WHITLEY BAY 2 CONSETT 0
Saturday 23rd March
Whitley made it three wins in a row as Nathan Haslam continued his unbeaten start as Bay manager and this was by far the most impressive victory of them all. Second top Consett played their part in a thoroughly entertaining game especially in the first half but after the interval, Whitley took control and but for a series of top class saves from former Bay keeper Kyle Hayes, the margin of victory would have been much greater.
Continuing his policy of rotating the squad, Haslam brought in Lewis Walton, now recovered from injury, while Olly Martin was also restored to the starting eleven. Jack Cooper and Peter Glen-Ravenhill dropped to the bench while Kieran Brannen was unavailable.
Whitley attacked straight from the kick off and might have taken the lead after just 16 seconds when Dan Wright played an excellent ball through to Luke Salmon who advanced into the box before seeing his shot blocked by Hayes.
The visitors then created an opportunity of their own in the fifth minute but Richard Juul blazed his shot out of the ground when well placed. Four minutes later, Consett had another chance but this time, skipper Daniel Craggs slotted the ball the wrong side of the post after being played in by former Bay defender Ross Wilkinson.
The action continued at a rapid pace and in the 12th minute some in the crowd thought Whitley had taken the lead but Olly Martin’s well struck shot was pushed just round the post by Hayes at full stretch. Consett responded with Holden playing a low ball across the Whitley goalmouth but beyond the reach of his team mates.
Whitley took a deserved lead in the 32nd minute when Salmon’s cross from the left eluded the Consett defence and from 15 yards, Andrei Andrelean finished with aplomb, drilling the ball beyond Hayes into the far corner of the net. Maintaining the pressure, Salmon put in another threatening cross three minutes later but this time Wilkinson cleared the ball downfield.
Stephen Ramsey almost doubled the lead in the 39th minute with a powerful shot from the right of the box to the far corner but Hayes somehow got his fingertips to the ball and pushed it wide just when it looked destined for the net.
Two minutes later at the other end, Dan Lister made a tremendous point blank save to keep out a volley from Craggs, a crucial save that saw Whitley retain their one goal advantage at the break.
On the restart, Whitley pressed forward with renewed vigour and captain on the day Craig McFarlane made a tremendous run down the right flank, brushing off several challenges as he burst into the box but was denied by an astonishing save from Hayes, who pushed his stinging close range shot onto the bar. Whitley were doing most of the attacking now and they created another chance in the 58th minute when Walton’s cross was allowed to bounce across the 18 yard box and Salmon got his head to the ball but could not direct it on target.
On the hour, Consett substitute Matty Cornish, another former Whitley player, put a half chance over the bar but that was a rare attack by the Steelmen. Midway through the half, Hayes once more came to his side’s rescue, pushing a dipping shot from Walton just over the bar. Olly Martin took the left wing corner and floated it to the edge of the six yard box where Salmon leapt to send a glancing header past a helpless Hayes into the far corner of the net.
The goal was richly deserved and it gave Whitley a crucial two goal cushion going into the final quarter of the game.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of their performance was yet to come, as they faced the prospect of all-out attack from the visitors in their bid to retain second top spot in the table. What materialised was disciplined defending with every one of the back four giving an exemplary performance, not allowing Consett any chance to get back in the game. Man of the match Luke Taylor barely put a foot wrong while McFarlane and Ibby Hassan showed all their experience as Whitley comfortably saw out the game and recorded their second consecutive clean sheet for the first time this season.
WHITLEY BAY; lister, McFarlane, Walton, R Redford(Glen-Ravenhill 61mins), Hassan, Taylor, Martin(Anderson 88mins) Wright, Ardelean, Ramsey(Christensen 73mins), Salmon
Substitutes not used: Caines, Cooper
Cautions: None
Referee: Graeme Hopper
Attendance: 378
h2o Bathrooms Man of the match: Luke Taylor
