NEWCASTLE BENFIELD 2-0 WHITLEY BAY
Saturday 1st August 2026
Report by Jensen Coleman
Bay’s second away game in the space of four days was a short trip to Newcastle Benfield, who had lost their league opener the week before at newly promoted Yarm & Eaglescliffe. Jamie Clark and Hugo McNicol returned to the starting XI after their second-half appearances in the win at Shildon, while Jake Jensen was also handed a start.
There was very little chances in the opening minutes, but two of them would fall for Bay in quick succession; the most notable of them seeing captain Michael Scott’s bicycle kick from a corner being saved brilliantly by Benfield goalkeeper James Hughes. Lennox Magalhaes fired the rebound wide moments after.
However, Benfield looked the better of the two sides in the first 45 so far, and they went on to take the lead with 20 minutes gone, as a free kick in from the right hand side by Jack Watson found Matthew Hayton at the far post who tapped the ball home past Bay goalkeeper Adam Cameron (1-0).
Bay looked to hit back instantly, as Magalhaes shrugged off Watson down the other end and got his shot away, but the midfielder’s effort arrowed straight into the side netting. Jamie Clark then curled the ball in towards Mackenzie Sharpe in the middle of Benfield’s box, but the striker’s header was well off target in the end.
The visitors were made to pay for missing those chances soon after, as in the 32nd minute, the hosts doubled their lead as James Simpson’s sublime back heel through the legs of Jensen found Watson down the left hand side. The Benfield left-back then found Michael Annang-Colquhoun in the middle of the box who steered the ball past Cameron to extend their advantage (2-0).
Benfield were not done yet for the first half, however, as chances came and went for both Simpson and Hayton, with the former firing wide at the near post before the latter failed to lob Cameron from 25 yards out as the first half closed out.
Badly needing some tenacity in their play, Bay brought on Alfie Livermore at half-time for Mikel Thompson, but it was the hosts that threatened to extend their lead first in the second 45, but James Wilson’s low shot was kept out well by visiting goalkeeper Cameron.
Bay already looked brighter in the second half, with Magalhaes and Sharpe both looking to pull a goal back for the visitors, but Magalhaes’s volley from an acute angle whistled wide and Sharpe’s low shot was saved by Hughes. Livermore also had a low strike collected comfortably by the Benfield goalkeeper, before coming off injured later in the half and being replaced by Scott McCarthy. Josh Stewart would also be withdrawn through injury with ten minutes to go.
Annang-Colquhoun almost had his second - and the hosts’s third - down the other end minutes after, but his lobbed effort travelled just wide instead. Luke Duffy also fired well over the bar as the clock ticked into second-half stoppage time.
In the end, it just wasn't to be for Whitley Bay. Despite an improved second half performance, the visitors ultimately proved to be second best, made all the more difficult as two key players in Josh Stewart and Alfie Livermore came off injured. Newcastle Benfield took their chances and, as a result, got themselves up and running for the new season.
As for Whitley, they will look to put this setback behind them on Tuesday (4th August), when they’re back at Hillheads and entertain Horden Community Welfare, who will no doubt prove to be another stern test.
Whitley Bay: Cameron, Jensen, Stewart (Achuo, 83’), Shilling, McNicol, Scott [C], Magalhaes, Nkunku, Sharpe, Thompson (Livermore, 46’; McCarthy, 74'), Clark
Attendance: 339
Caution(s): None
Match photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mcqweb/albums
My Personal Player-Of-The-Match: Hugo McNicol - The defender was on the losing side but looked a constant bright spark throughout, playing long balls forward and making good runs to ensure Bay went on the attack with ease when they had chances to score.
