BIRTLEY TOWN 1 WHITLEY BAY 1
Saturday 18th April 2026
Report by Julian Tyley
A goal deep into stoppage time denied Whitley a victory in their final game of the regular Northern League season. However, with third place and a home play-off semi final already guaranteed, this was effectively a ‘dead rubber’ game where the main aim was to avoid injuries ahead of Tuesday night’s Northumberland Senior Cup semi final and next weekend’s play off.
Mid table Birtley were also focussing on next week, with a Northern League Cup semi final scheduled for next Saturday.
With goalkeeper Mauro Asikaogu out of the side for the first time this season as he recovers from an injury suffered in last Saturday’s game, Whitley gave a full debut to 18 year old Aaron Foster. In other changes from last week, Alan Achuo and Nathan Nkunku both came into the starting eleven as Jay Bates rotated his squad with Michael Scott and Alfie Livermore both on the bench.
There was not a great deal of goalmouth action in the opening stages with neither keeper seriously tested. A well placed through ball from Kanda almost set Sharpe clear on the left side of the box but he was ruled narrowly offside as he prepared to get a shot on goal.
With 21 minutes played, the first real threat to Whitley came when a long throw from the Birtley left reached Ward whose effort on goal was cleared off the line by Jack Errington. Two more Birtley attacks came to nothing with attempts well off target as the game had a real end of season feel in the bright spring sunshine, and at the interval there was no score.
However there was a much more lively start to the second half with Whitley making three substitutions, Livermore, Scott and Aplin all coming off the bench.
Barely a minute after the resumption, Birtley were awarded a penalty when Gettins went down in the box but the challenge from Achuo looked minimal.
Joe Hailes stepped up to take the spot kick but the debutant Foster became the hero of the hour as he dived the right way, getting both hands on the ball as he pushed it wide.
Both sides seemed more intent on creating goalscoring opportunities as the half progressed but in the 68th minute there was a moment of high controversy when Birtley striker Nick Marley swung an elbow in the face of Kieren Aplin but to the amazement of many in the ground, the referee only showed a yellow card when a red for violent conduct seemed the inevitable outcome.
Moments later, Mackenzie Sharpe broke through on goal but Birtley’s young keeper Ryan Hammer made a good save.
Birtley then replaced Marley, probably a wise decision after the earlier incident.
Whitley finally broke the deadlock after 74 minutes when Aplin’s left wing corner was played out into the path of Sharpe who from 15 yards out volleyed the ball into the bottom corner of the net. It was his 23rd league goal of the season and kept him in contention to be the First Division’s top goalscorer.
Into the last five minutes, Sharpe had a chance to double the lead but dragged his shot narrowly wide. Livermore then delivered a ball across goal but Sharpe’s effort was well blocked by Hammer but when the rebound fell for Larmouth, he blazed it over the bar.
Birtley won a corner in the third minute of added time and when it was played towards the back post, Charlie Armin’s header appeared to take a deflection and to Whitley’s frustration found its way into the net for a very late equaliser.
However there was still time for some more drama as almost from the restart, Whitley broke forward and Alfie Livermore went through on goal only for Hammer to make a fine save to ensure the points were shared.
WHITLEY BAY: Foster, Stewart, Christie, Achuo, Errington(Livermore 46mins), Williams(Aplin 46mins), Larmouth, Kanda, Sharpe, Thompson(Scott 46mins), Nkunku
Substitutes not used: McCarthy, Asikaogu
Caution: Achuo
Referee: Adam Kain
Attendance: 238
Match photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcqweb/albums/72177720333171090
