KENDAL TOWN 1 WHITLEY BAY 1
Friday 18th September 2026
Report by Julian Tyley
Whitley brought a valuable point back from their long trip to Kendal and it might well have been three given the chances they created.
Heavy afternoon rain had given way to drizzle by kick off with a blustery wind blowing up the slope.
There were three changes to the side that went out of the FA Vase in disappointing fashion last week, with the cup tied trio of Liam Heywood, Jack Chapman and Jamie Storey all returning to the starting eleven.
Whitley looked the more purposeful side in the opening stages, playing the ball around neatly and not conceding possession as they had done so frequently last week.
The best chances came from similar positions, free kicks won around 25 yards from goal but neither opportunity troubled home keeper Matt Bailey.
Kendal came more into the game and with 20 minutes played, Wilkinson made a strong run down the left before cutting in along the by-line and his low cross into the goalmouth was cut out by Asikaogu who pushed the ball behind.
When the corner was played in, Matty Clarke rose at the front of the box to send a glancing header across goal over the Bay defenders and inside the far post to put Kendal ahead with just about their first attempt on target.
Whitley responded with a neat passing move where Lennox Magalhaes drove a low shot just wide. Just past the half hour, Luca Shilling went down injured and despite treatment was unable to continue, being replaced by Nathan Nkunku. Meanwhile, a Kendal free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box was drilled straight into the defensive wall and cleared.
A good run from midfield by Magalhaes set Storey free on the right but no one could get on the end of his low ball across the goalmouth.
Whitley were ending the half strongly but a curling Kendal cross from the right drifted only just past the far post before at the other end Sharpe’s cross was put behind thanks to a last ditch challenge at the near post, in the final action of the half.
Despite being a goal down, Whitley were very much in the game and it took less than two minutes after the resumption for the equaliser to arrive.
A long ball upfield from Errington bounced over a Kendal defender and Sharpe quickly flicked the ball forward to Alfie Livermore who fired home a left footed shot from just inside the box.
Whitley were looking the better side at this stage though clear cut opportunities were limited. Both sides made substitutions but it was Whitley’s first half sub Nkunku who nearly put them ahead with 20 minutes remaining when his powerful 20 yard shot was not held cleanly by Bailey and Ashcroft almost pounced before the keeper reclaimed the loose ball.
Five minutes later Wilkinson fired the ball over the bar from just inside the Whitley box after good build up play before Errington was replaced by Jamie Clark as the swirling drizzle returned.
A great chance for Whitley to go ahead came with ten minutes remaining when Sharpe played the ball through to Jamie Storey who had a clear run on goal and was only denied when his shot was blocked by Bailey’s outstretched foot and the ball looped up onto the bar and was cleared just as Livermore was about to slot home the rebound. It was a great save by the keeper, who came to his side’s rescue again in the closing stages, diving full length to push away a low shot from Sharpe which looked destined for the bottom corner of the net.
Into stoppage time one last chance fell for Kendal but Wilkinson put his effort wide.
In the end, while both sides went close to claiming all three points, a draw was probably a fair outcome and the result extended Whitley’s unbeaten record in Northern League games against the Mintcakes.
WHITLEY BAY: Asikaogu, Errington(Clark 76mins), Ashcroft, Heywood, Scott, Chapman, Storey, Shilling(Nkunku 33mins) Sharpe, Magalhaes(Brady 58mins) Livermore
Substitutes not used: McNicol, Achuo
Cautions: Chapman, Errington
Referee: Lee Cadwallader
Attendance: 238
Match photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcqweb/albums/72177720335692751/
