WHITLEY BAY 2 BISHOP AUCKLAND 1
Tuesday 13th August
A rousing second half performance culminating in a goal three minutes from time by Angelos Eleftheriadis gave Whitley a well deserved first victory of the season.
It was a dramatic turn around after a poor first half display when slack defending had allowed Bishop Auckland to take an early lead through former Bay midfielder Denver Morris. The visitors then appeared in control of the game but fortunes quickly changed after the interval.
Along with Eleftheriadis, who was making his first appearance since rejoining the club in the summer, teenage midfielders Max Emmerson and Sam Dinsley returned to the starting eleven as Whitley welcomed Ian Chandler, now Bishop’s manager, back to Hillheads.
In the sixth minute, Luke Salmon gave Whitley early hope with a shot that keeper Nick Liversedge pushed round the post but just three minutes later, the visitors went ahead when a deep cross from Chris Winn to the back post was slotted home by the unmarked Morris.
The goal gave Bishops a boost as they looked the stronger and more determined side. They had the ball in the net for a second time when Johnson poked home the rebound after Dan Lister had blocked a shot from Hart but an offside flag had already been raised.
Whitley suffered a blow just before the half hour when Salmon, who had looked their liveliest player, picked up an injury and despite treatment was unable to continue.
Recovering from this setback, Whitley created two half chances shortly before the interval, firstly when Sam Dinsley’s cross from the wing was only just too far ahead of Craig McFarlane and then moments later when substitute James Proctor surged forward from midfield and played in Brad Hird whose shot went over the bar.
Just one goal behind at the break, Whitley were still very much in the game and they looked rejuvenated when play resumed. Nathan Stephenson fired wide when played through on goal just four minutes after replacing Emmerson. Then in the 52nd minute, confusion in the Bishop’s defence saw two players go for the same ball and when they failed to make an effective clearance, Brad Hird seized on the loose ball and drilled it home from 25 yards for the equaliser. Almost from the restart, Lee Kerr got a shot on target but Liversedge made the save. Whitley were getting on top now and just two minutes later they were awarded a somewhat fortuitous a penalty for handball by a defender when it appeared to many that the ball had struck the arm of a Bay attacker. After lengthy and vigorous protests by the visitors, justice may have been done when Craig McFarlane’s spot kick hit the outside of the post and went out of play.
A flare up on the hour ended with a caution for Bishop’s striker Andrew Johnson and moments later another incident saw players confront each other with the referee seeming to be losing control of the game. Whitley had skipper McFarlane cautioned while for the visitors Munro was fortunate to escape with no more than a caution after a bad challenge.
Both sides were looking for a crucial second goal and in the Bay defence, Callum Anderson was outstanding, helping to nullify the efforts of the Auckland side. Indeed it was Whitley who might have gone ahead after 76 minutes when Hird’s neat flick from a corner hit the post with Liversedge beaten. As the game approached the final ten minutes, another bad challenge by Munro brought protests from the Whitley players and enraged the crowd. With referee Mr Chatten failing to assert his authority on the game, Ian Chandler wisely substituted Munroto avoid a possible red card.
Retaining their discipline much better than their opponents, Whitley continued to search for a winner and with just four minutes left on the clock, Stephenson’s chip shot went only narrowly wide of the post. The pressure was all coming from Whitley now and when Kerr had a shot blocked, the ball eventually fell for Eleftheriadis who smashed it into the net to produce the biggest roar of the night and exuberant celebrations by the entire Bay side.
As they tried desperately to rescue a point, the visitors let frustration get the better of them again and Winn was penalised for dissent, being sent to the newly introduced ‘sin-bin’, leaving his side to play out time with just ten men.
Whitley’s attacking second half display made all the difference in this contest and the fully merited victory should give their confidence a real boost.
WHITLEY BAY: Lister, Graham, Eleftheriadis, Kerr, Anderson, Bott, McFarlane, Emmerson(Stephenson 46mins), Hird(Orrell 89mins), Dinsley, Salmon(Proctor 30mins)
Substitutes not used: Bexton, Colquhoun
Cautions: Emmerson, McFarlane
Referee: Craig Chatten
Attendance: 261
h2o Bathrooms Man of the Match: Brad Hird
