17th September 2016 - Marske United (h)

The previous home game was one of those matches you never want to think about ever, ever again. Lost 5-1 to a very phyisical Ashington team with a ref who was living in the land of the Pixies. The Bay lost Mr Wilkinson - the Professor - early on to concussion. Later on it was Steve Gibson who had to be substituted when his knee came off the worse against the visitors. The final coup de resistance was the flying two-footed tackled aimed at the Shankster that only received a yellow card because the King of the Pixies didn't want to upset anyone from the former mining town.
The only bright spot of Tuesday night was the Kempstervator's diving header to make it 2-1.

Another glorious day at the Bay!

Today, although Shanks was named as sub, nobody expected him to come on. The other two were understandably missing from the line-up while Elfie, our Greek God-like person, watched the match from the stands with The Prof. TheBoyMark reminded me that I had forgotten the Prof had gone off with concussion even though it happened in front of me as Mr W chatted to us and told us that he remembered nothing of the evening. Thanks mate.

Sunhats to the fore!

But there was a bright spot to the desperate situation: Dave Berry was named on the subs bench. Like a knight in shining armour, the fitness guru was coming to the rescue again and Nearly Neil was beside himself with excitement. Neil, of course, is happily married and in no way a stalker Mr Berry!
After a settling-in period, the Bay were starting to play some good stuff, short and quick accurate passes. Chrissy-boy McDonald lashed in a great shot then a miss-hit shot was volleyed home by Ryan Keltie. We hadn't been expecting that!

Ten minutes later, Supermac, who was having a whale of a game, lashed in a shot but this time it sailed over, just missing an Easyjet coming in to Newcastle. Every one of the lads was putting their all into the game and there was more great battling from General Patton as he just failed to get a shot away after unsettling the visiting defence. Marske were completely unsettled. Robo was the next to take aim from the edge of the box and his effort was saved.

How's the match going? OK won't ask....

There followed a worrying moment of the game that can only be described as "Buggiegate". When Patton took aim at the goal, he certainly wasn't watching out for our 'little friends and their transportation'. However, as his shot blasted wide, its path was stopped by Mr Whitley Twitter's daughter's buggie. Luckily the young lady was elsewhere (picking up grass to give to her friends as presents) but the shot left a massive dent in the side of her buggy. We all breathed again when Mrs Whitley Twitter bent it back into shape!
Back on the pitch, it looked like Fryatt had been given the freedom to roam and Marske had no idea how to handle him. Our Hartlepool loanee, Josh Nearney managed the highest pitch voice of the game as he couldn't believe one of the ref's decisions.
The Bay continued to dominate in the second half as they showed great energy all over the pitch. 'Harry' Potter went close with a super lob before Kempster's freekick was turned in by an unfortunate Nathan Mulligan. What a shame!

Those wild Bay fans absorbed in the battle on the pitch.

2-0 up and the Bay were coasting. Then it all turned. Marske suddenly woke up and despite Michael Hammond's star jump in the Whitley goal, the ball was bundled in by Marske's Danny Earle. Back came the Bay and this time it was youngster Logan Powell and Adam Shanks (on as substitutes) who were doing the pressing. Shanks looked pretty mobile, despite Tuesday's injury. Powell it was who squared for Fryatt to have his stinging shot well saved. However with four minutes to go, Hillheads was stunned when Marske equalised through Aaron Ramsbottom. The Bay were calling for a handball but with ref Graham Potter preferring the score draw, the goal stood.
Despite the fightback from Marske, this had been a complete contrast to the previous game and the first 60 minutes a good way to prepare for next week's visit to Bishop Aukland and the FA Vase game against Stockton Town. The last 30, meanwhile, are a good lesson for the Bay!

Unfortunately I can't make it to the Stockton game and there will be no wbayblogger until the Seaham game because of work commitments. #htb

10th September 2016 - Jarrow Roofing (a)

A last minute reprieve from helping with his daughter's fundraiser, to raise money for her trip to the Taekwondo Championships in Hungary, meant that the Boy Mark was able to drive us to Boldon Colliery, home of the Roofers.

The Roofer's ground is a must for all Meccano-loving footie fans with a good selection of metal stands. The sad thing about the ground is that it is becoming a bit down at heal. The small crowds they attract have dropped since their trip to the Semi-finals of the FA Vase in 2005. As a result, the number of roofs on offer has also dropped. What is still as impressive is the resourcefulness that the club have shown to build with whatever they can lay their hands on: they are still the Wombles of non-league football! 

The best club sign in non-league football? Worth the admission price on its own!

 There were seats that could have been taken from a 70s hair salon along with the best of stadium art: bolted the wall were a number of car hubcaps with the words Jarrow Roofing neatly written on. We discovered three but the big mystery for anyone's next visit is to find out if there is a fourth to make the set complete!

