Bay turn the tables with impressive cup victory

BROOKS MILESON MEMORIAL LEAGUE CUP 3rd ROUND
RYHOPE CW 1 WHITLEY BAY 3
Tuesday 11th December
What a change three days can make! Having suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat when the sides met in a league fixture at Ryhope on Saturday, it was a complete reversal of fortunes when Whitley returned to the Recreation Park in the 3rd Round of the League Cup, recording a thoroughly deserved victory. The only disappointment was the number of spectators, the smallest crowd to watch a Bay game for many years, the vast majority of those at the game being Whitley fans.
Both sides made several changes, perhaps the most significant of which was the return of Bay striker Andrei Ardelean who was wearing a protective face mask having suffered a broken nose in the game at Newton Aycliffe. He scored twice and might have more as his partnership with Stephen Ramsey put the Ryhope defence under real pressure especially in the first half.
Another player restored to the starting eleven was Kevin Carr and it was he who almost gave Whitley the lead after just 60 seconds but his shot was parried by keeper Jonny Ball and cleared to safety.
In a lively opening to the game, Ryhope went ahead after just three minutes when former Bay defender Jack Walker played the ball through to Jack Devlin who slotted it past keeper Chris Bannon, who was preferred to Tom Flynn for this game.
On Saturday, it was Whitley who scored an early goal before slipping to defeat and by a remarkable coincidence, the same fate was to befall Ryhope on this occasion.
Whitley’s response was quick and barely four minutes later Craig McFarlane’s shot was blocked at the expense of a corner. Keeping up the pressure, Carr looked set to equalise in the 12th minute but Ball managed to fingertip his shot onto the bar.
Three minutes later it was Ryhope’s turn to rattle the frame of the goal when a free kick from James Ellis crashed off the base of the post before being gratefully grasped by Bannon.
Back came Whitley and after a dangerous cross from McFarlane was cut out by the Ryhope defence just ahead of Ramsey and Ardelean, Luke Salmon had a header saved by Ball. Continuing to pour forward, Whitley got their reward in the 20th minute when Ramsey headed home from Peter Glen-Ravenhill’s left wing corner. Two minutes later Ramsey almost added a second as he raced in to connect with Salmon’s cross from the left but the ball flew inches past the far post.
Whitley were not to be denied for long and in the 24th minute they took the lead when Glen-Ravenhill played the ball through a gap in the home defence and Ardelean beat the offside trap as he raced clear to fire past Ball.
Firmly in the ascendency, Whitley were playing some neat, attacking football and a foul some 25 yards out on the left of centre led to their third goal. Ben Richardson, whose goal proved invaluable in the previous round against North Shields, struck the free kick powerfully towards goal. Ball got his hands to the shot but could only push it up in the air. Ardelean was alert to the situation and responded instantly, heading the ball back past the despairing keeper to give Whitley the cushion of a two goal lead which they retained at the interval.
Straight from the restart, Whitley went back on the attack seeking a fourth goal that would have undoubtedly have put the tie beyond Ryhope. Leading by example, Glen-Ravenhill got a shot on target but Ball made the save. Attacking down both flanks as well as through the middle, Whitley were keeping Ryhope pegged back and giving the hosts little chance to get back in the game. On the hour, Salmon fired wide after good build up play while in a brief switch to the other end, Weirs failed to find the target for the home side. Back at the other end, McFarlane went close with a ball that flew across the face of goal. Ryhope forced two corners in quick succession but the Bay defence dealt with them comfortably. In the 74th minute Glen-Ravenhill raced clear but put his shot wide. Ramsey also went close before Ryhope substitute Shaw drove an effort straight at Bannon with five minutes remaining. Whitley ran down the clock with two late substitutions as they comfortably saw out the closing stages to progress to the quarter finals of the competition.
This was an impressive team performance in which both Bay strikers Ramsey and Ardelean stood out. Kevin Carr was unlucky not to get on the score sheet and was influential in midfield. Indeed, every Bay player contributed to the victory which came as a timely boost ahead, weather permitting, of Saturday’s local derby at home to North Shields.
WHITLEY BAY: Bannon, McFarlane, Cooper, Richardson, Taylor, Caines, Carr(R Redford 87mins), Glen-Ravenhill, Ramsey, Ardelean(Brannen 83mins), Salmon
Substitutes not used: Walton, Christensen, Flynn
Referee: Alex Clark
Cautions: None
Attendance: 56