Whitley maintained their 100% pre-season record with a fourth friendly win on Tuesday evening. The 6-1 victory was as comfortable as the scoreline suggests, with Alnwick contributing to their downfall by conceding three penalties.
Ross Wilkinson should have put Whitley ahead in the seventh minute but Alnwick keeper Dominic McMahon palmed the ball off the line. Andy Robertson opened the scoring in the 20th minute knocking home the rebound after Kyle Fryatt’s shot had been parried by the keeper. Six minutes later Fryatt seized on a short back pass but was brought down by McMahon as he raced clear on goal. Callum Patton comfortably converted the resultant spot kick to double the lead.
Six minutes after the interval, Alnwick pulled a goal back with a spectacular 20 yard shot from Tony Brown that gave Tom Flynn no chance. It took Whitley just four minutes to restore their two goal advantage, Alex Kempster firing a shot across goal that defender Paul Gordon could only help on its way into the net. A defensive mix-up gave Fryatt a simple tap-in just past the hour to make it 4-1 then three minutes later, Kempster fired home after Patton’s shot had been blocked following good work by substitute Tom Potter. Potter was making life increasingly difficult for the Northumbrians and when he was sent sprawling inside the six yard box, Whitley had a chance to make it six but this time Patton’s spot kick was weakly struck and McMahon made the save. Remarkably, just eight minutes later, Potter was again tripped as he closed in on goal but this time Jake Fowler stepped forward to strike the penalty just inside the post. Kempster might have completed a hat trick with four minutes left as he attempted to lob McMahon but the Alnwick keeper did well to claim the ball.
WHITLEY BAY: Flynn, Gibson, McDonald, Wilkinson, Anderson, Fryatt, Munro, Haley, Robertson, Patton, Kempster (c) Second half substitutes: Blake, Powell, Potter, Fowler
Referee: David Pill. Attendance: 133
