SEAHAM RED STAR 0 WHITLEY BAY 5
Saturday 25th January 2025
Report by Julian Tyley
Whitley gave their travelling fans plenty to cheer about on a sunny but cold January afternoon on the Durham coast with a thoroughly convincing victory, albeit against a Seaham Red Star side sitting at the foot of the table. Scoring five goals while keeping a clean sheet will undoubtedly have given their confidence a real boost.
The return of strikers Alfa Djalo and Lucas Lowery clearly made a difference as Whitley posed a threat with pace down both wings.
Having won the toss, Whitley chose to change ends, which meant home keeper Shaun Newbrook had to contend with a low sun in his eyes throughout the first half.
The opening stages of the game gave little clue as to what was to follow, with little to choose between the sides. When the hosts played a long ball forward into the Bay half, keeper Dan Gladstone raced out of his box to head clear and avert any danger.
With 17 minutes played, Meeshi Kanda played the ball out on the left to Djalo who advanced to the edge of the box before delivering a cross shot that flew just beyond the far post.
Four minutes later Whitley won a penalty for hand ball following a left wing corner. Callum Larmouth sent Newbrook the wrong way from the spot but the referee then ordered the kick to be retaken as Seaham’s Thomas Lawson who had been sin-binned after the award of the penalty was still walking off the pitch.
It seemed a bizarre decision but Larmouth stayed calm and put the ball in the net for a second time, to give Whitley the lead.
Shortly before the half hour, there was a lengthy delay when Seaham’s Harvey Fletcher was injured and suffered a nasty gash to his leg. He was eventually carried off before being stretchered from the ground and taken to hospital.
When play resumed, a long kick upfield by Gladstone reached Lowery and after working his way in from the right he cut the ball back across the box where the unmarked Jake Forster cleverly flicked the ball into the net off the inside of the post, just beating the despairing dive of the keeper.
Whitley were now well in control of the game but another controversial decision six minutes later resulted in Lowery being sin binned after Kanda was penalised for what looked like a fair tackle in midfield.
Seaham were now back to full strength while Whitley were a man short for the next ten minutes but this did not affect the course of the game as Whitley scored a third goal deep into stoppage time. Gladstone launched another long kick forward and when the ball bounced, the Seaham defender was outmuscled by Djalo who was left with a clear run on goal and he comfortably slotted the ball home.
Three goals ahead at the interval, Whitley were in complete command and there seemed no way back for the home side.
The half time message from the Bay management was for more of the same in the second period and inside three minutes, Lowery burst clear down the right wing, cut in and powered a great shot only narrowly wide of goal.
Eleven minutes into the half, Kanda received the ball in midfield, played it short to Lowery who switched play to the left with a precision pass to Kyle Cockburn, who had only just come off the bench. Bursting forward with electric pace, Cockburn closed in on the left edge of the box and fired a superb shot across Newbrook into the top corner of the net. It was a stunning goal and ended any hopes Seaham may have had of staging a comeback.
The home side were deflated and four minutes later they could only watch as Whitley produced another tremendous goal.
From a throw in close to the right corner flag, Stewart crossed to Kanda who in turn played the ball into the path of Larmouth who from ten yards out struck a superb shot with the outside of his foot leaving Newbrook rooted to the spot.
With 20 minutes to go, Lowery went close to increasing the lead with an excellent shot that clipped the top of the bar, after good work by Cockburn.
Seaham enjoyed a fair amount of possession in the closing stages but could not break down a strong Bay defence that gave them no time or space and Gladstone was never seriously tested.
A 5-0 victory away from home is an impressive performance against any opposition and the returning players made a real difference. The challenge now will be to maintain that level in the busy period ahead which includes two more midweek games in the next fortnight.
WHITLEY BAY: Gladstone, Stewart, Brady(Parkinson 66mins), Forster(Parker 62mins), Scott, Robson, Djalo(Paterson 62mins), Kanda, Larmouth, Thompson(Cockburn 53mins), Lowery
Substitute not used: Crawford
Referee: Callum Black
Attendance: 117
Match photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcqweb/albums/72177720323407071
