WEST AUCKLAND TOWN 2 WHITLEY BAY 0
Saturday 12th January
After an evenly contested first half, Whitley fell behind immediately after the interval and a second goal three minutes from full time ensured that West Auckland emerged winners of a hard fought game.
With Tom Flynn unavailable, Whitley handed a debut to keeper Andy Hunter while Callum Anderson returned following injury. These were the only changes to the side that defeated Dunston UTS seven days earlier.
West Auckland created the first chance inside the first five minutes but Amar Purewal headed wide from a right wing cross. Playing up the slope, Whitley might have taken a fortuitous lead in the 12th minute when Ryan Redford’s cross into the box appeared to be caught in the wind and crashed off the top of the angle of bar and post.
Chances were few and far between with defences on top and Whitley’s next opportunity did not come until the 29th minute, when Craig McFarlane cut the ball back from near the right by-line and Redford had two attempts on goal blocked. The best chance of the half came two minutes later and Redford was involved again, slotting an excellent ball through the Auckland defence to Olly Martin who timed his run well but his shot from the edge of the box was well blocked by keeper Shane Bland.
A well disciplined Bay defence nullified the threat from the home strikers and at the interval there was no score. However, Whitley appeared to be caught cold at the start of the second half and just 70 seconds after the resumption the hosts took the lead. The goal came when Dowson crossed from the right and Purewal found himself unmarked inside the six yard box and headed past the stranded Hunter into the bottom corner of the net. Three minutes later Hunter did well to block an effort from Dowson as the home side attempted to press home their advantage.
Nine minutes into the half Whitley might have equalised after Martin appeared to be chasing a lost cause down the right but reached the ball just in time and cut it back from the by-line beyond the Auckland defence. With the goal almost at his mercy, Luke Salmon stretched to try and reach the ball but agonisingly he could not make sufficient contact and the opportunity was gone.
That was a rare chance for Whitley as from that point on they never really threatened an equaliser. Andrei Ardelean worked hard throughout but as a lone striker, he was closely marked and found it difficult to shake off the attention of the home defence.
McFarlane headed a cross from Purewal behind when Whitley came under pressure at the back. At the other end, Callum Anderson saw a shot deflected behind for a corner but when play switched back upfield, Hunter made a fine save from substitute Heaney. Glen-Ravenhill fired over the bar from Ardelean’s cross and with the game entering the closing stages, Whitley were still in with a chance of rescuing a point.
Three minutes from time, Auckland made the game safe with a second goal after they were awarded a free kick on the right edge of the Whitley box. Heaney deceived Hunter as he curled the ball just inside the near post, ending Bay’s lingering hopes. Two last minute substitutions came too late to affect the game, Kevin Carr and Kieran Brannen unfortunately having no time to make an impact.
WHITLEY BAY: Hunter, McFarlane, Walton, Christensen, Anderson, Taylor, Martin(Brannen 90+2mins), R Redford(Carr 90mins), Ardelean, Glen-Ravenhill, Salmon(Suddick 73mins)
Substitutes not used: Caines, Cooper
Cautions: Anderson, Ardelean, Martin
Referee: Sam Packer
Attendance: 224
