BILLINGHAM SYNTHONIA 2 WHITLEY BAY 3
Wednesday 13th September
Whitley scored twice in the last ten minutes to dash Synthonia’s hopes of recording their first win of the season in a dramatic finale to this Northern League game at the Norton Sports Complex.
Ross Wilkinson made a welcome return to the Bay defence after missing the last month with a foot injury while striker Andy Robertson, in the squad for the first time this season following an operation during the summer, was named among the substitutes.
Wilkinson was quickly involved in an attacking capacity when Liam Brooks knocked the ball down into his path but his shot from the back of the six yard box cleared the bar. Billingham had their first chance in the 19th minute when Callum Hassan had a shot comfortably saved by Tom Flynn. Three minutes later Josh Nearney played the ball down the wing to Tom Potter whose cross was put behind for a corner. Just before the half hour, another ball into the box from Alex Kempster was headed wide by Brooks. Although Whitley were having a good percentage of possession, they were creating little threat to the home defence and it was Synners who took the lead after 35 minutes. The goal came when Whitley gave the ball away and Hassan cut inside before firing past Flynn from 15 yards. Barely a minute later the Teessiders might have doubled their lead when Hassan saw his shot fly inches over the bar. The nearest that Whitley came to drawing level before half time came when Thibault Charmey tried his luck from 20 yards but his first time effort was too high to trouble keeper Liam Gibbs and at the interval the hosts were a goal in front.
Eight minutes into the second half Dan Field made a vital goal line clearance from a ball played in from distance. Whitley gradually stepped up the pace and Potter out on the left went round a defender and fired in a low shot that Gibbs could not hold but a defender spared his keeper’s blushes by clearing the ball to safety.
Just before the hour mark, Whitley made a double substitution, a positive move bringing on two strikers, Scott Jasper and the returning Andy Robertson. The two had been only the field for 90 seconds when Potter, switching back the right wing, was tripped just inside the box and referee Lindsey Robinson had no hesitation in awarding a penalty. Potter took the spot kick himself and comfortably beat Gibbs to level the score at 1-1.
Synthonia were battling hard and certainly not playing like a bottom of the table side and they almost regained the lead in the 70th minute, Alex Nelson heading just over the bar from a right wing corner. One minute later they did go back in front with a stunning goal from Craig Hindmarch, making his debut after signing the previous day from Newton Aycliffe. Receiving the ball on the left of midfield some 30 yards from goal he advanced a few paces before striking a tremendous shot that arrowed into the top right corner of the Bay net, giving Tom Flynn absolutely no chance. It was a goal worthy of winning the game but Whitley were not prepared to accept defeat although four minutes later the dangerous Hassan fired a 20 yarder just wide of the upright. It proved to be a key moment as from this point on Whitley pushed forward and with ten minutes left, following a cross from Potter, the ball fell for Aiden Haley on the edge of a crowded 18 yard box and his powerful shot took a deflection and flew into the net past the helpless Gibbs. Having come from behind for a second time, the game was now wide open as both sides searched for a winner. Flynn made an important save to keep the hosts out but then in the 89th minute, Nearney played a perfect ball into the box where Jasper got in front of a defender to head home from ten yards and put Whitley in front for the first time in the game. Into stoppage time and well in the ascendency, Whitley might have added a fourth but Gibbs saved from Potter.
It was a hard fought victory which showed character and determination and Whitley will need more of the same, plus the quality they showed in the victory at Newcastle Benfield, when they meet Synthonia again at the same venue but in the FA Vase next week.
WHITLEY BAY: Flynn, Nearney, Hall, Haley, Wilkinson, Field, Potter, Charmey, (Cornish 74mins), Brooks(Jasper 59mins), Glen-Ravenhill(Robertson 59mins), Kempster
Substitutes not used: Byerley, K Patton
Referee: Lindsey Robinson
Cautions: Haley, Nearney
Attendance:117
