Dunston beat Seasiders 5-3

Northern League Div 1
19th April 2016
Whitley Bay 3
Dunston UTS 5

Dunston travelled to Whitley Bay after a good sunny spring day to play their first EBAC Northern League game in 10 days, after the last two games at home had been postponed due to waterlogged pitches. Dunston had only Dale Burrell unavailable due to knee injury giving manager Billy Irwin a good squad of players to make his team selection against a youthful Whitley Bay squad assembled by their returned manager Ian Chandler.

The evening started with a well honoured minute’s silence kick-off in respect Roland Maughan who had passed away after giving a long North East Football service as a referee, Northumberland FA official and the FA representative.

Dunston started strong and almost took the lead on 3 minutes as a Morien 30 yard free kick struck the base of the post and Luccock could only head the rebound into a relieved Flynn’s arms, and then a strong run into the box by Smith with the ball resulted in a Bowey shot which was blocked and fell to Morien, whose shot on target was blocked and cleared. Whitley replied with a header over the bar by Munro from a Patton cross.

On 6 minutes Whitley made a long clearance which fell to the unmarked Shanks who went round the advancing Connell, outside his area, before shooting past the returning Martindale covering on the line. 1-0 to Whitley Bay. Dunston Continued to press with the Bay getting the occasional break forward but it was not until the 23rd minute that Dunston got on level terms as Guerin played into Morien who controlled the ball and slotted it into the far corner of the net from 12 yards out.

Play evened out but on the 30th minute Dunston scored after Smith played Guerin into the 18 yard box as his turn provide space for him to slot the ball past Flynn, 2-1 to Dunston. Dunston now had the edge and Morien and Capewell had chances go wide of the post before McDonald, on 36, had a 25 yard shot go wide of the post for Whitley Bay. Within a minute Dunston went further ahead as First Guerin shot was blocked and rebounded to Morien whose shot was blocked by Flynn and rebounded out to Luccock who deftly chipped the ball into the net over the sprawling Flynn.

Whitley then had a spell of pressure on the Dunston defence an looked particularly dangerous on corners and free kicks, On 40, a Fowler corner found Shanks who turned the ball into the net for Whitley’s second and 2 minutes later another corner was headed home from 2 yards out by Shank’s hat-trick and Whitley Bay’s third which gave a half-time score of Whitley Bay 3 Dunston UTS 3

The second-half started with Dunston creating an opportunity on 55 minutes as Morien Guerin and Luccock all had shots blocked and the ball was eventually cleared before the referee on 57 minutes awarded a penalty to Whitley as Smith was adjudged to trip Patton. Shanks took the penalty but Connell diving to his left pushed the ball clear. Play continued to flow from end to end with Munro firing wide on 58, Patton shooting wide on 65 and Morien had a shot deflected for a corner on 69 before he then blazed a shot over the bar on 70.

On 71 Shaw on for Wilkinson played in a cross which was met by Bowey at the back post and he duly headed home from 4 yards, 4-3 to Dunston. Dunston now with a goal advantage put the pressure on and chances came to Morien twice and Guerin saw Flynn make some good stops until Morien on 79 was played into the near post by Bowey and Morien laced his shot between Flynn and the near post for Dunston’s fifth and a 5 – 3 score line. Dunston almost extended their lead on 82 as Luccock picked up a clearance from a Kempster free kick on the Dunston goal, Luccock, then played a ball into Morien in the area and Morien’s first time chip on target was blocked by an advancing Flynn.

On 84 a Bowey free kick was met by Shaw at the back post but he could not redirect his first time effort on target. A final Whitley effort on 85 came as McFarlane had a 25 yard shot go just wide of the post, before Morien on 89 hit a shot off Flynn and then Bowey drove a shot over the bar. In added on time Substitute Francis had a shot go wide of the near post.

Full-time Score: Whitley Bay 3 Dunston UTS 5

Dunston Man of the Match: James Luccock – James was major force behind this victory all over the field ably assisted by fellow midfielders Steven Bowey and Dan Smith with Aris Guerin and Morien connecting to cause Whitley Bay problems. After a good start for Dunston and then a late first-half blip was realistically decided from a tremendous penalty save by Liam Connell, which then saw a team strengthening and 2 goals to deservedly claim the game.

Whitley Bay: Flynn, McFarlane, McDonald, Bromley, Gibson, Munro, Haley (Anderson 59), Fowler (Davis 70), Shanks, Patton, Kempster. Subs not used: Day, Blake Gladstone

Dunston UTS: Connell, Pearson (Gilhespy 40), Liddle, Capewell, Wilkinson (Shaw 59), Martindale, Luccock, Smith, Guerin, Morien, Bowey. Subs not used:

Report by T.C