30th March 2018 - North Shields (h)

The sun had shown its face briefly as I headed up the hill towards Hillheads at 10:40. In the opposite direction I spotted one of the Bay regulars heading in the opposite direction.
"Is the game on?" I queried, pulling off my headphones so I could hear him.
"...Just off to the pub first..."
"What time's kick off?" I replied. With all the traffic, I couldn't hear his answer but his signing of the number twelve with his fingers told me that I really should have paid more attention to the kick off time on the Marden Bridge fence poster. Durr!
Heading back home, via the Quarry so people in their houses didn't see me returning five minutes after passing them, I picked up some posters to drum up publicity for my new science fiction book (Albie: Fugitive of Tenebria) (https://goo.gl/U96Rfx) and it's accompanying book launch (bit.ly/AlbieLaunch) . Posters duly delivered, I finally completed my journey. Friends I knew who were Shields fans (yes I do have some) asked me how I thought the game would go and my mood was not optimistic. In fact it was downright negative, given yet another member of the Bay team had joined the Shields exodus. Matty Cornish had thrilled us all with his skill on the ball but now he had gone, the squad looked even thinner. Not even in my wildest expectations did I see anything happening today except a hammering for the blue and whites. 

Back fro a home game were Tom Flynn and Josh Nearney: both such important players in the line-up. Callum Anderson was named captain; days after signing a new 2-year contract. This was the first piece of good news coming out of Hillheads in a while and was very welcome. I was joined at the kick off by Long-haired Andrew and his son. It is always good to see the groundhopping pair but my negativity could not be contained as they questioned myself, Bob and Moira about the current Bay situation. One good piece of news was Kinnon's offer to read the Audible book of Albie: Fugitive of Tenebria ((https://goo.gl/U96Rfx) , although I'm not sure the Audible customers would appreciate his reading of each different chapter in a different regional accent. 
The first ten minutes on the pitch were edgy. Flynn was called into action in the sixth minute, saving smartly from Holmes. However, the football gods must, once again, have been angry with the Bay as another massive deflection, off an unfortunate Bay foot, saw Flynn deceived. That man Paul Robinson's effort sailed into the net. We feared the floodgates were about to open. For the next few minutes it looked ominous as Shields surged forward but slowly, the Bay regained their composure. With Chris Salmon and Tom Potter using both determination and speed to weave their magic on the wings, the visitors suddenly looked stretched. Brooks was unlucky to see his far post half volley charged down from a corner then Salmon came close with a curler.

Captain Callum, Graham Williams, David Hall and Aiden Haley's dogged tackling superbly combined with Peter Ravenhill's driving runs forward. The lads were more than matching their red counterparts. Nearney and Walker's surging runs out of defence were also helping to stretch the red defence. The football being played by the home team was exceptional, bearing in mind the state of the pitch. A particularly crunching tackle from Captain Captain set up another attack that ended up with PGR's shot being turned away for a corner. The blue and white section of the 749 crowd were lapping it up.

The referee then let the occasion go to his head as the enormously huge and towering Harmison firstly lunging with a high foot that crunched into the hapless (and much smaller) Williams' chest. As the two players fell to the floor, Harmison's elbow connected with his opponent's chest followed by the rest of his immense frame. The linesman thought he saw an elbow from Williams so the youngster was sent off while the big red lump was simply booked. The football gods were obviously having a laugh when they sent us this set of officials: Andy G was speechless. Any chance we could have a sensible referee at Hillheads? Half time arrived with the chance for the Bay to regroup.

I was also delighted to sell one of my books ((https://goo.gl/U96Rfx) to Chris, who seemed delighted to have something to do if the second half went badly.
The result of the sending off was only to drive the young Bay team forward and once they had adjusted to their new formation, they powered forward. Sean McCafferty had to be on his metal to turn away a cross from under his bar...

then Haley, fed by Nearney saw his long range effort saved.

A last ditch effort from a Shields defender prevented a headed goal. The Bay were on fire!

In between, Flynn was called upon to fling himself at a Richardson shot and Walker did well to close down Suddick. It really was end to end thrills and spills.
The Bay surged forward and in the 85th minute McCafferty looked unhappy at receiving the ball from a Shields defender. Sub Callum J and the Raven from the Hill swooped: the latter beating the hapless keeper before stabbing home into the empty net!

I wished that the game could have finished there and then but alas no. The gods of football were going to make us pay for having the temerity to score. Bainbridge it was who headed home in the 89th minute. To make my mood worse two delightful tinkers from my school decided to celebrate next to my ear. I was very controlled in my response. The single tear that trickled down my cheek the only sign of any emotion...if you ignored the screaming, beating of fists and kicking the concrete post that proved harder than my foot.
The final goal arrived when Flynn had charged upfield to help out at a corner. Dean Holmes it was who raced clear to score into the empty net.
The final score of 3-1 to Shields was a sickener but the Bay team had shown fight, resolve and determination. Whatever happens in the last few weeks of the season, we can only hope that these immensely talented young lads all decide to stay at Hillheads and we get an injection of experience. In my opinion this can only happen if we have a more open approach from the top... we want to support both the team and you: give us the reason beyond blind faith!