Stunning Bay performance topples league leaders

HEBBURN TOWN 1 WHITLEY BAY 4
Saturday 6th October
Whitley produced one of their best performances of the season with a convincing victory at league leaders Hebburn Town. The South Tynesiders, who included four former Whitley Bay players in their squad, had lost only one of their previous eleven league games but were no match for a Bay side who started strongly and playing attractive football never relaxed their grip.
Romanian striker Andrei Ardelean, signed on loan from Blyth Spartans during the week, made his debut and although he did not get on the score sheet, he impressed with his pace and strength alongside Jack Foalle, who continued his remarkable scoring sequence and broke a club record in the process.
Whitley made an excellent start, taking the lead inside three minutes. After former Bay midfielder James Fairley had driven a shot just wide of the post for the hosts, play quickly switched ends and Olly Martin’s cross from the left was played on by Luke Salmon to Ardelean who headed it down into the path of Peter Glen-Ravenhill who curled a tremendous 18 yard shot into the bottom corner of the net, beyond the reach of another ex-Bay man, keeper Andrew Jennison.
Fairley was proving the main threat for Hebburn and he set up the equaliser for the Hornets after 26 minutes, cutting in from the right and playing the ball low across the 18 yard box where Graeme Armstrong turned and drove in a shot that crashed off the post and rebounded into the path of Michael Richardson who slotted home the loose ball from close range.
Whitley might have regained the lead ten minutes later when Callum Anderson set up Martin and his cross eluded everyone as it flew across goal. Ardelean was causing problems for the Hebburn defence with threatening runs down the right wing but the league leaders were still in the game and Richardson wasted a glorious chance, ballooning the ball high over the bar and out of the ground when he should at least have tested Chris Bannon, who was making his second appearance in goal for Whitley. Three minutes before the break, Olly Martin drilled a 25 yard free kick wide of the target as Whitley looked the likelier side to add to their score, but the sides remained level at the interval.
Eight minutes into the second half, a break down the left saw Whitley retake the lead. Glen-Ravenhill burst forward and played the ball to Ardelean near the left touch line. His quick pass found Lewis Walton who delivered a teasing cross that the home defence failed to deal with and Glen-Ravenhill, who had continued his run only just failed to reach it with his head. However, Olly Martin was coming in at the back post and he slotted the ball past Jennison for an excellent, well worked goal.
Hebburn’s response was to bring on former Bay legend Paul Chow in a bid to get back in the game and he immediately posed a threat but he was a lone figure up front and the Whitley defence was not seriously troubled. Just before the hour, a well worked Bay move ended with Glen-Ravenhill shooting too high, but in contrast to some recent games, Whitley were retaining possession well with accurate passing. Chow had a shot pushed wide by Bannon before setting up a chance for Louis Storey who blazed his attempt wide.
That was just about the last time that Hebburn really threatened to get back in the game and in the 64th minute Whitley increased their lead with a memorable and record breaking goal. It came when Martin crossed deep from the right and the ball was played back towards the edge of the box by Luke Salmon where Jack Foalle met it perfectly, clipping the ball high into the top corner of the net. The prolific Bay striker had scored for the ninth consecutive game, a remarkable achievement and a new club record. Perhaps more importantly in terms of the contest, it ended Hebburn’s hopes and their heads dropped, leaving Whitley in complete command.
Armstrong was unable to capitalise on a good chance a few minutes later, failing to find the target, a miss that summed up Hebburn’s day. The impressive Ardelean was just wide with an attempt for Whitley in the 69th minute before receiving a tremendous ovation when he was substituted shortly afterwards.
Nine minutes from time, Martin, who had nearly added a fifth with a 20 yard effort moments earlier, took a knock on the knee and limped off. Still Whitley pushed forward and with five remaining, Foalle was clean through on goal but was unceremoniously bundled to the ground from behind, just inches outside the box. It looked an automatic red card offence and a free kick but amazingly play was allowed to continue, much to the frustration of the large following of Bay fans. The action was not yet over and in the 89th minute, when a long ball was played over the Hebburn defence, Foalle brought it down and raced forward on goal but was tripped by Gilhespey. This time referee Chris Keightley had no hesitation in awarding a penalty and Gavin Caines put the icing on the cake for Whitley, sending Jennison the wrong way with the spot kick, to complete a thoroughly deserved victory and one of the surprise results of the day, which saw Hebburn knocked off top spot.
WHITLEY BAY: Bannon, McFarlane, Walton, Anderson, Caines, Hassan, Glen-Ravenhill, Salmon(Carr 80mins) Ardelean(Ramsey 74mins), Foalle, Martin(R Redford 83mins)
Subs not used: Richardson, Brannen
Cautions: Glen-Ravenhill, McFarlane
Attendance: 278
Referee: Chris Keightley