Kempster’s double earns the points at West Auckland

West Auckland Town  0  Whitley Bay 2

Saturday 5^th November

Two goals from Alex Kempster saw Whitley to a comfortable victory over an in-form West Auckland side who had lost only once in their previous eight games. South west Durham had escaped the heavy rain that was affecting most of the region and much of the contest was played in bright sunshine.

Adam Shanks returned to the Bay side following suspension but Callum Anderson missed out through injury, while in midfield Aiden Haley replaced former skipper Jake Fowler who moved to Washington during the week. Interim manager Marc Nash handed the captain’s armband to Chris McDonald.

Playing up the slope, Whitley started well and forced two corners inside the opening 90 seconds. Continuing to press forward, they went close in the ninth minute when Andy Robertson got on the end of Alex Kempster’s cross and sent a glancing header just beyond the far post. Three minutes later, Kyle Fryatt played the ball in from the left and Shanks drove a first time effort narrowly wide. The pressure paid off moments later when Josh Nearney floated a free kick into the box and from twelve yards out Kempster sent a header over former team mate Michael Laws and into the net beyond the reach of keeper Gareth Shaw. It was all Whitley at this stage and less than a minute later, Robertson cut in from the by-line and got in a shot that Shaw held low down, almost on the goal line.

The action continued unabated and with 19 minutes played, West Auckland were reduced to ten men when defender Darren Richardson was sent off for a dangerous late challenge on Nearney. Fryatt then appeared to be setting up another scoring opportunity after cutting in from the left but a misplaced pass ended the threat.

With the home side making a double substitution and changing their formation, Whitley struggled to press home their one man advantage and on the difficult uneven surface, passes regularly went astray and neither side could make a significant impact.

West began the second half brightly and in the 54^th minute, player/coach Mark Hudson brought a fine save from Tom Flynn with a 20 yard shot that the Bay keeper pushed wide. Nearney, who had not fully recovered from the challenge that resulted in the sending off, was substituted ten minutes after the interval and received a warm reception from the Bay fans after what was the final game of his loan spell from League Two side Hartlepool United.

A lapse in concentration at the back by Whitley almost gifted the home side a 65^th minute equaliser but Flynn came to the rescue with an excellent one handed save to deny Burnicle. In a quick response, Bay sub Tom Potter raced away and it took a timely last ditch challenge by Carl Jones to avert the danger. Shanks then headed over from Patton’s left wing corner as Whitley searched for a second goal. Burnicle again went close for West, his shot flying across goal and just beyond the far post. Another error in defence kept Flynn on his toes as he made another important save.

Sixty seconds later, Whitley doubled their lead with an outstanding piece of individual skill from Kempster, who burst clear on the right and when it appeared that the ball was about to go out of play, he cleverly cut it back from the by-line past a defender, advanced towards goal and from a tight angle crashed a tremendous shot over Shaw into the roof of the net.

The goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of the home side who up to this stage had been battling hard with ten men, and Whitley comfortably played out the final seventeen minutes. Shanks went close to adding a third goal five minutes from time but his shot was deflected behind by defender Hassan.

The win keeps Whitley in eighth place with half the league fixtures played.

WHITLEY BAY: Flynn, Nearney(Potter 55mins), McDonald, Allen, Wilkinson, Haley, Kempster, C Patton, Robertson(K Patton 75mins), Shanks, Fryatt(Keltie 70mins)

Caution: C Patton

Referee: Michael Gillespie

Attendance: 171

After his second game since taking charge of the team, interim manager Marc Nash was full of praise for the positive approach shown by his players “I was delighted to get the result at a tough place like West Auckland. We started the game very well and created a chance in the first 30 seconds. This seemed to set the tone as we played some excellent stuff and Kempster’s goal came at a good time. Strangely the red card for them changed the course of the game as they went with two banks of four which closed down the space on the flanks where we were causing them all the problems. Even so, we should have scored right on half time but a 3v2 was halted with a silly offside. I felt we controlled most of the 2nd half apart from a few loose bits of play but thankfully Tom Flynn was on hand to keep them out. Kempster’s second goal was a knock out blow and he took the chance brilliantly. It could have been three or four nil after that but overall a solid performance with some great football made for a satisfying victory.”