NORTH SHIELDS 3 WHITLEY BAY 1
Saturday 1st March 2025
Report by Julian Tyley
It was a dismal derby day for Whitley as they ended up well beaten by arch rivals North Shields. Last season they completed a memorable league double over the Robins but after Saturday’s encounter it was the red half of North Tyneside that was celebrating.
Whitley’s inconsistent form was evident again when following two victories and consecutive clean sheets, defensive mistakes and an inability to convert their chances proved costly.
Regan Paterson, who scored the winner at Kendal seven days earlier, was named in the starting eleven against his former side and it was he who set up an early opportunity breaking away down the left wing before crossing to the edge of the box where Lucas Lowery was denied by Kyle Hayes who raced off his line to clear the ball.
With less than ten minutes played Whitley suffered a major blow when Josh Stewart went down injured and was unable to continue, eventually being helped off the field with an ankle injury. Having played in all but one of Bay’s games this season, the versatile defender and midfielder has been a hugely important member of the squad and with captain Michael Scott out suspended, his absence for more than 80 minutes of the game was even more significant.
His replacement, Robbie Christie was returning from injury but within seconds of play resuming, Whitley were a goal behind.
A long ball played downfield by North Shields was won in the air by Nelson Ogbewe who from outside the right corner of the box lobbed the ball goalwards catching Gladstone off guard as it flew into the net.
The goal gave the Robins a huge boost and they might have doubled their advantage after 20 minutes when a shot from Lashley crashed off the bar. A free kick from Cassidy was pushed away by Gladstone and when Whitley broke down the left it was Paterson who posed a threat with his pace but his cross eluded Sharpe.
A shot from Kanda was poked wide by a defender and after a second corner, Kanda’s chip shot was held by Hayes just under the bar.
Down at the other end, a Shields corner was pushed out by Gladstone and the return ball was headed away but only as far as Coppen whose first time effort from the edge of the box flew low through a crowd of players into the corner of the net. Coming with barely half an hour played, this second goal put the hosts in control and while Whitley tried to get back in the game and forced a series of corners, they could not break through a determined home defence.
A rather drab second half only came to life with 20 minutes remaining when a good move by the home side produced their third goal, Carr exchanging passes with Ogbewe inside the box before sliding the ball past Gladstone.
Djalo and Cockburn came off the bench for the remainder of the game but it was only in stoppage time when Whitley got the ball in the net when a free kick from near the left corner flag was headed back across goal by Forster where Sharpe got a touch before Graham Williams poked it home from close range.
At that stage of the game it was merely a consolation goal and the final whistle was not long delayed.
WHITLEY BAY: Gladstone, Brady, Parkinson(Parker 71mins), Forster, Williams, Stewart(Christie 11mins) Lowery(Cockburn 77mins), Kanda, Sharpe, Larmouth, Paterson(Djalo 71mins)
Substitute not used: Crawford
Referee: Matthew Rogerson
