Whitley back to winning ways

Whitley Bay 2  Washington 1

Saturday 8^th October

Whitley returned to winning ways with a victory that was more convincing than the scoreline would suggest. Two goals inside the first ten minutes proved sufficient to overcome lowly Washington, who in a rare attack, pulled a goal back midway through the second half.

With just four minutes played, Whitley were awarded a penalty when Adam Shanks was bundled to the ground by former Bay striker Ash Davis. Vociferous complaints from the visitors proved fruitless and when calm was restored, Callum Patton sent keeper Dale Connor the wrong way with a perfectly executed spot kick to give Whitley an early lead. A good start quickly got even better when in the ninth minute, Patton played an excellent ball through to Kyle Fryatt who took it round Davis before slotting neatly under Connor from 16 yards to put Whitley two up. Comfortably in control of the game, the Bay were frustrated by some robust challenges that went unpunished until midway through the half when Galpin was cautioned for persistent infringements.

Davis, a striker in his Whitley days, was playing in defence for the Mechanics but a surging run after 27 minutes saw him produce a 20 yard shot that gave Bay keeper Tom Flynn his only save of the half. Defender Josh Nearney, whose loan period from Hartlepool United has just been extended, then limped off injured, to be replaced by Callum Munro. Back on the attack for Whitley, Fryatt supplied Shanks with a chance that flew narrowly wide but moments later they were denied a third goal in controversial circumstances. Andy Robertson fired a low shot beyond Connor from out on the right and the ball crossed the line before hitting the diagonal bar on the inside of the goal frame and rebounding back into play across the goal. Having not spotted the incident, the match officials allowed play to continue but only 60 seconds later, Fryatt nearly made it 3-0 but his shot that was kept out by Connor. A goalbound free kick from Shanks was then headed behind as Washington rode their luck in the closing stages of the half.

Nine minutes into the second period, Waters produced a rare attempt on goal for the visitors but his shot was well off target. Shanks then threaded the ball through the Washington defence to Fryatt who looked well placed but delayed his shot and the chance was gone.  It was nearly all Whitley at this stage and after Shanks had fired too high, Wilkinson was denied at point blank range when Connor made a fine save with his feet after Robertson’s initial effort had been blocked. When Shanks was unceremoniously brought down 25 yards from goal, Andrew Brown was the latest Washington player to be cautioned, before being quickly substituted.

Having failed to pose any real threat in attack all game, Washington reduced the arrears with a goal out of nothing, when Flynn raced out to claim a high ball but misjudged its flight and was beaten to it by Marc Costello who sent a looping header over the stranded keeper and into the unguarded net. Whitley might have restored their two goal lead within three minutes but Alex Kempster’s fierce angled shot was pushed over the bar. From the resulting corner, Robertson headed just over the bar. Robertson then had a shot blocked with Kempster drilling another effort into the side netting. The chances kept coming as Whitley poured forward and Robertson had the ball in the net after being set up by Kempster only to see the goal ruled out by an offside decision. Kempster was getting past the Washington defenders with increasing regularity and five minutes from time, his ball from the right flew across the face of goal only to be fingertipped clear by Connor just as substitute Callum Anderson was about to apply the finishing touch. The visitors tried to push forward towards the end but without posing a serious threat and their very physical approach resulted in another caution after Anderson was tugged to the ground by Brassell. Their indiscipline continued after the final whistle when Lewis Galpin was shown a red card by referee Chris Ellis as the players returned to the dressing rooms.

For Whitley it was a well deserved victory and the margin could have been considerably greater if they had capitalised on the chances they created.

That was something Ian Chandler remarked on after the game “It could have been six or seven really. It was a good start with those two goals and then there was the goal that wasn’t. I think most people thought it had crossed the line. In the second half we had four or five situations where we could and should have scored. I don’t think Tom (Flynn) had very much to do all game but it was his own mistake that cost us a goal. Other than that they hardly had a shot on target.”

Explaining the two late substitutions, he commented “We put Ryan Keltie on for his height and Callum Anderson for his energy level in midfield and moved Alex Kempster up front and I think we saw the game out comfortably.”

WHITLEY BAY: Flynn, Nearney(Munro 28mins), McDonald, Allen, Wilkinson, Patton, Fryatt(Keltie 76mins), Fowler, Robertson, Shanks(Anderson 76mins), Kempster

Substitutes not used: Cooper, Haley

Cautions: Shanks, Anderson

Referee: Chris Ellis

Attendance: 250

*The Reserves came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at AFC Newbiggin, the scorers being Dillon Blake (p) and Alan Ewart. The win takes them back to the top of the table.