Hillheads Park

Whitley Bay v Heaton Stannington

Heaton Stannington are through to the last eight of the Northumberland Senior Cup – Joe Shepherd scoring a late equaliser to send the game to a penalty shootout.

The Stan started the game on the front foot and probably should’ve had something to show from the spell of dominance. Konner Lamb was played through on 10 minutes, but took his shot too early under pressure and fluffed his lines. A few minutes later Lamb turned provider for Louis Anderson, whizzing down the left wing to cut a ball into the box – Anderson was offside which will have come as a relief to him as his shot was unfathomably off-target.

It took Whitley Bay a little while to get going – but on 17 minutes they forced goalkeeper Neil de Jesus – making just his second appearance for the club – into a low save at his near post with a powerful shot from the edge of the box.

The chances kept coming for the Stan in the first half without any success. Anderson and Kailem Beattie both had shots pushed away from a very similar position to the left of the edge of the box in the 20th minute. A killer through ball from Andy Burn to Lamb just after the half-hour mark would’ve almost certainly led to a goal if the flag hadn’t gone up. Just before half time, a long throw found Kane Evans at the back post, but his left-footed volley didn’t have the kind of power it needed to beat Whitley Bay goalkeeper Richie Crawford.

Having dominated the first half but without anything to show for it, the Stan were punished from the penalty spot. There were arguments from the Stan supporters who were best placed to see it about whether the foul took place inside or outside the box, but those protests were ignored and Callum Larmouth dispatched his kick to put the home side ahead.

The Stan’s failure to take a first-half lead looked like it was going to bite them on the backside – as Whitley Bay tried to double lead just after the hour mark through Mackenzie Sharpe send an effort fizzing just wide of the post. And in the meantime, the Stan continued to battle but found themselves frustrated in the final third.

Centre back Joe Shepherd came off the bench in place of Mark Turnbull on 78 minutes, but joined the attack as the Stan chased the equaliser. With one minute of normal time remaining, Kailem Beattie did well to hold the ball up under challenges out wide, before finding space to cross to the back post where Shepherd lurked and basically threw himself at the ball, almost taking the frame of the goal out as he bundled the ball home. To have not lost the game in normal time will have been encouraging, regardless of what was to follow in the penalty shoot-out next.

Matt Foster, Shay Richardson, Andy Burn, Kailem Beattie and Konner Lamb all put their penalties away for the Stan – so it was Whitley Bay’s Jake Forster blazing his kick over the bar that decided the outcome of the match. While survival in the Northern Premier League East Division is clearly going to be the main focus for Heaton Stan this season, the club are now two games away from a St. James’ Park final – something not to be sniffed at.

Liam Milburn

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Whitley Bay v Heaton Stannington

An evenly-matched contest at Hillheads saw both Whitley Bay and Heaton Stannington struggle with more than just the stuffy temperature.

Jordan Lashley had the first effort on target inside the first two minutes, receiving a pass 25 yards out with his back to goal, then turning, creating space for himself and shooting low, but the Whitley Bay keeper wasn’t troubled too much.

The two teams spent the opening stages feeling each other out and each having good spells of possession. The home side’s first opportunity came on 14 minutes as their number 7 picked up a loose ball following a Stan charge-down, lined up a shot on the edge of the area and forced goalkeeper Callum Corkhill down to his near post to push the attempt wide.

The Whitley woodwork was rattled two minutes later. Joe Shepherd played a diagonal ball forward from deep, which was defended, but fell to Konner Lamb, whose flick on found Lashley’s perfectly timed run from wide. Nobody could quite believe how much time and space Lashley found himself in on the edge of the area, with just the keeper to beat, but he was thwarted by the crossbar.

Just as they did at Seaham earlier in the week, the Stan drew a foul close to the half way line in the closing stages of the first half. Tuesday’s free kick from Stephenson led to a Connor Walker goal, but Friday’s did not, and Konner Lamb may wonder how his header from close range didn’t hit the target.

