NEWCASTLE BENFIELD 1 WHITLEY BAY 4
Saturday 9th September
Whitley turned on the style to record an emphatic victory at Newcastle Benfield and in doing so gained immediate revenge for the FA Cup defeat against the same opponents at Hillheads just seven days earlier.
The opening stages of the game gave little indication of what was to come, with Benfield looking lively and enjoying more of the possession. The first chance did not arrive until the 12th minute, when their new signing Liam Hudson, who had a brief spell at Hillheads two years ago, turned in the box and skied the ball high over the bar. That set the pattern for the hosts, who struggled to find the target when their opportunities arose.
Two minutes after Hudson’s attempt, Whitley went close as the ball ricocheted around the Benfield six yard box with no one able to get the finishing touch. A first time effort from Thibault Charmey then flew inches past the post before play reverted to the other end where Tom Flynn saved low down from Scott McCarthy.
Peter Glen-Ravenhill then ran on to a through ball that evaded the home defence and from fully 30 yards attempted a shot that went narrowly wide. Whitley were beginning to assert themselves now and Alex Kempster brought a diving save from keeper Dan Nimmins after receiving an excellent cross field ball from Aiden Haley.
Whitley’s growing pressure paid off in the 28th minute when Tom Potter crossed from the right and Kempster beat the despairing dive of Nimmins from 15 yards. Six minutes before the interval the impressive McCarthy was denied an equaliser for the hosts when Flynn made a great save, pushing a goalbound shot round the post. The importance of that save was highlighted two minutes later when instead of being level, Whitley went two ahead. The architect of the second goal was Peter Glen-Ravenhill who raced away down the left wing and played a great ball into the Benfield box. It eluded Scott Jasper but fell perfectly for Tom Potter who slotted it home from six yards to give Whitley the cushion of a two goal half time lead.
Early in the second half Jasper was almost through on goal but Nimmins was alert and cleared the danger. Glen-Ravenhill, who was having one of his best games in Bay colours, then cut in from the left before rattling the bar with a shot that had Nimmins beaten. The keeper then made a fine save to deny Kempster after Potter’s cross had put the Bay captain through on goal. Continuing to push forward Whitley were rewarded in the 65th minute after another attempt struck the bar, this time a header from Jasper, but the rebound was forced into the net by Kempster, bravely attacking the ball in the six yard box. Now three goals ahead, the game seemed won but the action continued thick and fast, with Flynn making another fine save before Liam Brooks came off the bench for the final quarter of the game. The young striker was immediately in the action playing the ball to Glen-Ravenhill with the shot then rebounding from the keeper into the path of Thibault Charmey who slotted home from ten yards. It was virtually one way traffic at this stage and the Benfield defence which was so strong a week earlier looked all at sea. A fifth goal looked on the cards but then out of nothing Benfield pulled one back and perhaps inevitably it was veteran striker Paul Brayson who showed his class advancing from midfield before unleashing a tremendous 25 yard shot that flew past Flynn into the corner of the net.
Briefly Whitley seemed to lose their concentration, perhaps thinking the game was won and it was thanks to Tom Flynn that Benfield did not further reduce the arrears. John Campbell, a dangerous striker who had made little previous impact on the game struck an excellent 25 yard free kick towards to bottom corner of the net but Flynn dived across his goal to push the ball wide. Three minutes later Benfield substitute Hailes brought another outstanding save from the Bay keeper. The final ten minutes saw a more composed Bay side denying the hosts and comfortably seeing out the game. A long range attempt from Aiden Haley was held by Nimmins while the number of yellow cards brandished by referee Shane Sugden rose to eight, an astonishing total in a game played in good spirit and devoid of any bad challenges.
Every Whitley player contributed to the victory, with Dan Field, in only his second game, slotting in well. With their injured players all now on the road to recovery, Whitley’s prospects look encouraging and at the final whistle this important win earned a rousing reception from the excellent following of Bay fans.
WHITLEY BAY: Flynn, Nearney, Hall, Haley, Williams, Field, Potter, Charmey, Jasper(Brooks 67mins), Glen-Ravenhill(Cornish 84mins), Kempster(K Patton 73mins),
Substitutes not used: C Patton, Byerley
Referee: Shane Sugden
Cautions: Jasper, Charmey, Williams, Kempster, Flynn
Attendance: 209
