19/03/1966: Whitley Bay 1 Hendon 2
FA Amateur Cup semi final at Roker Park, Sunderland
For the first time Northumberland had a team in the semi final of the FA Amateur Cup, and as the newspaper headline stated, “Wembley looms larger than ever for Bay.” A crowd of fourteen thousand saw the kick off.
Whitley fielded the team than had conceded only one goal in the four previous rounds. Within a minute disaster struck, and Hendon were in the lead. They swept into the attack and Walton conceded a corner on the left to stop Hyde.
Spectators were still coming into the ground as Hyde lofted over a high cross, the ball was punched away by Goundry, and left-back Cooper attempted a shot, rushing in, which sliced across the goal to centre-half Riddy, who hit the ball first time through a ruck of players. The unsighted Goundry never moved, and the Hendon team leapt for joy! It was the first time that season that the Bay had been behind in a cup match, and for the next twenty minutes they threw everything into attack.
Desperation gripped the Hendon defence ! Swannell, who had just passed a late fitness test, rushed out to collect a ball. Wright challenged, took possession, and cleverly lobbed it over the goalkeeper to Lamb who headed wide of a yawning empty goal. The crowd groaned in disbelief!
Within a couple of minutes Lamb, who had been so consistent all season, swung at and missed a ball bouncing just in front of the goal. Hendon were now defending so furiously against the tide of blue shirts that only wingers Hyde and Churchill were near the halfway mark.
Then against the run of play Hendon scored. A long clearance upfield found Churchill, who cut in from the edge of the box. The referee blew for obstruction by Oakley. Hyde touched the ball to Evans, his shot was blocked, it rebounded back to him, and he drove it into the crowded goalmouth where Sleap beat Goundry with a downward header. 2-0.
The Bay kicked off with determination, but winger Elliot was having a quiet game, and all the attacking was coming from the middle. Then, two minutes later, Evans brought down Wilkinson in the penalty area. Knox stepped up for the kick, the crowd waited silently. Swannell flung himself and got his hands to the ball, but the shot was too strong and it flew into the back of the net. 2-1. The half-time score.
From the first minute of the second half, Whitley Bay launched into attack, wave after wave, with two corner kicks in the first forty seconds, and continual pressure on the Hendon goal. Swannell proved unbeatable. Wilkinson swerved in and unleashed a terrific shot that ricochetted off the bar, then Sloan headed just over with the keeper beaten.
Oakley and Ramshaw kept up relentless pressure and Walton stormed into attack, sending a flashing shot past Swannell but just too high. This was the pattern throughout the second half, and even Chater joined in the bombardment with a shot from thirty yards than had the crowd roaring “goal,” only to see Swannell just tip it with his fingers over the bar.
COMMENT: Hendon President — “Frankly, we were lucky to win.”
Whitley Bay: Goundry, Chater, Knox, Walton, Oakley, Ramshaw, Lamb, Wilkinson, Wright, Sloan, Elliot.
Hendon: Swannell, Hogwood, Cooper, Shacklock, Riddy, Cantwell, Churchill, Evans, Swain, Sleap, Hyde.