WHITLEY BAY 2 WHICKHAM 1
Saturday 27th July 2024
Report by Julian Tyley
After a summer of change, the new era at Hillheads began with a dramatic victory over Whickham, as a last minute winner secured all three points to send the Bay fans home happy.
A goal behind at the interval, it was not looking good for Whitley when Mikel Thompson saw his penalty saved but the striker redeemed himself claiming both goals in a grandstand finish that left the visitors to return home empty handed.
New manager Jay Bates had brought in a virtually new squad, with Jos Storr the only survivor from last season. Goalkeeper Dan Gladstone played more than 50 games for the club some nine years ago and winger Regan Paterson made a handful of appearances as a youngster when a member of the Bay Reserves side, but the other eight starters were all making their debut for the club.
Whickham also fielded a much changed side from last season, among the debutants being Cameron Brewis signed during the week after spending the last two years at Hillheads.
Whitley started quite brightly but Gladstone was nearly caught out by a speculative shot from Croft that the keeper collected at the second attempt.
In the sixth minute, Bay midfielder Mechak Kanda fired a first time effort high over the bar after receiving a cross from the right.
Five minutes later there were appeals from Whickham for a penalty when Lowery-Matondo went down under a challenge from Joe Robson as he raced in the box but there appeared to be minimal contact and the referee allowed play to continue. The lively young winger was a threat down the Whickham right during the opening half but despite good approach work he could not find a way through a resolute Bay defence.
Then when Thompson crossed the ball into the Whickham box, Bussey needed two attempts to gather the ball safely.
Around the half hour there was goalmouth action at both ends. Firstly a free kick by Lavery for the visitors was gathered by Gladstone then when play switched to the other end, it took a great one handed save by Bussey to keep out a shot from Thompson. The ball then ran loose and it was cleared before Whitley could capitalise.
A long ball out of defence by Whickham was then cut out by Robson before Levi Collins could reach it, but a minute later the former Boldon striker who was the second Division’s top scorer last season put the visitors ahead with a clinical finish.
A ball down the right flank was just kept in play near the dugouts by Munro, who sent it across field into the path of Collins who raced clear and slotted it beyond Gladstone.
The goal gave a big boost to the Lang Jacks who began to control proceedings in the closing stages of the half as the sky darkened amid a torrential downpour and it came as some relief to Whitley and their fans when the half time whistle was blown.
On the resumption, conditions had improved significantly and inside 45 seconds, Whitley might have equalised but Paterson saw his shot from the left of the box saved by Bussey.
In the 53rd minute Brewis placed a low shot narrowly wide of Gladstone’s far post but that was to be a rare attempt on the home goal as Whitley gained the upper hand during the second half. A good ball in from the left by Storr was only inches ahead of the onrushing Wilson but then with 58 minutes played, Whitley were handed a glorious chance to draw level.
A corner on the Bay left was cleared only as far as Paterson whose second cross into the goalmouth saw Whickham skipper Callum Munro climb over Robson inside the six yard box and send him to the ground. The referee awarded Whitley a penalty but Thompson’s spot kick lacked power and Bussey, diving the right way, made a good but comfortable save.
It began to look as if this would be a costly and key moment in the game but undeterred, Whitley kept pushing forward while Whickham rarely threatened.
In the 64th minute, a shot from the edge of the box by Wilson took a deflection wrong footing Bussey and flew millimetres wide of the post. Six minutes later, a looping header from Storr landed on the roof of the net after good work by Paterson.
With the ground now bathed in sunshine, Whitley kept up the pressure and they were rewarded in the 79th minute. George Brady’s free kick from wide on the right reached Thompson just inside the box and his goalbound shot was deflected wide of Bussey by Munro and trickled into the net to draw Whitley level. While there was an element of fortune in the goal, it was no more than Whitley deserved.
Pushing forward with increased determination and roared on by the home crowd, Whitley forced two corners in quick succession. Under pressure from Kanda, the first was put over the bar by a defender before the second was eventually cleared.
The hard working Thompson almost broke clear as Whickham tried to counter attack then with three minutes left, he burst through on the right but saw his attempt flash narrowly beyond the far post.
Then in the 90th minute, Robson played the ball wide on the left to Robbie Christie who delivered a perfect cross just behind the Whickham defence. Thompson seized the ball, took a touch and drove it into the net from inside the six yard box to the delight of the vast majority of the near 400 strong crowd. There was little time for Whickham to respond with the game now into stoppage time.
The final whistle was not long delayed and a deserved but hard fought opening day victory was secured.
WHITLEY BAY; Gladstone, Brady, Christie, Forster, Robson, Stewart, Paterson, Kanda, Storr, Thompson, Cockburn(Wilson 25mins)
Substitutes not used: Parkinson, Corkhill, Scott, Donaghey
Cautions: Kanda, Stewart, Forster
Referee: Kevin McKitterick
Assistants: Ross Perry, David Marrs
Attendance: 379
