MARSKE UNITED 4 WHITLEY BAY 0
Tuesday 2nd September
Unbeaten Marske went top of the table as they took full advantage of Whitley’s injury problems which left Leon Ryan once again with a severely under strength side.
It was a game where the home side always looked stronger and Whitley could have no complaints about the outcome.
Jamie Owens tested Daniel Gladstone with a low shot after an opening ten minutes dominated by the hosts and it came as little surprise when they took the lead on the quarter hour when Owens tapped home from a corner. Gladstone then made a fine save to thwart Reece Kelly before pushing wide an attempt from Austin Johnston.
Kempster and Bird combined well for Whitley after 27 minutes in a rare break upfield before the strong home rearguard denied a shot on target. Ten minutes before half time Marske keeper Robert Dean was brought into action as he saved a free kick from Paul Chow at the second attempt as the ball threatened to squirm away from his grasp. Moments before the interval, the upright saved Whitley as the ball cannoned away from goal, leaving the Yorkshiremen just one goal to the good at half time.
They wasted little time in doubling their lead after the break, McDonald firing home after cutting in from the right. Whitley rallied with McDonald’s free kick from the right being scrambled away from danger before more bay pressure saw Watling square the ball to Kempster whose shot flew over the bar. Any hopes of a Whitley comeback were shortlived as Marske added a third goal after 55 minutes, Woodhouse sending a first time effort beyond the reach of Gladstone. Ryan then made a goal line clearance while Gladstone made another fine save as Marske stayed in the ascendency.
Watling was tripped just outside the penalty area in a Whitley foray downfield but the free kick was comfortably cleared.
The final goal came in the 89th minute when Owens got his second of the game with a shot from the right edge of the six yard box.
In stoppage time, a speculative long range effort from Leon Ryan flew narrowly wide on a night that Bay fans will not care to remember.
WHITLEY BAY: Gladstone, Harris, McDonald, Laws, Foster, Ryan, Godsmark(Buzzeo 46mins), Kempster, Watling, Chow, Bird
Substitutes not used: Redford, Redpath, Lopez