Off to use the facilities with that fantastic sliding door.

On top of all this, there was the great news for Berrywatch fans that the great man was back, helping out on the coaching side but not on the playing side...yet! There certainly were smiles on the lads faces as they worked their way through an intricate passing routine.

As the teams came out for the match, a small female voice drifted towards our ears like the voice of one of those Boots ladies, telling you about the latest offers on smellies when you visit those big, scary stores in Newcastle. There was a big cheer when she tried to say our Greek hero's surname so she gave up and just called him Angelos. It was also good to see the Greek God still playing for the Bay instead of heading off to the wilds of Shildon. He must have been impressed with the song written in his honour:

Don't Leave Ang'los

Our Super Angelos

You really must stay at the Bay

'Cause if you leave Ang'los

Our Super Angelos

We never will learn to spell your name!

To the tune of Achy Breaky Heart by Billy-Ray Cyrus. 

One anonymous individual did come up with an alternative, and extremely sinister final line:

Or we will never say your name again!

My lips are sealed!

 It was also great to welcome Hartlepool's Joshua Nearney on a month's loan and as the game started he certainly looked confident and fitted in well into the back five line-up. 

The Bay started well but Jarrow defended well and the lads had to work hard to create chances. However in the 27th minute, McDonald swung in a corner for Shanks to sweep in from 10 yards out.

We all expected to see the Bay then storm forward to score a hatful but with ex-Bay stopper , Andy Jennison in particularly expressive, vocal form they were kept out. In fact it was a complete shock when Jarrow equalised just before half time; Purewal rocketing the ball home. Refreshments were definitely needed at half time: and Jan's Refreshment was drawing us in.

Tommy's Tea Emporium needs a sign too! 

Jarrow's cafe culture: very swish!

There was a bigger shock waiting for us, apart from Berry's change of shorts then track suit bottoms. Don't ask how I noticed I just did and yes I do love my wife very much so you can stop there. Jarrow were ahead with an unstoppable shot from Hedley that looked set to rip the net out. Wilko time was needed!

It wasn't the big defender who came to our rescue but Jake Fowler. When the Kempstervator caught out a Roofing defender, the subsequent cross bounced down off a hand and a penalty was awarded at the third attempt. The quiet but effective midfield dynamo that is Jake Fowler slammed the spotkick home in the 62nd minute. 

The Jarrow defence were certainly not following Jennison's advice as he constantly shouted for them to "Stay switched on every minute!". His other piece of advice was to advise his defenders that they needed to "Mark up, by the way!" 

The Rest of the match passed without further score. However there was a chance for a the Professor but he just couldn't get enough power on his header and a relieved Jennison collected easily. A 2-2 draw perhaps was a fair result as it hadn't been a vintage Bay performance. As always it had been a pleasure visiting Jarrow. I just hope they manage to keep Wombling away and stay up for another visit next year.

What can you build with this little lot?
Ian has an idea....

PS Chow was playing for Jarrow but was well marshalled!

6th September 2016 - Sunderland RCA (h)

Were the wheels coming off the Bay Chandlerwagon? The lads had found South Shields a tough nut to crack but then are they a team designed for this level? There isn't any argument on that one.
Tonight's match was the fifth match in a row that we were up against a team from the top four of the league and so far there had been only one defeat. We were also the only team in the league to have played Sooth Shields home and away already: most people's prediction for Champions and the latest incarnation of Spendymoor. The rest of the season will obviously be a breeze.
 Yet again we were treated to a warm Autumn evening and there were short sleeves and shorts with extra pockets on the legs all around the ground. There was also a glorious sunset that I was cautioned for admiring and not concentrating on the match.
Unfortunately, the Bay were made to pay for my lack of concentration after ten minutes when Steven Callen lashed the ball in, via a post, to give RCA the lead. The visitors' good run of form that had taken them joint top of the table was continuing.
After that I redoubled my efforts to focus and was rewarded when Fowler crossed into the box for the Kempstervator to flick into the far corner of the net.

Our delight was short-lived: first Shanks was brought down as he bore down on goal before the subsequent clearance ended up in the home net, courtesy of RCA's  Jonathan Davis.
Into the second half and the most satisfying aspect of a frustrating period of play was our good friend Keith's purchase of a fine Wembley 2010 sunhat. Although the sun had left us, it was still an excellent purchase and made me wish I'd brought mine along. He was also told that when the hats were ordered, at the time of our great run in the Vase, that only child-sized hats were ordered by mistake. However these fine hats, as worn by middle-aged men give the impression of the pork pie hats worn by fans of Madness et al during the 80s. Therefore they should be treated as an essential addition to any respectable Bay fan's wardrobe.
Away from the fashion parade, Neal Bussey, in the visiting goal, was walking through treacle to slow the game down. As a result, whenever he ambled over to collect the ball for a goal-kick he was subjected to a barrage of abuse from the faithful. Yet the ref did nothing. Chandler was doing his nut.
Two substitutions changed the course of the game. First it was Andy Robertson, on for Kyle Fryatt, followed by Professor Wilkinson on for Steve Gibson.
First, a long ball found, Shanksy whose chest met a Sunderland boot and a penalty duly awarded while Sunderland's Steven Stewart was given the red card. The home fans were pleased to see Mr Treacle booked as he moved like lightning to argue with the ref: the fastest he had run all match.