Having missed a good chance, moments later the Stan were carved open at the back and probably should’ve gone behind. A neat one-two bypassed the back line, but under the pressure of defenders Shepherd and Turnbull hot on the striker’s heels and Corkhill in goal charging towards him, his shot couldn’t have the kind of force he would’ve wanted, and a little dink ended up trickling harmlessly wide.

With a few minutes of the half remaining, Kane Evans tried to pick out Dan Stephenson’s run into the box with a long diagonal ball from the Stan half. The punt was slightly too long, but Stephenson’s pressure on the keeper caused Whitley Bay’s pink-clad custodian to swipe at the ball with his feet. With the keeper off his line, Lashley seized upon the loose ball and fired it straight back towards goal, but if he’d afforded himself a second to steady himself, the shot may have been more accurate than his wild wallop.

Just as they did the first, the Stan started brightest in the second half and could’ve found themselves ahead on 48 minutes. Evans received a long ball in a good crossing position, floated in a cross but Lamb was unable to connect with it in the six yard box.

Whitley Bay clearly took some inspiration from that long ball to the wide player ten minutes later, as an identical ball from their left back found a right winger, but rather than cross, he took the ball onto his left, cut into the box, pulled back for a right-footed shot, but under pressure he wasn’t able to steady himself for anything other than a swing – no danger for Corkhill.

Up at the other end, the Whitley Bay defence gifted the Stan possession parallel to the 18 yard line. A heavy touch from the recipient of a throw allowed Evans to steal the ball from in front of him – he moved it onto Lamb, who cleverly halted and dragged the ball from his left to right foot, but his eventual shot was narrowly high and wide.

After a quiet spell, Whitley Bay created a good opening on 65 minutes. The home side’s keeper launched a long ball forward – it was dealt with by Alfie Marriott, but the second ball dropped into the Whitley Bay midfield and another excellent one-two allowed them to unleash a powerful first time shot which swerved, but Corkhill dived to his left, got his body behind it and took the sting out of it before collecting calmly at his feet.

As the minutes ticked away, the score-less outcome was looking more and more likely. Both sides were showing real fight and endeavour, but neither side were having much luck in front of goal. Whitley Bay proved this twice in the same minute with 13 to play, stealing possession and charging towards goal on both occasions, but each attempt missed the target.

The Stan had a wasted opportunity of their own three minutes later. Evans was involved in the build-up again, this time sending a ball low into the box, flicked on beautifully by James Harper to the arriving Danny Sayer, who should’ve hit the target but fired over.

The final word goes to the home side, who elicited the biggest gasp of the night on 81 minutes. Their corner caused chaos, eventually dropping close to the penalty spot for a Whitley Bay man. He had a lot of bodies in front of him, so he opted to bend it over everyone, but like Lashley in the first half, he had to watch in agony as his shot crashed against the crossbar.

No goals in the end, but no lack of excitement as both sides can rue big opportunities that went amiss. Certainly not a wasted evening, as the players got a good workout and more minutes in the tank, and the supporters enjoyed some beers in a rare bit of summer evening sunshine.

Callum Corkhill; Kane Evans, Mark Turnbull (Alfie Marriott 46), Joe Shepherd, Jay Hornsby; Marc Ellison (Trialist 46), Dan Stephenson, Connor Walker (Daniel Sayer 46); Jordan Lashley (Liam Doyle 46), Leighton Hopper (James Harper 58), Konner Lamb

Liam Milburn

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Whitley Bay vs Heaton Stannington

On a bitterly cold but dry winter’s afternoon, both teams had to deal with a cut up pitch and windy conditions although it was the home side who sealed the 3 points, just, & late on in the match through a penalty. Although Whitley Bay had more opportunities to score, the Stan nearly sneaked a draw and could have even snatched a victory. There were 2 changes from last Saturday’s win against Northallerton with Anderson and Greenwood replacing Carr and Lashley. It was Dan Stephenson’s 100th and Richie Slaughter’s 50th starts for the Stan.

