, Laws, Gibson(Chambers 76mins), Day, Youldon, Shanks, Davis(Prosser 63mins) Kempster
Substitutes not used: Jennison, Atkinson
Referee: Barry Gordon
Cautions: None
Attendance: 161
