WHITLEY BAY 5 THORNABY 1
TUESDAY 26th AUGUST 2025
Report by Julian Tyley
The goals flowed once again as Whitley treated their fans to a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining encounter, overcoming newly promoted Thornaby on a warm summer’s evening at Hillheads.
The victory was as comfortable as the scoreline would suggest and while the prolific early season form of Mackenzie Sharpe and Layton Campbell continued, this was another true team performance in which every player including the substitutes used in the second half all contributed.
As has been the feature of recent games, Whitley got off to a flying start with a goal inside five minutes. A throw in from the left by Robbie Christie was played across the 18 yard box by Callum Larmouth to Campbell who went across goal past a defender before turning and firing a shot past the helpless keeper Harry Alderson.
Whitley were well on top and doubled their lead in the 16th minute when Mikel Thompson played a superb ball in from the right wing and Sharpe got in ahead of the visiting defenders to flick the ball home from the edge of the six yard box.
Aplin and Campbell fired shots over the bar as Whitley kept up the pressure then just before the half hour Sharpe’s powerful volley was held by Alderson at the second attempt. Sharpe went close again minutes later when his glancing header from Aplin’s cross went narrowly past the far post.
Thornaby had made little impression on the Bay defence in the first half hour but with 38 minutes played, they got in a shot which was wide of the target.
Almost immediately, Whitley won a free kick some 30 yards out and Larmouth stung the keeper’s hands with a powerful effort that Alderson was grateful to push wide. Kanda tried to cross the ball back across goal but it was put behind for a corner on the left.
This led to the third goal when Aplin’s flag kick was met by a bullet header from the unmarked Sharpe, bulging the net before the Thornaby defenders could react.
Now three goals up, Whitley looked in total command but Thornaby came more into the game and just before the interval they pulled a goal back when Niall Short cut in from the right and poked a shot just inside the far post. It was the first goal Whitley had conceded in five games and in first half stoppage time, the Teessiders pushed forward again but disciplined defending kept them out.
Four minutes into the second half Whitley restored their three goal advantage when Livermore played a great ball through the middle to Campbell who shrugged off the attention of two defenders before turning and drilling the ball home from around 15 yards.
It was effectively game over but Whitley did not sit back. Despite replacing Campbell with Achuo, they continued to search for more goals and after Aplin fired just wide, Larmouth delivered a great free kick which looked a goal all the way especially when it took a slight deflection but Alderson, diving full length made a great save, pushing the ball wide of the far post.
Livermore was replaced by Henry Harvey who was soon using his pace to cause problems down the left flank and the visitors were hard pressed to defend his crosses into the box.
A comprehensive victory was rounded off with an outstanding goal by Larmouth seven minutes from time. Receiving the ball from Thompson just inside the Thornaby half, he waltzed past two defenders before finding space to crash home a great shot straight down the middle of the goal. This was Whitley’s 26th goal in just seven league games, a quite remarkable record.
The mood of celebration among the excellent midweek crowd of 361 was further boosted when news came through that three of the other leading sides Guisborough, Kendal and West Auckland had all suffered defeats leaving Whitley four points clear at the top of the table with Shildon now the only other unbeaten side in the First Division.
It is of course still very early days but another home game on Saturday, against bottom side Crook Town, gives Whitley the opportunity to further cement their place in pole position, something few could have imagined just a month ago at the start of the season.
WHITLEY BAY: Asikaogu, Aplin, Christie, Larmouth, Williams, Stewart, Campbell (Achuo 52mins) Kanda, Sharpe, Thompson, Livermore(Harvey 64mins)
Substitutes not used: Colquhoun, Scott, Errington
Cautions: Aplin, Larmouth
Referee: Daniel Forbes
Attendance: 361
Bay Fencing North East Ltd Man of the match; Mikel Thompson
