Hornets sting Bay and go top of the table

WHITLEY BAY 0 HEBBURN TOWN 4

Saturday 10^th October

Whitley matched title contenders Hebburn Town in an evenly contested first half but an unfortunate own goal just before the break provided the boost the South Tynesiders needed and after the interval their superiority shone through and the victory took them two points clear at the top of the table.

Summer signing Ben Richardson made his return debut for Whitley in midfield as they kicked off towards the Hillheads Road end in bright sunshine. Hebburn’s Graeme Armstrong was thwarted by the alert Chris Bannon early in the game but the opening stages were largely played out in midfield and Whitley’s first attempt on goal arrived in the 13^th minute when a long range effort from captain Craig McFarlane flew over the bar.

Just over a minute later Bannon made a fine fingertip save from Armstrong following a long ball out of defence and the resultant corner saw a header from Storey fail to find the target. Chances at either end were at a premium but Hornets’ keeper Mark Foden was called into action to clear McFarlane’s through ball ahead of the onrushing Matty Weirs.

Whitley’s best chance of the half came with 35 minutes played when a free kick from out on the right was played into the penalty area and there was a goalmouth scramble as the ball bobbled around the box before eventually being cleared by the visitors.

It was looking as if the half would end goal less but then with five minutes remaining, Hebburn defender Dan Groves crossed from the right to the near post, where in attempting to clear the ball Scott Lowery only succeeded in slicing it into his own goal, the ball trickling across the line beyond the reach of the stranded Bannon.

Having broken the deadlock just before the break, the visitors scored a second within four minutes of the restart as they stepped up a gear, putting themselves firmly in control. The goal resulted from a mistake by Whitley, with Richardson’s ball back to Bannon falling short and being intercepted by Armstrong who slotted it into the net.

A foul by Donaghy on Craig Hennis midway inside the Hebburn half sparked a reaction by the bay player and both were cautioned but in the follow up to the free kick, Hennis struck a low shot on goal but it was comfortably saved by Foden.

Midway through the half, two former Bay players combined to create a chance for the visitors, Olly Martin playing the ball in for Lee Mason but the man on loan from South Shields was not able to get enough power on his shot to beat Bannon.

Richard Coulson drove a shot straight at Foden while another effort from McFarlane was off target but by this stage Hebburn were looking comfortably in control and with just over 12 minutes left, Martin dribbled past two defenders near the by-line before cutting the ball back for substitute Scott to fire home from inside the six yard box, to end any lingering hopes of a Bay comeback.

To their credit Whitley kept battling away and substitutes Adam Shanks and Kieran Brannen might have reduced the arrears but a solid, well organised Hebburn defence kept them out.

Four minutes into stoppage time and with what turned out to be the last kick of the match, the visitors rubbed salt into the Bay wounds as they cut through a tiring defence and Carl Taylor made it 4-0, a final score line that was rather harsh on Whitley.

WHITLEY BAY: Bannon, McFarlane, Dunn, Hennis, Lowery, Gillesphey, Orrell, Richardson(Brannen 66mins), M Weirs(Shanks 75mins), Robinson(Jasper 81mins), Coulson

Substitutes not used: Taylor, Hamilton

Cautions: Coulson, Hennis

Referee: Alex Clark

Attendance:150