WHITLEY BAY 1 CROOK TOWN 0
SATURDAY 30th AUGUST 2025
Match report by Julian Tyley
Whitley extended their winning run to seven games but after treating their fans to goals galore in recent contests, they scored just one on this occasion. However it was enough to ensure that they ended August, their most successful in many years, four points clear at the top of the Northern League table.
This top against bottom encounter looked like being another comfortable outing for Jay Bates’ side but it proved to be anything but that as Crook Town proved much more resilient than some recent opponents and on this form they should soon be climbing the table.
While Whitley were not at their best, they still created some good opportunities but combined with some determined defending and attempts that were narrowly off target, the outcome was in doubt until the final whistle.
In one change to the side that convincingly defeated Thornaby in midweek, captain Michael Scott returned with Alfie Livermore dropping to the bench.
It was a fairly low key opening to the game with chances at a premium. A long range effort by Crook’s Joseph Aungiers was the first attempt on goal but Asikaogu was untroubled.
With ten minutes played, Mikel Thompson curled a shot towards the back post but keeper James Barron pushed the ball wide for a corner.
Four minutes later Whitley should have scored when a low ball from Campbell across the six yard box found Mackenzie Sharpe unmarked at the back post but he put it wide.
On recent form it seemed it would only be a matter of time before Whitley would make the breakthrough but that did not materialise as the game became a midfield struggle with Crook denying Whitley time on the ball and packing their defence to repel shots on goal.
Three minutes before the interval Kieren Aplin’s left wing corner was knocked clear but straight to Meeshi Kanda whose first time shot flew over the bar.
Thompson then raced away down the left and when his cross was only half cleared, Callum Larmouth struck a powerful shot towards goal bringing a good save from Barron who got his hands to the ball and pushed it clear.
Goal less at the interval, Whitley began the second half on the attack and a corner from Aplin saw the ball flicked just wide of the back post by Kanda.
Asikaogu had very little to do in the first half but ten minutes after the restart he had to make a fine diving save to push a shot from Marriott wide of the far post.
Barely a minute later with play in midfield, Kanda played the ball through to Campbell and from 20 yards he drove in a shot that clipped the inside of the far post and into the net beyond Barron’s despairing dive.
Finally in the lead, Bay fans were hoping to see their side press home their advantage but Crook were in no mood to lie down. More solid defending restricted Whitley’s chances and when Campbell did get past his man and cross into the goalmouth, Barron grabbed the ball just as Sharpe was about to pounce.
Eleven minutes from time, Larmouth played a neat ball through to Sharpe whose shot was scooped round the post by the keeper.
Another chance came Whitley’s way with 85 minutes gone when substitute Livermore crossed low into the goalmouth and the ball was parried by the keeper into the path of Sharpe whose close range effort was scrambled off the line.
While it was a below par performance by Whitley, they did enough to earn the three points and avoid the slip ups that a number of their rivals have suffered in recent games.
It was their seventh consecutive victory and fifth clean sheet in their last six games. This is the sort of consistency they will need in the months ahead if they are to retain their position in the table. September looks like being a testing month with games against some of their closest rivals.
WHITLEY BAY: Asikaogu, Stewart, Christie, Larmouth, Scott, Williams, Campbell, Kanda, Sharpe, Thompson, Aplin(Livermore 56mins)
Substitutes not used: Colquhoun, Errington, Harvey, Achuo
Caution: Asikaogu
Referee: Patrick Laws
Attendance: 438
Bay Fencing North East Ltd Man of the Match: Layton Campbell
