Dominant Lang Jack’s fall to defeat on the road

Whickham slumped to their second defeat of the week away to Whitley Bay in the Ebac Northern League. WRITES ADAM TONES.

The Lang Jacks dominated the match from the first whistle, but Tony Fawcett’s team failed to turn their possession into goals. 

Whitley Bay opened the scoring on the stroke of halftime through Cameron Brewis. 

Scott Robson responded for the visitors before Bailey Geliher’s superb 30-yard strike three minutes from time clinched all three points at Hillheads Park.

Whickham manager Fawcett was looking for a response from his team following Tuesday’s heavy defeat. 

The away team started with a bite about them, and Nathan Greenwood forced Dan Lister into making a relatively comfortable save within the first 10 minutes. 

Jamie Dunn kept Lister on his toes a minute later with an audacious strike from range, but the Bay goalkeeper was alert to gather the shot. 

The home team’s best opportunity came after 25 minutes when a floated free-kick into Harker’s six-yard box was headed over. 

Joey Smith was next to force Lister into a save, his curling effort pushed away for a corner.

Bay opened the scoring in fortunate fashion when a loosely cleared ball was backheeled into the box, looping Whickham’s defence and finding the boot of Brewis to side-foot past Harker from 5-yards out. 

Whickham dominated the second half, within a minute of the restart Greenwood and Robson combined but Lister was down quickly to deny the striker. 

Robson was in behind the Bay defence again shortly after but a last-ditch tackle cleared the ball out for a corner which was headed over by Kieran Galbraith. 

The visitor’s thought they had scored when advancing left-back Jack Moody found himself in space inside the box but his close-range shot was saved by Lister. 

Whickham finally found a way past Lister and equalised with less than 5-minutes left on the clock. 

Moody’s brilliantly timed tackle released Greenwood, and the midfielder slotted an inch-perfect pass into Robson who neatly rounded Lister and slotted the ball into the roof of the net. 

Whitley Bay replied instantly when Geliher created a chance out of nothing.  

The midfielder’s mazy run with his back to goal allowed himself space to curl a stunning 30-yard strike into Harker’s top right-hand corner and clinched victory for the home team. 

Whickham’s team: Harker, Howard (Jasper 77’), Burrell (Yoxall 83’), Agnew, Galbraith, Moody, Young, Dunn, Smith, S. Robson, Greenwood.

Unused subs: Below, Peareth, Garside. 

Goalscorer: S. Robson 86’

Referee: Charlie Ford

Man of the Match: Kieran Galbraith.