1965 Whitley Bay V West Auckland

02/01/1965:  WHITLEY BAY  4   WEST AUCKLAND  3

Whitley Bay’s play in the weeks prior to this cup tie had shown great promise in both attack and defence and a fairly large crowd attended Hillheads expecting a good cup run. But they did not expect such a sensational first match. Whitley Bay kicked off and stormed into the attack and soon had the West Auckland defence at full stretch.

However, unexpectedly, Hopper broke away on the right and his accurate low cross found centre-forward Fenwick who side-footed the ball into the Bay’s net. 0-1.

Within minutes an error by the home defence allowed Hopper to burst through and pick up a bouncing ball and score. 0-2.

The cheers had hardly died down when a confident West Auckland had made it 0-3. Inside-left Matthews followed up a long range shot which bounced on the bar and he headed into the net. Johnston picked the ball out of the net and the home crowd was silent.

Then, as Ramshaw, Walton and Oakley began to get a grip in the middle and Twaddle and Richie held the attacking wingmen, the Bay looked more confident and determined. Two minutes before half-time Sloan fired from twenty yard and the score became 1-3.

At half-time Bobby Owen ordered seven of the Bay’s players to change to rubber-soled footwear, and the gamble paid off. For the West Auckland players had been much more sure-footed on the hard pitch.

Five minutes after the restart Cain and Wright went up with the West Auckland keeper and defenders for a high centre and the ball ricochetted into the net for an own goal. 2-3. Then, after a smart move by Orrick and Cain, Wright headed home a fine cross. 3-3.

The crowd were now roaring the Bay on!

Then Wright sealed the fate of West Auckland by a chance goal. He collected the ball on the wing, and under pressure centred. Porter rushed out of his goal and completely misjudged the flight of the ball which sailed over his head and into an empty net.

COMMENT: “Hillheads was no place for weak hearts, in an hour and a half the Bay plunged their supporters into the depths of dispair and then pulled them back to the heights” — Whitley Guardian.

Whitley Bay: Johnston, Twaddle, Ritchie, Walton, Oakley, Ramshaw, Orrick, Cain, Wright, Sloan, Gidney.