WHITLEY BAY 0 KENDAL TOWN 0
Saturday 25th October 2025
Report by Jensen Coleman
The Bay came into this early-season promotion six-pointer looking to get back to winning ways in the league having lost 3-2 to Boro Rangers two weeks prior. Their opponents: third-placed Kendal Town, who had also started the season in fine fettle. New signing Gildo Da Silva whose transfer from Hebburn Town was completed just a few hours before the game, was handed his first start as a Whitley Bay player, while almost every player who started last week’s FA Vase defeat against Barton Town retained their places.
Jay Bates’ men came out flying, with Josh Stewart the first to test his luck from an early free kick; controlling the ball before firing a fierce effort on goal, only for Chris Cheetham to collect the strike comfortably. Callum Larmouth’s first of many efforts on the day was also thwarted by the visiting goalkeeper.
It was then Kendal’s turn to threaten an early advantage, as a great cross in from the right by the Mintcakes right-back found Jason Walker at the far post, but Mikel Thompson was there to prevent the forward heading home at Mauro Asikaogu’s far post. A lobbed effort by Jamie Looker was also saved by the Bay goalkeeper minutes later.
In a game of many chances, Mackenzie Sharpe was also denied from finding the opener, as his low effort fizzed towards the bottom corner with Cheetham yet again in fine form for the visitors. Larmouth’s free kick a few minutes after was also straight into the arms of the Kendal stopper.
There was no doubt the hosts were dominating this first half, as Sharpe saw a shot deflected over the bar before Stewart was released one-on-one with Cheetham, who cleared the Bay no.6’s effort at the last minute. That wasn’t to say Town didn’t have chances of their own whilst soaking up the constant Bay pressure, as Josh Winder had two great opportunities to put Matt Flynn’s visitors in front, but both were saved by Asikaogu as the game approached half-time.
Kendal picked up where they left off at the start of the second half, as Bay’s Robbie Christie could consider himself rather fortunate to not have steered James Bailey’s cutback into his own net just six minutes after the restart.
After the early second half pressure, Bay started to come back into the game, as Sharpe and Larmouth both saw shots towards goal blocked in quick succession. The same could be said for Kendal’s Jason Walker and Jamie Looker, with Walker’s effort whistling just past the top corner and Mauro Asikaogu being called into action to stop Looker’s low effort from flying in.
Mackenzie Sharpe looked sharp, yet his frustrating afternoon in front of goal continued as his latest strike flew just wide of the near post, before Kendal hit the woodwork twice down the other end, with the Bay lucky not to concede the opener.
Larmouth was another player who found goals hard to come by in this tightly-contested affair, as another strike was saved by Cheetham in the Kendal goal. Substitute Scott McCarthy then found Larmouth through one-on-one with the visiting goalkeeper, but Cheetham was there yet again to thwart the Bay from finding the net. Jake Forster’s header also whistled wide in second-half stoppage time.
In the end, frustrations for both clubs and their supporters, but for the neutrals in attendance, a heck of an advert for the Ebac Northern League was produced. A game where defences were on top and goalkeepers were in fine form, both sides were made to settle for a point in a game where both could have won it.
WHITLEY BAY: Asikaogu, Thompson, Christie, Forster, Scott (C), Stewart, Shilling, Kanda, Sharpe, Larmouth, Da Silva (McCarthy 64mins)
Substitutes not used: Livermore, Harvey, Lees, Achuo
Cautions: Shilling. Sharpe
Referee: Evan Culling
Assistant Referees: P. Henderson & P. Clayton
Attendance: 398
Sponsors’ Man Of The Match: Michael Scott
Match photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcqweb/albums/72177720329920373/
