FA VASE 2nd QUALIFYING ROUND
HARROGATE RAILWAY ATHLETIC 2 WHITLEY BAY 2
HARROGATE WIN 4-3 ON PENALTIES
Saturday 21st September
Report by Julian Tyley
The highs and lows of cup football were there for all to see at Harrogate Railway’s Station View on Saturday when Whitley suffered a very disappointing exit from the FA Vase.
They have enjoyed more highs in this competition than any other club, with a unique hat trick of wins between 2009 and 2011. However, this defeat completed a far less glorious hat trick as it was the third time in as many seasons that Whitley have gone out of the competition on penalties.
With just one defeat in their previous seven games, they went into this cup tie as strong favourites against a side from the second tier of the Northern Counties East League. However, Harrogate looked by far the better team especially in the first half when they built up a two goal lead. All hope seemed to have gone for the Bay as the game approached stoppage time, but they score twice to stun the hosts and with extra time no longer played in this competition, the tie went straight to penalties. Hopes of a sensational turnaround were dashed with Railway proving more accurate with their spot kicks.
There were two enforced changes to the side that beat Newcastle Benfield in midweek, with Jake Forster unavailable while Joe Robson suffered a fractured toe in that game leaving him out of action for several weeks. Into the starting eleven came Ryan Higgins and striker Guy Bates, who was making his Bay debut.
Whitley looked lethargic and out of sorts from the first whistle, with passes going astray while Railway were quicker to the ball and looked more energetic across the pitch.
The home side deservedly took the lead in the 13th minute when Sam Clothier finished off a neat passing move that cut through the Bay defence and left him clear on goal, and his finish gave Gladstone no chance.
Hopes that this would stir Whitley into action were to be largely disappointed. A shot from Thompson after the ball was cut back from the by-line by Bates was cleared off the line and a header from Kanda following a free kick was wide of the target but it was at the other end where there was more action, with Gladstone making a great diving save just past the half hour. Five minutes later a shot from Larmouth was parried by Hicks but three minutes before the interval Harrogate doubled their lead. Gladstone pushed away a strong shot from out on the right by Eggleston but the ball fell kindly for the winger who immediately played it back into the box where Clothier’s excellent first time finish flew past Gladstone, crashed off the far post and into the net for his and his side’s second goal of the game.
If that wasn’t bad enough for Whitley, Callum Larmouth was sin binned seconds before the half time whistle for incurring the wrath of referee Liam Batie.
That left them a man short for the first ten minutes after the break and a huge task if they were to get back in the game.
In a tactical switch, Kyle Cockburn replaced Ryan Higgins on the restart. One of a series of fouls by Railway just outside their box saw Hicks tested for just about the first time when he had to dive full length to keep out a free kick by Bates.
Back at the other end, Christie was booked for a foul and the resultant free kick was fingertipped over the bar by Gladstone.
A double substitution midway through the half saw Wilson and Donaghey introduced and it was the former who went close with 12 minutes remaining with a shot that was blocked after Hicks could only get his fingers to a cross from the left.
Four minutes of normal time were left when Hicks produced a sensational save to deny Cockburn from almost point blank range.
That looked like the final chance for Whitley to change the course of the game but to their credit, they kept pushing forward and in the 90th minute, they won a corner on the right. Cockburn swung the ball into the six yard box where Josh Stewart headed home near the back post to finally break through a stubborn and determined home defence.
Gladstone, who was now coming forward for set pieces, was nearly caught out when he raced out to play the ball forward, lost possession and with his goal gaping, it was lobbed over his head but to Whitley’s relief did not end up in the net.
Six minutes into added time, a Bay attack saw Thompson cross the ball from the left of the box where it was played into the path of Larmouth who lashed a tremendous shot into the top corner of the net to level the score and send Bay players and fans ecstatic.
The drama was not yet over as when Railway played the ball forward from the restart, Christie was penalised for a high challenge and received a second yellow card so Whitley had to see out the final few seconds with just ten men.
Going into what is often described as the lottery of penalties, Harrogate went first and scored. Bates and Donaghey were both on target for Whitley as the first five spot kicks were all successful but Callum Larmouth, normally the most reliable penalty taker, saw his attempt kept out by the foot of Hicks. Mikel Thompson kept Whitley’s hopes alive and when Harrogate missed the target with their fifth kick, Cockburn had the chance to draw the sides level but his shot struck the bar and Whitley were out.
In the end, despite being bitterly disappointed, Whitley could have no complaints about the outcome as Harrogate had been clearly the better side on the day.
WHITLEY BAY: Gladstone, Brady, Christie, Stewart, Higgins(Cockburn 46mins) Scott(Donaghey 68mins) Baxter(Wilson 68mins), Kanda, Bates, Thompson, Larmouth
Substitutes not used: Parkinson, Crawford
Referee: Craig Atkin
Attendance: 180
