WHICKHAM 4 WHITLEY BAY 4
Wednesday 30th July
Report by Julian Tyley
The cliché ‘a game of two halves’ can rarely have been a more appropriate description, as this remarkable contest saw Whitley build up a seemingly impregnable 4-0 lead by half time, only to surrender their advantage as Whickham stormed back after the interval to claim an unlikely draw.
The game could hardly have got off to a better start for Whitley as they took the lead inside two minutes. A right wing corner from Kieren Aplin was not cleared and when Michael Scott’s shot from inside the six yard box was blocked, Jack Errington slotted the rebound home from close range.
Whickham’s first attempt on target came with eight minutes played when Osiyemi fired in a low shot that Bay keeper Mauro Asikaogu blocked.
Whitley were looking the more lively side and might have doubled their lead in the 17th minute when Aplin’s cross from the right flew across the face of goal with Layton Campbell unable to apply the finishing touch.
A break to the other end resulted in a deep cross to the back post being headed high over the bar by Johnson.
A good run from midfield by Kanda ended with his shot flashing narrowly past the post but a few minutes later a piece of pure quality produced the second goal. Campbell played the ball into midfield from low on the left side of the slope, and from all of 35 yards out, Callum Larmouth unleashed a stunning shot that flew into the top corner of the net giving young keeper Robbie Smith no chance. Undoubtedly it was an early contender for goal of the season and it stunned the hosts who had been battling for a way back into the game.
Piling on the pressure, Whitley added a third goal in the 40th minute, when Aplin played a right wing corner short to Campbell who cut inside a defender before drilling a powerful shot home from a narrow angle, the ball taking a slight deflection on its way into the net.
With the home defence at sixes and sevens, Whitley pushed forward again and Mikel Thompson’s persistence paid off as he dispossessed a defender near the left corner flag before cutting in along the byline and playing the ball into the six yard box where McNamara tried unsuccessfully to clear the ball and Errington seized his chance to slide home from close range to make it 4-0.
Three goals in the space of five minutes had seemingly put the game beyond Whickham and when Campbell burst clear just before the interval, Smith came out to make what turned out to be a crucial save.
While Whickham looked more determined on the restart, Whitley were looking comfortable in the early stages but all that changed with 54 minutes played when casual defending allowed space for Ben Turnbull to break forward from the left of midfield and his shot from 18 yards crept inside the post. Three minutes later, a harmless looking long range free kick from on the halfway line eluded Asikaogu and was headed into an empty net by Sam Johnson.
Suddenly, two goals had changed the momentum of the game and Whickham looked rejuvenated. Quite remarkably it was backs to the wall for Whitley and six minutes later it took a fingertip save from Asikaogu to push the ball wide.
With just under 20 minutes to go, Whickham reduced the deficit to just one goal when Whitley failed to deal with a left wing corner and a low header into the goal mouth was poked into the net by Munro.
Josh Stewart came to Whitley’s rescue with a header off the line as the home side kept up the pressure but with ten minutes left, poor defending resulted in the equaliser. A cross from the right should have been cut out but defenders and keeper failed to do so and it left former Bay striker Kyle Cockburn, who joined Whickham in the close season, with an easy finish, slotting home the equaliser from close range.
There was still time for a winner but perhaps surprisingly, given the swing of fortunes, it was Whitley who came closest, Larmouth with a chance before Campbell forced a good save from Smith and substitute Henry Harvey fired over the bar.
A series of corners were defended by the hosts but with two minutes left, Campbell had claims for a penalty turned down after he tumbled to the ground when Smith raced out to collect a high ball.
Nine minutes of added time failed to produce a winner and the sides had to settle for a share of the points. Whickham were obviously delighted but for Whitley it felt like a defeat after letting slip a four goal lead.
Second half mistakes had proved costly with the Glebe remaining one of the few grounds where Whitley have never won.
WHITLEY BAY: Asikaogu, Stewart, Christie, Kanda, Scott, Williams, Larmouth, Errington, Campbell, Aplin(Harvey 77mins) Thompson
Substitutes not used: Colquhoun, Achuo, McCarthy, Higgins
Referee: Joshua Hart
Cautions: Scott, Williams, Larmouth
Attendance: 357
