WHITLEY BAY 1 MARSKE UNITED 2
Saturday 15th February 2025
Report by Harry Salkeld
After a demoralising 4-0 defeat at the hands of Newcastle Benfield, the Bay returned to Hillheads looking to get back on the winning trail against a Marske United team 5 points below them in the league, looking for their first win of 2025. On a chilly but still afternoon, there was one change from the Benfield game as Luke Parkinson came in for Joe Robson. Hopes were high, that strong home form would reap dividends, as the match kicked off in front of 335 supporters.
A scrappy start to the game saw neither side take the territorial advantage, on a pitch that made strong link up play difficult. In the 10th minute a free kick was swung in with pin-point precision to the grateful head of Kanda as he found himself free within the 6-yard box. A goal seemed destined to be the outcome, but unfortunately, instead of the slightest of glances, he met it with full force and sent it flying 5 yards to the right of the post. It was an early let of for Marske, as their manager became increasingly frustrated with the space that his team were allowing the Bay players in their own box.
In the 15th minute, self-inflicted harm allowed Marske into the ascendancy. Luke Parkinson dwelt on the ball at the edge of his own box. Bradley Mills of Marske picked his pocket and proceeded to go on a zigzagging run through the Bay box, only to be upended for a penalty. Carmichael stepped up and comfortably dispatched the penalty high and to the keepers right, as he lay stranded on the floor, quickly aware that he’d gone the wrong way.
Midway through the first half, Kanda had the opportunity to make amends for his earlier missed opportunity. A Whitley corner glanced off a head and fell to him two yards out, again, however, he struggled to direct the shot and scuffed his kick. This proved to be a pivotal turning point as Marske began to shore up their defending, as their manager implored them to go man to man on all set pieces. They listened and began nullifying the Bay’s balls into the box, and indeed most of the balls that were sent forward.
During a long period of ineffective play, Marske’s Carmichael took a shot outside of the box, more in hope than expectation. The crowd thought little of it as Gladstone dived comfortably to his left and the right-hand side of the goal. His hands had other ideas as the ball fired into the bottom corner, slipping through his grasp. It was a disappointing outcome so near to half time, in the 43rd minute, and as the game kicked off again and the Bay went forward with the ball, Gladstone took the opportunity to walk to almost the halfway line, continually rubbing and drying his gloves, to leave the crowd in little doubt as to what he thought the reason for the error was.
Just before half time, the Bay took the self-inflicted tone of the first half to a whole new level as they won a free kick at the edge of the Marske box. While Larmouth waited to take the free kick, he became increasingly frustrated with the Marske wall encroaching. Then to the shock of the crowd, he received a yellow from the referee and headed to the bench for a session in the sin-bin. We can only assume, much like the red card for Arne Slot at Goodison earlier in the week, that he said something to the referee that he took great exception to. The free kick came to nothing, and it was 2-0 into the break.
As the second half began, Kyle Cockburn was replaced by Mackenzie Sharpe. In the 55th minute, Kanda had a shot saved easily by Oliver Swan as it was sent straight towards him. In the 63rd minute, in an attempt to garner some sort of foothold in the second half, the Bay made a double substitution as Parkinson and Djalo were replaced by Finlay Parker and Regan Patterson. It failed to make any real imprint on the game as chances were at an absolute premium for both teams. In the 79th minute, Lowery was replaced by Thomas Wilson. The changes did little to change the general flow of the game, Whitley struggled to establish any of the fast-interlinking play that they had showed earlier in the season. Most balls were either aimlessly sent forward or Marske managed to crowd out players on the ball, forcing errors and clearances.
A glimmer of hope shone in the 88th minute as a Bay player was upended in the box for Larmouth to cooly dispatch the penalty. Even in a moment of jubilation for the fans, the Bay managed, somehow, to blast their own toes off once again, as Michael Scott was sent off for his apparent over eagerness in retrieving the ball from the net. It was a moment that rang consistent with the major episodes of the game, the Bay creating their own downfall, even as it turned out, in moments of joy.
With ten men on the field, the game petered out to the final whistle. A 2-1 victory to Marske may have been a generous scoreline in what was a scrappy game from both sides, but they took the opportunities kindly afforded to them by the Bay. For the Bay, it’s a frustrating game to reflect on for the players and management. Luckily, they will only have to wait until Tuesday night against the struggling Tow Law, to hopefully atone for their costly errors.
WHITLEY BAY: Gladstone, Brady, Parkinson(Parker 63mins), Forster, Scott, Stewart, Lowery(Wilson 79mins), Kanda, Djalo(Paterson 63mins), Larmouth, Cockburn (Sharpe 46mins)
Cautions: Larmouth (sin-bin), Scott (red card)
Substitute not used: Crawford
Attendance: 335
Referee: Callum Black
