15th October 2016 - Marske (a)

Shamed by the Shanky one and Mr Twitter (although didn't take much persuading) into making the HOUR AND SIX MINUTE journey to the home of another set of Seasiders, the Woodster and I set off on our unexpected journey in bright sunshine.
Memories of our previous visit in the cup and the intimidating 'wall of sound' that emanated from the home fans as they cried out "Sea, sea, seasiders!" in their Tin Shed were still fresh. As if to rub it in, the Tin Shedders had added their own sign to rival the Chicken Run Collective. But, as Woodie so eloquently put it:
"Which came first the Chicken or the Shed?" Scarily, for visiting fans, the ferocity of the Tin Shedders was underlined by their hashtag: #Tin shed or dead! Scary stuff.

There was also a great to-do as we entered the ground because the Prof, whose birthday it was, was standing with a metal pole then a football, gingerly prodding a tree.
The Shankster was blamed for losing a ball up there so Mr Twitter, his mate and I set about, unsuccessfully to retrieve it. Thankfully, the Marske officials promised to get their stepladders out to get the ball back at half time.
I was later reliably informed that the ball was recovered and a relieved Shankster avoided a club fine for losing a ball.

Just like Peter Andre.....
the Prof is always ready to help.

The rumour around the ground was that our Greek could-have-been-a-legend Angelos Elfie had left the club to join Team Northumbria in their promotion push. If that is the case then we'll hope to have a replacement soon to help the all-ready threadbare squad. Guess we won't be learning your name Elfie after all if that is the case.

Purple: shoes,
 socks, top...
well turned
out Deano?

Without the Prof, who failed a fitness test just before kickoff (nothing to do with recovering the errant ball), it was the thankfully recovered Nick Allen and Callum in the centre with Munro and Supermac who lined up in defence. The quartet soon found themselves under strict examination as the home team poured forward. Shots whizzed left, right and centre as somehow Flynn kept a number of great efforts out and the defenders threw themselves in the way to help out with the rest. It only looked a matter of time before the home team scored.
However, there was a brief moment of hope when Kempster chased a through ball only for the Purple-clad Robert Dean in the home goal to head away as he raced out of goal.

Shanks: 1-0? Keeper got it covered

However, the play returned straight back to the Whitley goal as hearts were back in mouths for the travelling fans.
Amazingly though, with the half time whistle approaching, it was the frustrated but hard-working, figure of Shanks who let fly with a shot that skipped goalwards to give the Bay the lead. Deano, looked to have it covered but the ball slid through his grasping fingers and in off the post.
Not one Bay fan had a clue how that had happened! Neither, probably did the Shankster, who duly celebrated his 50th Whitley goal. The Purple-cladded one was not amused, however and as he lay on the ground in shock, his team-mates screamed for him to get up as they took the kick off.
The second half carried on in the same vein, after a spell of consistent Bay pressure. Once again we needed our binoculars to make out the action. The occasional Bay break threatened to seal the game but it was Flynn and co who were the busiest, with our own Mr Anderson playing a blinder. It was the Tattooed Titan who came up with possibly the tackle of the game that deprived Marske a goal-scoring opportunity. The ball was launched forward and as the Purple Wurple raced out of goal, the ball took an amazing bounce that cleared him completely. Sub Logan Powell carried on running and was left with the simplest task of rolling the ball into the gaping 24 foot by 8 foot goal, however he dawdled and a defender got back to clear for a corner.
As ninety minutes turned into injury time, Marske mounted a final all-out assault and despite the fact that we looked likely to pay for Logan's miss, the ball flew everywhere except into Flynn's net. The lads had well and truly smash-and-grabbed the three points.
The Purple Wurple showed his great sense of humour as he stylishly photo-bombed our victory selfie. What a dude! The lads were doing an amazing job of papering over the cracks: third coating in a row...wonder if the floodlights are fixed!

Everyone's excited!