DUNSTON UTS 2 WHITLEY BAY 1
Saturday 26th August
In marked contrast to the drama of Tuesday’s FA Cup victory, Whitley failed to take their chances in this league game and slipped to a disappointing defeat at Dunston. Not surprisingly, it was an unchanged side that took to the field on a pleasantly warm and sunny afternoon, with five players still missing through injury and unavailability.
The first chance of the game came in the 8th minute when Scott Jasper was played through on goal by Tom Potter but from close range, keeper Aidan Grant blocked his shot, conceding a corner in the process. Four minutes later Dunston captain Dale Burrell headed over the bar from a free kick before James Martin also put a header too high to trouble Tom Flynn. Another good opportunity came Whitley’s way when Jasper controlled a ball over the Dunston defence but again Grant blocked his shot, this time with his feet.
The home side took the lead in the 23rd minute following poor defending from a right wing corner. Although Aiden Haley cleared the ball off the line it was intercepted by striker Mark Fitzpatrick who slotted it home from close range. Whitley responded with Michael Hall’s cross in the box headed just wide of the target by Alex Kempster before another Whitley attack saw Kyle Patton’s shot pushed behind by Grant On the half hour Tom Flynn was injured while pushing the ball clear and there was a lengthy delay while he received treatment, raising fears that he had suffered a recurrence of the injury that forced him off the field at Penrith seven days earlier, but thankfully he was able to continue. His fitness was well tested eight minutes later when he made an excellent save, pushing a 20 yard shot from Fitzpatrick over the bar. However, the Dunston striker was not denied for long, poking home his second goal of the game when once again, Whitley failed to deal effectively with the corner, leaving the home side deservedly two goals ahead at the interval.
Three minutes after the restart, Flynn needed to be alert to block another attempt from the in-form Fitzpatrick but Dunston were now content to hold on to their lead, allowing Whitley much more of the possession. The Bay’s first chance of the half came on the hour when Patton was clear on goal after receiving a ball played over the top, but he attempted to lob the tall Grant when a low shot would probably have been a better option, and his effort was too high. In an attempt to change the course of the game, Liam Brooks and Glenn Reay were brought off the bench but the big and physical home rearguard were proving difficult to break down. A good run and shot from Potter came to nothing while at the other end, a tremendous point blank save from Flynn denied Pearson. With 16 minutes left, Whitley had two good chances to reduce the arrears, Jasper first being denied by Grant and when the ball rebounded in the six yard box it took another goal-line clearance to keep out a shot from Patton.
Substitute Peter Glen-Ravenhill gave late hope for Whitley when he turned on the ball and slotted it through a crowded six yard box but his first goal for the club was too little too late and proved no more than consolation as Whitley slipped to their second defeat of the season.
WHITLEY BAY: Flynn, Byerley, Hall(Reay 62mins), Haley, Nearney, Williams, Potter, Cornish(Brooks 62mins), Jasper(Glen-Ravenhill 78mins), Kempster, K Patton
Substitutes not used: Cunningham, Harley
Referee: Matthew East
Caution: Kempster
Attendance: 239
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