WHITLEY BAY 1 TOW LAW TOWN 0
Tuesday 18th February 2025
Match report by Julian Tyley
Whitley climbed to eighth place in the Northern League First Division table following a narrow but well deserved victory over Tow Law Town on a bitterly cold night at Hillheads.
The Lawyers, despite sitting at the foot of table have produced some good away performances this season and they made Whitley work hard for the three points. The contest once again showed how competitive the league is this season with no easy games. A string of three or more wins can lift a team several places and with ten games remaining, Whitley are still within striking distance of the play offs.
Whitley made three changes from the side that faced Marske on Saturday with Finlay Parker, Mackenzie Sharpe and Regan Paterson all named in the starting eleven. Meeshi Kanda slotted into the defensive role vacated by Joe Robson following his move to Heaton Stannington.
After a fairly quiet opening period, the game burst to life on the quarter hour when a shot from the left of the box by Alfa Djalo was pushed wide by keeper Tom Orton. Djalo went close for a second time when his header from the resulting corner taken by Callum Larmouth went narrowly wide of the target.
Three minutes later the Lawyers broke away and when Dibb-Fuller crossed from the left, Dan Gladstone made a fine diving save to push wide a goalbound shot from Connor Lowes.
Half chances came at both ends but the next attack of note came on 33 minutes when Parker’s through ball reached Paterson out on the right but Orton did well to keep the ball out with a fine one handed save at the expense of a corner which was comfortably cleared.
Shortly before the interval, Sharpe went past several defenders but his attempt on goal lacked sufficient power to trouble Orton and at half time there was no score.
In the second half Whitley continued to press forward as they battled to break down a determined Tow Law defence. Jake Forster produced a strong header from a free kick out on the left but the ball was cleared. Dobinson then attempted an ambitious long range shot for the visitors but the ball sailed well over the bar and out of the ground.
Whitley made a double substitution on the hour with Lucas Lowery and Luke Parkinson coming off the bench and it did not take long for Lowery to make an impact with his pace up front but his run on goal was ended when his attempt was blocked.
A further substitution with 17 minutes to go was to prove crucial, with Kyle Cockburn providing extra pace on the left wing as the hard working Tow Law defenders began to tire.
Meeshi Kanda, who had been moved back to his more familiar midfield role following the substitutions was narrowly off target then moments later a powerful header from Forster seemed destined for the top corner of the net until Orton got a hand to the ball and pushed it over the bar.
Good work by Sharpe then set up a chance for Larmouth but his shot flew over the bar. The pressure was mounting but in a relatively rare breakaway down field, Dibb-Fuller might have put his side in front but a brave block by Gladstone saved the day for Whitley.
One minute later, the value of that save was emphasised as Whitley finally broke the deadlock.
Cockburn found space on the left and delivered an inch perfect cross into the box where Sharpe leapt above the defenders to send a glancing header just inside the back post to give Whitley the lead.
The final ten minutes saw Whitley create further opportunities and Lowery might have settled the result but scuffed his shot after another good cross from Cockburn. Then in stoppage time, Cockburn, who was later named man of the match, received the ball from Sharpe whose cross from the right wing looked certain to produce a second goal but the substitute could not get sufficient power on the ball and the chance was gone.
In the end, the single goal was enough to give Whitley a vital three points to the delight and relief of their fans who had braved the elements.
WHITLEY BAY: Gladstone, Stewart, Brady, Forster, Scott, Kanda, Djalo(Cockburn 73mins) Parker(Parkinson 60mins) Sharpe, Larmouth, Paterson(Lowery 60mins)
Substitutes not used: Wilson, Christie
Referee: Anthony Duffy
Cautions: None
Attendance: 174
Bay Fencing & Landscaping man of the match: Kyle Cockburn
