Lack of cutting edge as Bay slip to defeat

WHITLEY BAY 0 BILLINGHAM TOWN 3
Tuesday 6th August

Three goals in the last half hour condemned Whitley to a disappointing first defeat of the season at home to newly promoted Billingham Town. Once again there was a lack of cutting edge in attack with attempts on goal mostly restricted to set pieces. Hampered by injuries to his strikers, Nathan Haslam brought in new signing Jeff Smith, the experienced former Carlisle United and Port Vale midfielder to bolster his youthful squad.
It was Smith who got Whitley’s first shot on target in the 12th minute but keeper Bradley Young dived low to his left to keep the ball out. The visitors then gained the upper hand, firstly with a close range effort that was cleared off the line followed two minutes later by a shot across the face of goal that flew out of play. Defender Kurtis Howes held off a series of challenges as he burst through from defence before the ball was eventually put behind for a corner. Whitley were defending solidly and passing the ball around at the back but without posing any real threat to the Town goal and at half time there was no score.
Two substitutions early in the second half saw the introduction of Lewis Walton in defence and James Proctor in attack as Nathan Haslam attempted to turn the game Whitley’s way. In a flurry of activity ten minutes into the half, Lee Kerr played Proctor through but the youngster was crowded out, then when play switched to the other end, Dan Lister made a fine diving save before Whitley responded with Smith curling an effort narrowly over the bar.
The game took a decisive turn on the hour mark when Whitley failed to clear a ball in the box and prolific striker Craig Hutchinson, who score over 40 goals last season, fired home to give the Teessiders the lead. Barely three minutes later it was 2-0 when Kallum Hannah converted a cross from the right giving Lister no chance.
The double strike had contrasting effects on the two sides. Billingham, last year’s Second Division champions were clearly boosted and looked more relaxed, playing with increasing confidence while heads dropped in the Bay ranks and passes went astray.
There were still opportunities for Whitley to get back in the game and ten minutes from time a free kick just outside the Town box gave Nathan Stephenson an opportunity but his attempt flashed inches wide of the post.
Into stoppage time, the visitors were awarded a penalty for a trip in the box and Hutchinson put the seal on his side’s victory with a perfectly taken spot kick into the bottom left corner.
It was a very disappointing evening for Whitley and the majority of the 337 spectators – an excellent turn out for a midweek game – but the fans who had travelled up from Teesside gave their team a well deserved ovation at the final whistle.
WHITLEY BAY: Lister, McFarlane, Martin(Walton 46mins) , Kerr(Best 64mins), Graham, Bott, Parnaby, Dinsley, Annang-Colquhoun(Proctor 53mins) , Stephenson, Smith
Substitutes not used: Bexton, Orrell
Cautions: Martin, Smith
Referee: David Pill
Attendance: 337
h2o Bathrooms man of the match: Craig McFarlane