Whitley Bay had the 1st 2 attacks in the 3rd minute but these came to nothing. The Stan then advanced before another Bay attack. Hopper then advanced & sent the ball to Reid & although the ball was cleared, Reid won it back although the move eventually ended in a Bay throw in. Both teams were now trying to advance up the pitch when they could although the resulting attacks were easily dealt with at both ends. The home side shot well wide after 10 minutes & they had another attack blocked 2 minutes later. This resulted in a corner which led to Brass making a great save before Bay eventually got another shot which went well wide. It was mainly home pressure now but the Stan were still trying to attack. The most dangerous Bay attack so far came in 15 minutes when Evans & Turnbull both had to make clearances. 3 Stan advances then came to nothing. In 19 minutes, Brass received a groin strain but soldiered on in the absence of a sub keeper.  In 22 minutes, Reid advanced into the home box but his close range shot hit off the keeper. Bay then had 3 attacks with the 3rd headed out by Turnbull for a corner from which Hopper headed clear. The ball came back in & Evans headed out for another corner from which the ball was cleared twice on the Stan goal line. It resulted in another corner from which Brass easily caught the ball. In 29 minutes, there was more Bay pressure & Stephenson had to slide the ball out for another corner. The Stan were living dangerously as Bay kept attacking. The Stan started to revive in 34 minutes & 2 minutes later Anderson was upended just outside the home box. Stephenson’s resulting free kick was only stopped by a great save from the home keeper. Anderson was then brought down again. In 39 minutes. Stephenson took the free kick & although the ball was initially cleared it remined in the box near Reid who was pushed in the back but nothing was given despite the calls from the Stan Army for a penalty. There was more pressure from Bay although in injury time Hopper sent a long ball to Anderson but he was off side. The half ended with Brass getting up to save although a Stan free kick was given as he was fouled while doing so.

Bay attacked from the start of the 2nd half although the Stan defence blocked their initial chance to score & the follow up shot was blasted over the bar. Both teams were trying to attack & in 53 minutes, after a foul on Reid just outside the Bay D which resulted in a yellow card, Stephenson sent his free kick over the bar. Brass had to make a save in 55 minutes & 2 minutes later the advancing Hopper was brought down. Stephenson’s resulting free kick was sent straight at the home keeper. Lashley replaced Greenwood in 59 minutes to freshen up the Stan attack although it was Brass who had to catch a headed Bay effort next. As the wind got up, there was more Bay pressure. In 65 minutes though, Brass sent a long ball up to Lashley who was brought down 30 yards out. Stephenson sent the resulting free kick round the wall & the home keeper had to dive full length to put his effort out for a corner. The ball from the corner was missed by everyone & the same thing then happened at the other end. In 70 minutes, Evans cleared followed by Lashley counter attacking but was offside. Soon after, Evans cleared a Bay corner before Brass caught from a home free kick. Both teams were trying to attack & in 77 minutes Evans cleared again followed by a Stan shot being blocked & a rebound shot was blasted off the underside of the home bar although an offside flag was raised. In 81 minutes, Day went down just inside the Stan box after Doyle’s foot had made contact & a penalty was awarded. Holmes took it &, although Brass went the correct way, he blasted the ball into the back of the Stan net to make it 1-0 to Whitley Bay in the 82nd minute. Both teams were still trying to attack. In 89 minutes, a Lashley shot from the edge of the box was blocked by the home keeper & the rebound shot was blasted just wide by sub Burn. In the 91st minute, the advancing Hopper was brought down but the referee decided that he was not in the box. The resulting free kick on the penalty box line was taken by Burn but his effort was blocked. Bay countered but Brass got to the ball &, wind assisted, sent it back up but the home keeper got it under pressure as he collided with Hopper who was booked. In 95 minutes, a Stephenson effort from the edge of the box was blocked. The last Stan attack resulted in Bay counter attacking & although 2 defenders & a diving Brass were beaten the attacking home player’s shot went just wide at the far post & the final whistle was blown soon after.

So it was to be nil points for the Stan as Whitley Bay got a late winner although the Stan also came close to also getting a 2nd half goal. The Stan now host Crook Town on Wednesday evening.

Kevin Mochrie

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Whitley Bay vs Heaton Stannington

3:00 pm