WHITLEY BAY 3 WHICKHAM 1
TUESDAY 22nd SEPTEMBER 2026
Report by Harry Salkeld
After a share of points on the road at Kendal, the Bay returned to Hillheads Park to take on a Whickham side who have experienced much change in the last couple of weeks. The Bay made two changes to their midweek side as Brady and Power returned to the starting XI.
The game started in the Bay’s favour as the first effort fell early to Brady, who unleashed a low, driven shot, which went just wide of the far post. It didn’t take long for the visitors to respond with their first chance of the evening as Favour Ekomemen’s one on one effort was denied by Mauro’s strong, grasping left hand.
A period of Bay pressure then ensued as an in-swinging free kick caused an array of problems that the away side managed to withhold. Minutes later, Ashcroft fizzed in a cross towards the six-yard area, narrowly missing the head of a teammate in blue and white.
As the 30th minute mark approached, the best chance of the game, so far, arrived when Mackenzie Sharpe volleyed a shot into the allotment end. The Bay then came close in unorthodox fashion after a fantastic, line-breaking passage of play nearly forced an own goal, however Finley Robertson denied.
Despite the Bay going into the halftime interval with the deadlock yet to be broken, you could sense the Bay were getting closer to their reward.
Despite the Bay’s late first half pressure, Whickham had the first big chance of the half when Malachi Ray-Tharpe was slipped through on goal. The winger attempted a dinked attempt over Mauro which looked destined for goal, however our Capitano saved the day as he cleared it of the line. The intervention was met with the great applause, and the significance of this was about to be shown as the near escape spurred the Bay back in to life.
Instantly after Michael Scott’s heroics, the Bay went on the attack and after a well worked passage down the right, the ball found its way to our bagsman in the box. With calmness, composure, and coolness, Mackenzie Sharpe placed his effort into the bottom left corner, opening the scoring for the night. Our number nine made it look like such a routine finish as Robertson scrambled for the ball between the sticks.
The away side now had no choice but to become more expansive and attack. That was made evident as instantly after the goal, Aaron Zamor flashed an effort over the bar causing minor issues for Mauro at the near post.
It was clear that the Bay’s best chance of winning was through pouncing on Whickham’s defensive worries rather than withholding pressure until full time. Thankfully, that’s what Jay Bates team decided to do. In the 64th minute Storey’s peach of a cross landed to the Bay’s target man. Macca perfectly bulleted his headed attempt into the bottom right corner, leaving the keeper rooted. It was a proper striker’s header from the leap to the power mixed with precision; it screamed ‘I’m this league’s top goalscorer’.
The Bay weren’t resting there; they smelt goals in the air; especially our number nine who was in search of a match ball.
Bay substitute Magalhaes was starting to make an impact as he had three shots in succession yet, frustratingly, none managed to test the keeper due to the visitor’s resolute defending.
In the 75th minute, in hunt of a hat-trick, Sharpe managed to create a sublime chance for himself via some of the best individual brilliance seen at Hillheads in recent years. The striker dummied a through ball, ‘nutmegging’ his defender, left two other defenders for dead after dribbling past them, before marginally missing the target, as his shot went astray of the intended near post.
Despite not securing the ‘hatty’ with that attempt, there was still time. Not long after that attempt, the Bay won a penalty due to a clear denial of a goalscoring opportunity after miscommunication between Whickham goalkeeper and defender. It almost felt written in the stars that Sharpe was the player to win the penalty and, of course, would take the responsibility from twelve yards out. Couple of steps, couple of breathes, and another goal for Sharpe, it was as simple as that. The ball rippled the back of the net as the keeper dived the wrong way. 3-0 Bay on a wonderful Tuesday night’s work.
Unfortunately, after a fantastic night for the Bay the last real intervention was an own goal for Jamie Storey, as he played a heavy pass goal bound leaving Mauro with little chance of preventing the inevitable. It was a goal, which I think is safe to say, confused quite a few in the ground but focus was on a night which revolved around three points, a hat-trick and liquid football.
The full-time whistle was met with great relief and joy as the Bay won a home game for the first time this season. Those vital three points saw us climb up to 15th in the league, a platform to build from as we play on home soil again on Saturday. Be there on Saturday, if you can, as we face Easington Colliery at 3pm. It’s international break after all, no excuses!
WHITLEY BAY: Asikaogu, Errington (Magalhaes, 46') Ashcroft (Achuo, 78'), Power, Chapman, Scott, Storey, Heywood (Clark, 71'), Sharpe (McNicol, 78'), Brady, Livermore
Substitute not used: Colquhoun
Cautions: Heywood
Referee: Charlie Armstrong
Attendance: 230
