Penalty proves crucial in hard fought contest

STOCKTON TOWN 1 WHITLEY BAY 0
Wednesday 8th August
A hard fought and entertaining game was decided by a 43rd minute penalty as the FA Vase Finalists made a winning return to home territory in their first game back in Stockton since their day out at Wembley back in May.
Whitley defender Callum Anderson, the only remaining member of their Vase winning side from 2011 was making his 300th appearance for the club in a side that saw two changes from the team that defeated Seaham on the opening day of the season. Striker Dan Taggart who scored twice at the weekend and defender Gavin Caines, were rested, with teenagers Jack Cooper and Luke Taylor coming into the side.
With an excellent crowd of over 330 fans in the Coverall Stadium it was the home side who started the stronger and it took an excellent fingertip save from Tom Flynn to deny them a seventh minute lead when Stockton skipper Adam Nicholson powered a header goalwards following a corner.
The game was being played at a rapid pace with the hosts in particular passing the ball around accurately on the 4G playing surface. Whitley were making little impact in attack but organised defending was keeping them in the game. Wingback James Risbrough was repeatedly the target as Stockton played balls out of defence down the left flank and just past the half hour he got in behind Adam Redford but wasted his opportunity attempting a shot across goal with team mates in a better position to capitalise. Whitley’s attempts had been limited to efforts involving Foalle and Martin which failed to penetrate the home defence but with 33 minutes played, they produced a good chance when Cooper played the ball deep into the goalmouth from out on the left but Foalle could not control his attempt and the ball flew high over the bar. Beginning to get a foothold in the game, Whitley then produced a flowing move set up by Kevin Carr and Ryan Redford, who played Olly Martin through but keeper Michael Arthur was not troubled as Martin’s shot drifted wide of goal.
Back came Stockton and when Flynn palmed away an effort from Risbrough, it was looking as if the half would end all square but then in the 43rd minute, the Teessiders won a penalty when Petitjean was tripped inside the box by Cooper. Nathan Mulligan converted the spot kick with a shot low into the left corner of the net giving Flynn no chance to leave the hosts a goal up at the break, a lead they deserved on the balance of play.
Four minutes after the interval, Roberts drove shot into the side netting then the hosts thought they had doubled their lead when Nicholson headed home from a corner but the goal was disallowed for a foul on defender Luke Taylor.
Just past the hour mark, Whitley, who were posing much more of the threat than earlier in the game, might have levelled but Martin’s effort only rippled the side netting.
With 12 minutes remaining, Nicholson’s header struck the top of the bar but Whitley were now enjoying the greater share of possession without seriously threatening the Stockton goal, thanks to a combination of strong disciplined defending and a failure to apply the vital finishing touch to promising attacks. Five minutes from time, Luke Salmon crossed for Peter Glen-Ravenhill whose shot was comfortably saved by Arthur. Substitute Kieran Brannen had Whitley’s final effort on goal, pulling his shot wide in stoppage time.
Manager Andy Gowens felt that Whitley had improved after being forced onto the back foot during the first half and had been the better side after the interval but it was the lack of a good final ball that had cost them a point.
WHITLEY BAY: Flynn, A Redford, Cooper, R Redford, Taylor, Anderson, Glen-Ravenhill, Carr, Foalle, Martin (Brannen 83mins) Salmon. Substitutes not used: Hall, L Anderson, Proctor, Hassan
Caution: Martin
Attendance: 332