EMIRATES FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND REPLAY
SUNDERLAND RYHOPE CW 2 WHITLEY BAY 3
Tuesday 18th August
In a dramatic climax to an exciting FA Cup tie, Whitley Bay came from behind to snatch victory thanks to two goals in the final ten minutes, the winner coming deep into stoppage time.
On a cold and wet evening more typical of November than August, both sides were under strength, with Whitley missing four players through injury while Ryhope had several of their squad unavailable.
Whitley started the stronger and after 11 minutes, Adam Shanks brought a fine save from Chris Rookes, the Ryhope keeper palming away his fierce shot. Almost immediately a dangerous looking cross from Alex Kempster flew right across goal and beyond the far post. Four minutes later Josh Day’s cross from the right was headed over the bar by Kempster as Whitley continued to press for the opening goal.
However, against the run of play and with their first shot on target it was the hosts who broke the deadlock with 22 minutes on the clock. Craig Hughes played a free kick into the Bay penalty area where Richard Flynn was deemed to have tugged down an opponent as both players went up for the ball. Referee Barry Gordon awarded a penalty which Nathan O’Neill converted, although Andy Jennison went the right way and despite getting a hand on the ball could not keep it out.
Whitley responded well after this setback, going close twice in the space of a minute, with Hughes having a shot saved and Shanks firing wide from Kempster’s cross. The equaliser was not long delayed and it came in the 28th minute when Alex Kempster was bundled to the ground as he cut in from the left. It was an undisputed second penalty and Adam Shanks confidently beat Rookes from the spot for his first goal in Bay colours.
Chances were coming at both ends and after O’Neill attempted to restore his side’s lead with a 20 yard effort that dipped just over the bar, Shanks headed wide from Kempster’s cross. Just seven minutes after the equaliser, a lack of concentration from a long throw in proved costly for Whitley as Conor Winter was allowed time and space inside the box to fire a powerful shot into the roof of the net to put the hosts back in front. Five minutes later, Jennison kept Whitley in the game with a great save to deny Jack Pounder while at the other end, Chris McDonald’s cross was headed past the post by Michael Laws.
Both sides made changes shortly after the interval and Jennison made an outstanding save to keep out a shot from Ryhope substitute Josh Home-Jackson on the hour mark. Whitley were enjoying a large amount of possession but were unable to convert chances into goals and this was typified when a low cross from Hughes flashed across the Ryhope goal with both Kempster and substitute Stephen Young just inches away from applying the finishing touch.
Ryhope had a glorious opportunity to seal victory with 14 minutes remaining when Winter was played through on goal but once again Bay keeper Jennison came to the rescue with a crucial save.
When Whitley had a goal disallowed, it began to look as if they were on the way out of the competition. A header from Shanks crashed off the bar and back into play before Michael Laws poked the ball home, but the goal was ruled out by a raised flag from the assistant on the far side of the field.
Seven minutes from time, the persistence of Adam Shanks finally paid off when he got his second goal of the game, with a great shot from the left edge of the box which took a slight deflection on its way into the far corner of the net beyond the reach of Rookes. Back on terms and with the home side clearly tiring, Whitley were now scenting victory. A long kick downfield by Jennison was seized on by Shanks who advanced before lobbing the ball over Rookes as the Ryhope keeper raced off his line. Whitley fans were about to celebrate what looked a certain goal when defender James Cook did superbly well, sprinting back to acrobatically hook the ball off the line and away from goal.
Extra time was looming but two minutes into the four added on for stoppages, midfielder Mark Bertram spotted his chance and sent a low 20 yard shot skimming across the wet grass through a gap in the home defence and into the bottom corner of the net, to spark scenes of joy and relief among the large contingent of travelling fans.
The final whistle was not long delayed and Whitley were through to the next round where they will host Heaton Stannington in a local derby a week on Saturday.
Manager Paddy Atkinson was delighted with the character shown by his depleted squad who for the third time in as many games, were rewarded for never giving up and battling through to the final whistle.
In the view of many of the Bay fans, Adam Shanks and Andy Jennison were the star men for Whitley, with Shanks a constant threat up front while Jennison made several outstanding saves to keep Whitley in the game.
They were up against a strong and well organised Ryhope side who on current form look sure to be promotion contenders come the end of the season.
WHITLEY BAY: Jennison, Day, McDonald, Gibson, Laws, Flynn, Redhead(Young 54mins), Bertram, Shanks, Hughes, Kempster
Cautions: None
Referee: Barry Gordon
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