NORTHERN LEAGUE CUP 3RD ROUND
WHITLEY BAY 0 PENRITH 0 (PENRITH WIN 4-3 ON PENALTIES)
Tuesday 30th January
Whitley Bay suffered the agony of defeat in a penalty shoot-out after their Northern League Cup 3rd Round tie against Penrith ended goal less. It was a frustrating way to exit the competition especially after striking the woodwork three times and going close on several more occasions during the ninety minutes of open play.
Ross Wilkinson missed the game with a knee injury while Callum Johnston was cup tied and Josh Nearney was beginning his three match suspension. Peter Glen-Ravenhill was also sidelined through injury so Scott Jasper made a rare start ahead of his move, initially on a short term basis, to Ryton & Crawcrook.
In a relatively low key first half, Whitley’s best chances came after ten minutes when Aiden Haley’s goalbound 20 yard shot was pushed over the bar then in stoppage time when Jasper’s overhead kick from Chris Salmon’s cross struck the post. Meanwhile, Penrith’s best effort came midway through the half when a shot from Murray Jones was pushed round the post by Tom Flynn.
The game livened up after the interval with Whitley posing more of a threat. Four minutes after the restart, Jack Walker’s ball set up Thibault Charmey on the left and his low ball flew across the face of goal and just beyond the far post as Jasper just failed to make contact. Chris Salmon then had a 20 yard shot saved by keeper Stuart Dixon then Jasper got a header on target from Walker’s cross but the keeper made a comfortable save. In the 63rd minute, Jasper’s shot through a crowded 18 yard box was only narrowly off target while moments later, Brooks went close after connecting with Kempster’s cross.
Penrith substitute Matthew Moynan wasted an excellent chance to give the Cumbrians the lead when he side footed wide from in front of goal but was still Whitley who were looking the likelier to break the deadlock. Kempster made a run down the left but his cross shot flew high over the bar. Thirteen minutes from time Jasper played Charmey through on goal but from 15 yards he was denied by a fine save from Dixon. With nine minutes remaining, Kempster cut in from the left and struck the top of the bar with a tremendous 20 yard shot that left the keeper beaten. Four minutes later Tom Potter’s cross was flicked goalwards by Kempster but the ball struck the post, rebounding into the path of substitute Kyle Patton who with the goal at his mercy crashed the ball high over the bar from barely six yards. A foul on the edge of the box gave Whitley one final chance but Matty Cornish struck the free kick over the bar.
The game went straight to penalties with Penrith going first. The visitors were on target with their first two kicks but after Kempster had scored for Whitley, regular penalty taker Tom Potter had his attempt saved. Flynn’s diving save kept out Penrith’s third attempt but then Kyle Patton’s shot struck the top of the bar. Penrith made it 3-1 but Matty Cornish kept his cool to keep Whitley in the contest at 3-2. Penrith could have won it with their next kick but it was put wide before Callum Anderson made it 3-3 to leave the sides tied and take the contest to ‘sudden death’. Penrith converted their sixth penalty but Jack Walker saw his attempt saved by Dixon so it was the Cumbrians who emerged victorious and progressed to the quarter finals.
By a remarkable coincidence, this was the identical score to the one when the sides met in the semi final of the League Cup nine years ago, also at Hillheads.
WHITLEY BAY: Flynn, Salmon, Walker, Haley, Summers, Anderson, Potter, Charmey, Jasper(Patton 78mins) Brooks(Cornish 89mins), Kempster
Subs not used: Cunningham, Brannen, Campbell
Referee: David Carr
Cautions: Haley, Anderson
Attendance: 158
