ISUZU FA VASE 1st QUALIFYING ROUND
DARLINGTON TOWN 0 WHITLEY BAY 4
SATURDAY 23rd AUGUST 2025
Report by Julian Tyley
Whitley continued their hugely impressive start to the season as they made it five wins from their last five games together with a fourth consecutive clean sheet.
This FA Vase tie saw them break new ground with a first ever visit to Darlington Town, who were making their debut in the competition having been promoted to the Northern League Second Division last season.
As leaders of the First Division, Whitley came into the game as hot favourites, but having suffered shock defeats to lower ranked sides several times at this stage of the competition in recent seasons, there was no complacency among the Bay players and their fans.
That immediately became evident when the game got underway as they drove forward from the kick off and with less than 20 seconds played, Mackenzie Sharpe headed over the bar from Layton Campbell’s cross.
Just over a minute later Callum Larmouth seized on a poor clearance and from 30 yards fired in a great shot that keeper Tyler Smith did well to push over the bar. From the resulting corner, Meeshi Kanda’s looping header was fingertipped wide by the keeper.
Darlington were struggling to get the ball out of their own half and moments later, Sharpe broke forward down the left before playing the ball into the path of Kanda, who wove his way through the home defence and along the edge of the six yard box until he found space to get in a shot which deflected up of the foot of a defender and into the net.
With just four minutes gone, it was a dream start for Whitley and their early dominance suggested that it could be a very comfortable afternoon for Jay Bates’ men.
However, the hosts gradually settled and on their 3G pitch enjoyed periods of possession in midfield but without initially creating goal scoring opportunities.
They steadily grew into the contest, forcing several corners as the half progressed and began to exert some pressure on the Bay defence. A header by Ryan Coles from a right wing corner flew wide of the target but with play quickly switching to the other end, Campbell worked his way into the promising position just outside the box but his shot was too high.
Back came Town and from another corner, Josh Stewart made a crucial goal line clearance to keep another Coles header out.
Growing in confidence they got a further attempt on target but this time Mauro Asikaogu got down well to hold onto a low shot from Mallaburn.
Just past the half hour, a good attempt from Campbell out on the right was pushed out by Smith almost into the path of Thompson who could not capitalise.
A curling shot from Livermore was just too high then Campbell went past several opponents before attempting a long range shot which was just off target.
With half time approaching Darlington won a corner on the right and once more it was Coles who climbed to power in a header that was cleared off the line by Christie. Mallaburn lashed the rebounded toward the opposite side of the goal but this time Stewart came to Whitley’s rescue as he headed the ball away from danger and into touch.
Kanda and Christie then set up a counter attack which put Thompson away down the left. Cutting into the box he played the ball to Sharpe whose return pass found Thompson in front of goal. His shot cannoned off the keeper’s knees and rebounded into the path of Sharpe who crashed a first time shot home from the left edge of the six yard box.
It was a crushing blow to the hosts who must have felt they deserved to be level but ended the half 2-0 down. In contrast, it settled any nerves among the Bay players and supporters who would now feel they were in control of the game.
Early in the second half a Town free kick from captain James Wilson, about 25 yards from goal, deflected off the Bay defence and out for a corner. Robbie Christie then set up a chance for Whitley with a run down the left and a great pass through to Sharpe who unfortunately could not control the ball as he tried to take it round the keeper.
Two minutes later Sharpe almost made amends with a shot that crashed off the bar after being played in by Thompson.
Whitley were pushing for a third goal and an attempt from Livermore was blocked before another from Christie rippled the side netting.
With 64 minutes played, Town sub Parkinson broke into the right side of the box but when well placed, blazed his shot high over the bar.
The home side had been battling away throughout but were beginning to tire as the game entered the final 15 minutes. and substitute Kieren Aplin found space when cutting in from the right and produced a great shot that Smith did well to fist away.
With 12 minutes left, Campbell squeezed in a shot from almost on the by-line which Smith blocked but when the ball bounced up, Sharpe’s header looked a certain goal until Backhouse hooked the ball off the line.
Campbell was not to be denied though and just 30 seconds later, he received the ball from Scott before dribbling it across the edge of the box, then switched back before unleashing a great low shot that arrowed into the bottom corner of the net.
The game was effectively over and Darlington knew that any lingering hopes of creating an upset had gone.
Livermore brought another good diving save from Smith but like Campbell, he was shortly to be rewarded for his efforts.
In the 89th minute, Kanda burst through with only the keeper to beat but to everyone’s surprise, not least his own, he put the ball inches wide of the left post.
With the game entering added time, Larmouth played a precise ball through the home defence to Livermore who closed into the box and fired past Smith to complete the scoring with his first goal in Bay colours.
In the end it was a comfortable and convincing victory but Darlington had certainly played their part in an entertaining game, but Whitley’s superior quality and fitness shone through and they can now look forward to a home tie against Knaresborough Town from North Yorkshire in the next round in four weeks time.
WHITLEY BAY: Asikaogu, Stewart, Christie, (Aplin 62mins), Larmouth, Scott|(Achuo 81mins), Williams, Campbell, Kanda, Sharpe, Thompson(Harvey 71mins), Livermore
Substitutes not used: Colquhoun, Errington
Cautions: None
Referee: Aaron Beswick
Attendance: 146
