WHITLEY BAY 3 ASHINGTON 2
Saturday 14th December
A goal from Lewis Orrell seven minutes from time gave Whitley a hard earned victory over local rivals Ashington on an afternoon when the elements conspired to make conditions difficult for players and spectators alike.
Following their excellent midweek win at Hebburn, another three points provided Whitley with early Christmas joy as they completed their first league double of the season.
With the wind at their backs in the first half, Whitley started brightly and young striker Michael Annang-Colquhoun soon showed his ability to outpace the Colliers’ rearguard and his ball across goal in the 4th minute was put only narrowly wide by Brad Hird. Two minutes later Connor Smith tested Adam McHugh with a low shot that the keeper pushed wide.
Following that early flurry of activity, the game developed into a midfield battle as both sides struggled to break through well marshalled defences.
In the 21st minute, Dan Lister was brought into action, making a comfortable save when Ashington’s David Edwards headed a corner kick directly at the Bay keeper.
Whitley should have taken the lead in the 28th minute when a long ball out of defence reached Colquhoun who advanced on goal but his attempted lob over the keeper was not quite powerful enough and McHugh was able to gather the ball.
The game was beginning to open up now and just past the half hour the visitors briefly threatened but the Bay defence thwarted attempts on goal.
Connor Smith was looking lively with his speed down the right wing and in the 33rd minute his shot across goal flew only narrowly beyond the far post. Two minutes later though, he broke the deadlock, meeting a cross from Colquhoun to drill a low shot across McHugh and into the far corner of the net. With 38 minutes played, Robinson and Colquhoun combined to set up a chance for Hird whose diving header arrowed inches wide of the post with McHugh beaten. Shortly before the interval Whitley so nearly doubled their lead as the ball ricocheted around the six yard box with shots being bravely blocked.
Half time arrived with Whitley just one goal ahead and without having made the most of the favourable conditions.
They nearly added a second goal within a minute of the resumption, James Martin’s acrobatic overhead kick only being kept out by a fine save from the alert McHugh. Hird was then denied by the keeper as conditions rapidly deteriorated with a sudden downpour of rain and then sleet being blown almost horizontally in an extremely blustery wind.
Capitalising on the turn of events, the Colliers played a long ball deep into the Bay half where Tom Bexton struggled to control it and Marcus Giles took full advantage, moving into the box before driving a low shot into the net beyond the reach of Lister for a 55th minute equaliser. Understandably lifted by the goal, the visitors burst forward again and three minutes later won a corner on the left. Ben Sampson made the most of the strong wind, curling his kick directly into the net to turn the game on its head and put the Colliers into the lead.
Whitley’s youngsters reacted positively to the turn of events and they quite literally weathered the storm, fighting back to draw level just five minutes later. The dangerous Smith burst down the right and crossed into the box where Colquhoun got in ahead of McHugh to rifle the ball into the net from six yards.
The game was now wide open as both sides pressed forward hoping that the conditions would lead to defensive errors. Chances on target were limited though, Sampson’s long range effort being safely gathered by Lister while at the other end Connor Smith fired over the bar from the edge of the box. As the sleet eased and squally wind dropped, Whitley gradually gained the upper hand and with nine minutes remaining, Lewis Orrell sent a powerful shot only just wide from the edge of the box. Two minutes later, Martin played a ball down the left through to Orrell in a similar position with space on the edge of the Ashington box and this time the young midfielder’s shot was on target but took a slight deflection off Colliers skipper Curtis Coppen and flew into the top corner of the net beating the despairing dive of McHugh. It was his fourth goal in three games and it proved to be the winner although substitute James Proctor really ought to have sealed victory in the 89th minute after robbing the ball from Coppen but with only the keeper to beat, McHugh bravely blocked his shot.
Despite failing to make the most of their opportunities, Whitley had done enough to earn victory, surprisingly their first home success against the Colliers in six years.
WHITLEY BAY:Lister, Smith, Martin, Anderson, Lowery, Bexton, Orrell, Robinson, Hird(Martindale 62mins), Shepherd(Proctor 65mins), Colquhoun(Kerr 84mins)
Substitutes not used: Davison, Salmon
Caution: Kerr
Referee: David Pill
Attendance: 265
