31/01/1970 Spennymoor Utd 6 Whitley Bay 5
“Down the years Whitley Bay have featured in some thrilling games-but this was fantastic” reported the Whitley Bay Guardian.
It was all Spennymoor in the first half, and all Whitley Bay in the second. Minutes before the match was due to begin Smith had to cry off with cartilage trouble.
Spennymoor began to attack and suddenly found themselves in the lead through an own goal by Beynon. Then P.Smith mis-headed a cross and the ball landed at the feet of Banks who pushed it just wide of an empty net.
Minutes later Banks made sure after a cross from the wings found him unmarked. 0-2. Then Warrior scored from the edge of the box, and to complete the misery Chater failed to clear and the ball trickled to Banks who scored a simple goal, with the Bay’s defence all at sea. 0-4.
Whitley had played some clever midfield work but without success. Banks scored again. Then a centre from Knox was headed home by Wright. 1-5. But the shocks had not ceased. Defty scored with a forty yards free kick. 1-6.
Immediately after the re-start Knox slammed in a hard shot that bounced off the keeper’s chest and Cairns tapped it home. 2-6. Then Cairns rammed home a third goal, injuring himseld in the process. 3-6. The Bay were now well on top, and Spennymoor were defending desperately. Beynon also left the field injured and was replaced by Sloan. Gatens scored with a simple shot. 4-6. Then Knox, who was having a great game, dashed up the wing and hit the underside of the bar, and there was considerable doubt when the ball bounced whether it had crossed the line.
With eight minutes to go, Gatens scored again, 5-6, and the pressure on the Spennymoor goal was terrific as the Bay fought for an incredible draw. In the last seconds Whitley hit the bar and the ball was scrambled off the goal-line, after a tremendous melee.
COMMENT: “One net had been hit nine times out of eleven, surely some sort of record!”
Whitley Bay : Goundry, Chater, Knox, Storey, Beynon, P.Smith, Cairns, G.Robson, Wright, Rayner, Gatens. Sub. : Sloan.
Spennymoor Utd : Jennings, Defty, Richardson, Parker, P.Joyce, W.Robson, J.Joyce, Warrior, Banks, Kell, Crosby. Sub.:White.