Report by Julian Tyley
Speaking after an action packed 2-2 draw against third top Boro Rangers, Bay’s assistant manager Barry Rizza said he was impressed with the character shown by the players to earn a point after going two goals down after just 20 minutes.
“Yes, it was a very eventful game, with two red cards. In the end I thought the ref got both right. He needed a bit of help from the linesman for theirs but he got the call right. And our boy (Mackenzie Sharpe) was on a yellow. A second yellow was maybe a bit harsh but it is what it is, another foul and a second booking.”
There was controversy over the second half penalty that drew Whitley level, with Boro Rangers players and some spectators feeling the foul had been committed outside the box. However, as Barry explained “The ref said the penalty was for the follow up. He said you give it for where he ends up not the initial foul. So again it could be a bit debatable, but it is what it is. You take a bit of luck now and again, but overall I think the chances we created we deserved to get at least get a point from that game although we made it very hard for ourselves.”
“We’ve given them a head start, it’s come from our mistakes, us giving the ball away and we’ve been punished for it. They’ve caught us on the break and punished us, two chances and two goals. At this level, teams are going to do that to you, they’re going to hurt you. It’s very much uphill from there, but at half time we asked for a reaction. We told them ‘you got yourselves in this, get yourselves out of it’ and the character to do that I think was quite evident, evident to see they wanted something from the game.”
Alfa Djalo, who was later named man of the match, took the penalty, the first time he had taken on this role but as Barry pointed out, it was not a pre-determined decision. “It was spur of the moment. Alfa said he wanted it and fair play, he stepped up and took it. I like that bit of confidence from the lad.”
Whitley created chances throughout the game, far more than their Middlesbrough based opponents, which pleased the bumper crowd, but it was not enough to earn victory. “On the basis of chances yes we did well, but that’s week in week out now. We will create chances. I believe we’ll create chances against any team in this league. We’ve just got to make sure we don’t give teams a head start on us before we come into the game.”
Looking ahead, next weekend Whitley make the lengthy trip south to Northallerton, who are an improved team this season. “I genuinely don’t believe there’s an easy game in this league and you see that week in week out with the results, so you need to turn up do the basics every week.”
For the second successive home game, there were more than 450 fans at the game, building an excellent atmosphere as Barry acknowledged. “The crowd were enjoying it as well. Like we said, it was an eventful game. It’s good to see so many here and I think the crowd appreciate that they’re coming to see some good football and I think the players are really starting to thrive on it now.”
