WHITLEY BAY 1 WEST ALLOTMENT CELTIC 1
Thursday 26th December 2024
Report by Julian Tyley
A goal deep into stoppage time denied Whitley victory over neighbours West Allotment Celtic after Jake Forster’s second half header appeared to have earned the Bay all three points.
This was the first game between the sides since manager Jay Bates left Allotment at the end of last season bringing many of his players with him to Hillheads. Meanwhile in charge of the away side was former Bay Reserves manager Gavin Hattrick, whose starting eleven included five former Whitley men.
On a sunny and springlike Boxing Day morning an early corner for Whitley flew across the goalmouth with no one on hand to get the crucial touch. The game was being played mostly in midfield with defences on top but a moment of controversy came in the 18th minute when Mackenzie Sharpe appeared to be tugged to the ground inside the box as he went for the ball following a free kick but the referee was unmoved and play was allowed to continue.
The first attempt on target came with just over 20 minutes played when in a quick break downfield following a Bay corner, Morns shot straight at Dan Gladstone while two minutes later a long range effort from Cowburn was pushed over the bar by the Bay keeper.
Whitley responded after 25 minutes as Kyle Cockburn did well to cut through the well organised Allotment midfield and played the ball to Sharpe whose low shot on the turn almost caught out Elliott but the keeper managed to grasp the ball at full stretch.
Just past the half hour former Bay midfielder Dillon Blake was sin binned for comments made to the referee, leaving Allotment a man short for the next ten minutes but Whitley were unable to capitalise on the situation and at the interval the game remained goal less.
Whitley made a half time substitution with Robbie Christie replacing Josh Stewart but within seconds of the resumption there was a scare when Morns ran on to a long ball over the top but Gladstone made a vital interception, snatching the ball away from the Allotment striker.
There was a lengthy delay when Blake went down injured and required treatment from both physios before being carried off the pitch.
Djalo replaced Cockburn on the hour and almost made an immediate impact, playing the ball wide to Larmouth whose low cross into the goalmouth was almost poked home by Sharpe but the ball was scrambled off the line.
Whitley were beginning to get on top and at the midpoint of the half they took the lead. The goal came when Thompson played in a great ball from the right and Jake Forster stooped to head home from close range.
The Allotment defence which had stood firm for more than an hour began to struggle as Whitley pressed forward for a second goal but the finishing touch was missing.
Another former Bay man, defender Luke Salmon was cautioned for a foul that halted a Whitley attack just outside the box but the free kick came to nothing.
With time running out, Djalo burst through on the right but with only Elliott to beat he put his shot inches wide of the far post.
Since the opening stages of the half, Allotment had done little in attack but in the sixth minute of added time substitute Will Slater stunned Whitley and their fans as he struck a great shot from the edge of the box into the top corner of the net, giving Gladstone absolutely no chance.
It was the first goal Whitley had conceded in six hours of football and coming so late in the game there was no time to respond, with the final whistle blown just seconds after the restart.
It was both frustrating and disappointing to concede so late but it proved a harsh lesson for Whitley who were made to pay for missed chances.
With little more than 48 hours for recovery, Whitley’s busy Christmas schedule continues on Saturday with another home game, this time against West Auckland Town at the traditional 3pm kick off.
WHITLEY BAY: Gladstone, Stewart(Christie 46mins), Brady, Forster, Scott, Robson, Cockburn(Djalo 62mins) Kanda, Sharpe, Thompson(Wilson 72mins), Larmouth
Substitutes not used: Crawford, Parkinson
Referee: Joel Tilmouth
Cautions: None
Attendance: 434
