SHILDON AFC 2-3 WHITLEY BAY
Tuesday 28th July 2026
Report by Jensen Coleman
It may have been only Bay’s second game of the new campaign, but this contest had all the makings of an early-season six-pointer, as Jay Bates’s men made the trip down to last season’s play-off finalists Shildon. Alfie Livermore and Graham Williams were reintroduced into the starting XI in place of new signings Jamie Clark and Hugo McNicol, who both started on the bench.
The visitors made the best possible start inside 46 seconds at the J. Denham Metals Stadium, as a great ball in behind from Mikel Thompson saw Livermore latch onto it and chip the ball over Shildon goalkeeper Andrew Jennison to give Bay the perfect start (0-1).
However, the quality and dominance of the hosts started to make itself evident pretty quickly as Jack Blackford curled a decent effort just over the bar from range. Joe Posthill then sent in a lovely cross looking for someone to attack it, but the delivery was too heavy and evaded everyone in the Bay box.
Shildon left-back Ethan Scott also looked dangerous down the left hand side, sending in two decent crosses in; the first was cleared by his namesake and Bay captain Michael Scott, before his second was unlucky not to be diverted home by captain Jon Weirs, whose header crashed back off the bar and was subsequently cleared.
Lennox Magalhaes, who scored a very early contender for goal of the season in the draw against Northallerton Town the previous Saturday, almost had a second goal in as many games after being slotted through one-on-one by Thompson, but Jennison was off his line again to prevent a repeat of Bay’s opener. Livermore could have had a second to his name on the night himself, but he scooped the ball over the bar from a few yards out after some brilliant hold-up play from Nathan Nkunku.
At the other end, the hosts continued to dictate the game despite being a goal down. Alfie Myers-Smith’s shot rebounded into the path of Shildon striker Alfie Steel after some decent build-up, but the latter’s low strike was collected comfortably in the end by Adam Cameron. Leighton Harris, who was impressive against Bay in the same fixture last season, then tried his luck himself, only for his effort to be blocked by Williams.
Whitley were lucky not to be pegged back in the 33rd minute when Steel’s volley from a corner bounced back off the woodwork. It was then cleared by Bay captain Scott, only for Posthill to curl the ball back in towards Weirs who couldn’t steer the ball past Cameron. Posthill then had a header of his own cleared off the line by Williams, before Ben Reay, Steel and Blackford all missed chances to level the game before half-time.
Bay, however, could have extended their lead despite the hosts’s dominance before the break. With Thompson’s through-balls in behind proving a problem for the hosts, George Brady - who had come on for Josh Stewart very early on due to the latter picking up an injury - was the next player to be on the end of one of these, but found his effort saved by Jennison. Mackenzie Sharpe would also see two shots of his own amount to nothing as the first 45 closed out.
The hosts’s dictation of the game continued into the second half, and Bay’s resilience would finally be broken with 55 minutes gone as Steel diverted the ball past Cameron following a goalmouth scramble which originated from Jack Blackford’s original strike (1-1).
Down the other end, however, in the 63rd minute, Bay would have a golden opportunity to retake the lead after Ethan Scott brought down Sharpe in the box, leaving referee Isaac Stephenson to point to the spot. Last season’s Golden Boot winner would then pick himself up off the floor and comfortably dispatch the spot kick past a diving Jennison to open his account for the new season (1-2).
A goal-laden second half continued as the hosts levelled the game again, only this time in slightly controversial circumstances. After winning a free kick around 20 yards out from goal, the hosts took it quickly and ended up scoring through a brilliant finish from Blackford who lashed the ball home past Cameron, but Bay were straight over to referee Stephenson who then sin binned Aplin for ten minutes following his protests and apparent dissent. Either way, the game was level again (2-2).
Bay wouldn’t let that get to them, though, as they looked to go in front for the third time in this immensely entertaining contest, but Sharpe could consider himself unlucky not to latch onto Nkunku’s cross in time at the far post.
However, Shildon also had opportunities to take the lead for the first time in this affair, only for Steel and Harris to see efforts drift wide of Cameron’s goalposts.
With five minutes to go, however, the visitors would get what proved to be the winning goal, as a mistake from the Shildon defence just past the centre circle saw Sharpe race towards goal one-on-one with Jennison. The Whitley Bay striker then rounded the Shildon goalkeeper and tucked the ball into an empty net to set off jubilant celebrations amongst the Bay players and staff (2-3).
A cracking game of football from beginning to end between two sides who will, no doubt, prove to be contenders for promotion once again this time out. On this occasion, however, it’s Whitley Bay who took all three points back to North Tyneside after one of their most resilient performances in a while; delivering their first win at the J. Denham Metals Stadium in 14 years.
Following what could be considered a disappointing result against Northallerton Town in their league opener last Saturday, Bay were officially up and running with this victory, and they could continue the good vibes with a much shorter trip to Newcastle Benfield this coming Saturday (1st August).
Whitley Bay: Cameron, Stewart (Brady, 7’), Aplin, Shilling, M. Scott [C], Williams, Nkunku (McNicol, 86’), Magalhaes, Sharpe, Thompson (Jensen, 57’), Livermore (Clark, 80’)
Attendance: 374
Referee: Isaac Stephenson
Caution(s): Sharpe (18’), Aplin (70’, sin bin)
My Personal Player-Of-The-Match: Mackenzie Sharpe - The league’s Golden Boot winner last time out got up and running with a well-taken penalty and an even more composed winner which sealed his team’s first three points of the brand new campaign.
