Northern League Division 1
7th September 2010
Hillheads Park, Whitley Bay
Attendance: 621
In spite of/because of (take your pick) the live television coverage of Switzerland vs. England, there was a keen attendance at Hillheads for this thoroughly entertaining clash between Whitley Bay and top of the table Spennymoor. Wearing their change colours of deep red, the visitors looked sharp, fast on the break and they passed well but Whitley Bay more than matched them in the first half on an impressive surface. Both sides had good chances to wrap up the points but some wayward Bay shooting and some incredible goalkeeping from Kyle Hayes in the Whitley Bay goal kept the score-sheet clear.
Avoiding a night in with Clive Tyldesley was a mere bonus, I hadn’t seen a Whitley Bay home game for a while and I fancied an evening of fresh air, rather than an evening of cliché filled hot air. As with most non-league grounds, choosing a vantage point is usually a case of ‘take your pick’. I always had a fascination with Darlington’s Feethams ground where, unusually for a league ground, home fans would change ends to stand behind the goal Darlington were attacking in that half. Hillheads is no different and the “Bell End Choir” were in fine voice as they gathered behind the visitors’ keeper’s goal, the 50 or so fans who had travelled up from County Durham at the opposite end also contributing well to a good atmosphere. With a back catalogue of tunes that would make the Rolling Stones proud, the singing was relentless, humourous and often at the expense of the visitors - in particular, Spennymoor defender Leon Ryan who had switched from Hillheads in the summer.
As the rain started to fall and with the game on a knife edge, one felt a single goal was going to come. Indeed the chap I was chatting to in the second half, who looked uncannily like Theo Paphitis, felt compelled to remark, "It could go either way. One goal will do it and either side could score it." I’m surprised he didn’t get a call up to summarise at half time during the England coverage.
The last 10 minutes was end to end with both goalkeepers being asked questions but as the final whistle approached, it was evident that a tiring home side were happy with a point. The visitors will probably consider this result as 2 points dropped and they can consider themselves unlucky given the run of the game they enjoyed in the 2nd half. Spennymoor remain joint top of the table with Norton & Stockton Ancients whilst Whitley Bay, just 5 points from the top, are sitting in 8th position.
