RYTON & CRAWCROOK ALBION 2 WHITLEY BAY 5
Saturday 28th July
Whitley completed their pre-season programme with a victory at Second Division Ryton & Crawcrook Albion but they had to come from behind and it was only in the closing stages of the game that they finally saw off the challenge of their hard working hosts.
With Tom Flynn not fully recovered from an injury picked up at Heaton Stannington on Thursday, Whitley fielded a teenage trialist in goal while former Bay striker Scott Jasper captained the home side.
A strong and blustery wind combined with a difficult playing surface contributed to a rather scrappy opening 45 minutes but playing into the wind, it was Whitley who took the lead after just nine minutes following good approach work down the left from Luke Salmon. When the former Ashington man played the ball across goal, it was not cleared and a rebound in the six yard box fell for Liam Anderson who drilled it home.
Ryton fought back and hesitancy in the Whitley defence led to a 17th minute equaliser but there was little else of note and few attempts on target during the remainder of the half.
Five minutes after the interval, a quick break downfield resulted in Ryton taking a surprise lead but the goal produced a positive response from Whitley and only a clumsy challenge inches outside the box prevented a trialist getting a shot on goal. Shortly afterwards, another Bay attack produced a trip just inside the box and Luke Salmon made no mistake with the resultant penalty, levelling the score at 2-2.
Six minutes later Whitley were back in front thanks to a glancing header from Stephen Ramsey. Stepping up a gear, they pushed forward again and another goal might have followed within two minutes but substitute Jack Foalle was denied by a fine save from the Ryton keeper.
An excellent move down the left wing and a ball played perfectly across the face of goal gave Foalle a simple close range finish with seven minutes remaining then with almost the last kick of the game, defender Adam Redford got in on the act as he attacked down the right, closed in on goal and found the net for Whitley’s fifth goal.
Scoring 15 goals in three games this week, all away from home, Whitley are certainly playing an attacking brand of football and entertaining their fans!
WHITLEY BAY: Trialist A, Redford, Trialist B, Hall, Hassan, Taylor, Trialist C, Glen-Ravenhill, Ramsey, L Anderson, Salmon. Substitutes: Trialist D, Carr, Foalle, Brannen, Triallist E, Hucks.
