NEWCASTLE FLOORING COMPANY NORTHUMBERLAND SENIOR CUP SEMI FINAL
NEWCASTLE BENFIELD 0 WHITLEY BAY 1
Tuesday 21st April 2026
Report by Jensen Coleman
With the regular Northern League Division One season over and a play-off semi-final on the horizon, Bay had cup business to take care of first. Newcastle Benfield were their hosts as Jay Bates’ men made the short trip to the Sam Smith’s Park for a huge Northumberland Senior Cup semi-final. The winner would face Step 4 side Heaton Stannington in the final at Newcastle United’s very own St. James’s Park on May 5th, and Bay were determined to be there. Bates made three changes to the side that drew at Birtley Town on the final day of the league campaign; Alan Achuo, Nathan Nkunku and Robbie Christie all made way for Michael Scott, Kieren Aplin and Alfie Livermore.
The first 15 minutes belonged to the visitors; a dominant start that could’ve easily been rewarded had Mechack Kanda and Livermore both found the net on separate occasions but were off target, while Aplin’s long-range effort also went wide and Callum Larmouth saw a decent volley travel wayward.
Benfield’s first real chance came amongst it; Joseph Thompson seeing a decent strike whistle just past the far post. It was at this point the hosts eased themselves into the contest as they began to threaten from set pieces and long throws. Bay could have been punished from one of Glen Hargrave’s long throws, but Andre Bennett chipped the ball just over the bar from a few yards out. The hosts also had two first-half penalty shouts waved away for potential handballs.
While Bay continued to have the ball, Benfield were creating the better opportunities as the first half drew to a close; Hargrave unlucky not to see his lob hit the back of the net from Mauro Asikaogu’s failure to clear after preventing a goal-bound effort. Bennett’s free kick moments after almost went straight in, but was subsequently cleared off the line before Hargrave drilled a shot wide in a one-on-one situation.
Bay also had further chances to break the deadlock with the first 45 almost up, but Kanda’s header from a corner went wide before Mackenzie Sharpe’s low strike was saved well by Benfield goalkeeper Oliver Basey.
In what proved a timid second half compared to the first period, Livermore could have put Bay in front from a great cutback by Josh Stewart, but Basey was there to save the ball and subsequently clear it away.
However, Livermore would get a second bite of the cherry on the 51st minute, and this time he got the goal Bay had been searching for. An intricate one-two between the Bay No.11 and Mikel Thompson saw the former get the ball back before looking up and dinking a delightful effort over an on-running Basey to put the visitors on the verge of the final (0-1).
While there wasn’t a lot of chance creativity in the second half, it was clear Benfield weren’t done yet; their second-half dominance resulting in decent chances for the hosts, but Hargrave’s overhead kick looped just over the bar while Jack Watson’s cross-cum-shot from the left-hand side almost found the net but whistled past everyone in the Whitley Bay box instead.
Larmouth had the chance to seal the deal for Bay in the 90th minute, but his curling effort was blocked in the box, while Watson’s header for Benfield went wide at the near post at the other end.
In the end, what could prove to be a huge week for Jay Bates’ side got off to the perfect start albeit in hard-fought fashion. Alfie Livermore’s 51st-minute lob proved enough for Bay to set up a Northumberland Senior Cup date with Heaton Stannington at St. James’s Park on May 5th. But before they can dream of silverware, Bay welcome West Auckland Town to Hillheads for the second time in two weeks on Saturday looking to seal a place in the Northern League Division One play-off semi-final. The message for Saturday is clear: Be There.
Whitley Bay: Asikaogu, Errington, Aplin (Christie, 86’), Stewart, Scott, Williams, Larmouth, Kanda, Sharpe (Nkunku, 75’), Thompson, Livermore (Lees, 85’)
Subs not used: Achuo, Foster
Caution: Errington (33’)
Attendance: 736
Match photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcqweb/albums/72177720333229725
Referee: Nick Vincent
Player of the Match: Alfie Livermore - Up until his substitution, the Bay No.11 ran the show, grabbing what proved to be the winner on a night where Bay’s place in the Northumberland Senior Cup final was earned the hard way. Besides that, he’ll be hoping to be a part of Saturday’s huge play-off semi-final against West Auckland at Hillheads.
