NEWTON AYCLIFFE 1 WHITLEY BAY 0
Tuesday 3rd May
This was an end of season game with little to commend it, the only goal coming four minutes before half time. For their last away game of the season, Whitley were really down to the bare bones due to injuries and unavailability and while Aycliffe were missing top scorer Mattie Moffatt, they were still able to name a strong side.
On a fine sunny evening neither keeper was really tested in the opening stages, Whitley’s only attempt on goal being a curling effort from Adam Shanks which went wide of the target. A foul on Shanks by Brian Close led to a free kick 25 yards from goal but the ball was safely cleared. Dennis Knight brought a save from Tom Flynn after 12 minutes then a good move between Craig McFarlane and Chris McDonald earned Whitley a corner that the home side comfortably defended. Graham Williams, retaining his place in the side after an impressive performance at Marske three days earlier, sent a header over the bar before a strong shot from Knight was well saved by Flynn. Two minutes later, Flynn was injured when a shot hit him in the face but after treatment he was able to continue.
The home side were having the better of the exchanges and they took the lead four minutes before the interval when Paul Garthwaite headed home the rebound after a ball into the goalmouth from Knight was pushed away by Flynn. The uncompromising and physical approach of the Aycliffe side was producing a number of poor challenges which were going unpunished and it left Whitley and their fans frustrated when Callum Munro was cautioned shortly before the break for an offence no more serious than had been seen several times from the hosts. It was Whitley’s first booking in nine games, an impressive disciplinary record in recent weeks. Nikolay Ivanov took a knock on the calf and was unable to continue after half time, meaning that Whitley’s only available substitute, keeper Dan Gladstone, had to be used as an outfield player for the second 45 minutes.
There was precious little excitement to come and after Knight drove a shot into the side netting, Whitley briefly responded with a cross from Shanks which Pattinson headed behind for a corner. Flynn saved well from Laidler then at the other end a badly misplaced back pass from an Aycliffe defender briefly looked as if it would end up in the net, looping high over keeper Winter but it drifted just past the post.
The punishing schedule of fixtures meant there were tired legs on both sides and the game largely petered out, providing little entertainment for the sparse crowd, who could not have been impressed with some of the language from the Aycliffe side which was allowed to continue due to weak officiating.
Late on, Shanks volleyed straight at Winter when the ball was played in from the left but that was about as good as it got.
Whitley will end the season with three games in six days at Hillheads, and will be hoping to have more players available for selection.
WHITLEY BAY: T Flynn, McFarlane, McDonald, Day, Gibson, Haley, Munro, Williams, Shanks, Patton, Ivanov(Gladstone 46mins)
Referee: Craig Dean
Cautions: Munro, Patton
Attendance: 82
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