Callum Patton stole the penalty from the expectant Shanks (no mean feat) to calmly slot home with four minutes left. Could the Bay get the winner? Shanks fantastically came close when he lofted the ball over Mr Treacle-Bussey only to see it cleared off the line but it was all set up for one man. It was Wilko time! The big intellectual seized on a loose ball in the box to slot home and give the Bay their first victory in five games.

3rd Sept 2016 - South Shields (a)

Not much of a
conversationalist

I am not alone!

The rain started about midday and didn't look like it was going to let up so as I set off on my lonesome for the big game, the portable roof returning after a couple of pleasant summery matches. A relaxed walk and Metro ride from Cullercoats followed by a frantic race to catch the ferry then by a metro to Bede station passed without incident. I was briefly joined by a friendly gull but he wasn't much of a conversationalist and he only had one leg. He left when he realised I had no chips to give him. 

Arriving at Bede station, I was impressed to see another fan wearing South Shields maroon and blue trainers to match my Whitley Bay blue and white ones. He also shared my opinion that it was cool but instead of just buying his from Schuh in Newcastle...no, he had cast his search further afield - Italy no less! Not even I had thought of that!

South Shields as a club has changed completely from my last visit there when barely 200 people turned up on a cold February night to witness the Bay triumph 3-0. The problems of misbehaving floodlights and relegation to the Northern League second division are a long way behind them as the ground has new stands, a new army of fans, decent music playing and...an announcer with a microphone!

Instead of the Now That's What I Call Music 60s and 70s editions that gets played at Hillheads, South Shields fans are treated to Kasabian, Oasis (I know I said treated - but some people like them) and The Enemy amongst many other musical delights. The man with the mic calmly read the Bay team before launching into BIGSTADIUMODE to shout out the home team. The fact that no-one in the crowd was playing his game and joining with a cheer after each player didn't seem to make a difference to him. If anything he got even more excited when no-one joined in him: just to spite them.

The rain had eased off by kick-off and the ground had an extremely healthy crowd of nearly 1500. The Bay found themselves on the back foot from the off and with only nine minutes gone Shields had the ball in the net only for it to be disallowed for offside. However, this break for the Bay didn't last long as they failed to clear their lines and the home side's Jon Shaw had the easy job of scoring past Tom Flynn. The expected had happened.

The Metro extension to Mariner Park gets underway.

However, on the two occasions Kempster managed to break clear on Bay's left flank he delivered two perfect crosses: one for Shanksy's sliding boot and the other for his head. With the help of Tom Flynn's dominance in the visiting goal, the Bay were amazingly   2-1 up. 

South Shield's cafe culture?

The bar was doing great business as the fans spilled out onto the extra partitioned section and there wasn't a person in the crowd who knew how the Bay were ahead.

In the second half, Shields had obviously had a kick up the proverbial backside and battered our favourites. The lads struggled to get much of the ball and the experience of the Shields team was on show. Although the lads fought hard (too hard according to the whimsy ref who booked virtually the whole team), it was only a question of time before the Bay defence was breached. On 70 minutes it was 2-2 when Wayne Phillips slotted home.

  

In an attempt to stave off the inevitable and keep the point, Chan brought on Dillon Blake and Callum Patton for Fryatt and Shanksy. However no sooner had the substitutions been made, a wicked cross into the Bay box bounced off the luckless Steve Gibson and past Flynn. It was a cruel blow and suddenly the home crowd woke up. The Bay still had chances but Carmichael proved to be up to the task. Next, the determined Angelo the Elf upset Mr Fussy with another tackle and that was it for him: a second yellow card ended his game as the ref pulled out the red card. It was Shields' newest signing Carl Finnigan who had the last word scoring soon after with nine minutes to go. 

Since coming to the Bay, Elfie the Greek has played a great part in the first few games. Hopefully he can be given a contract before some of the supposed  big shots of the league come knocking. Goodness knows we need him! At the final whistle, there was no disgrace at losing out to a much bigger, more experienced and gifted team. However yet again, the lads had done themselves proud. What was obvious was that we need a fit-again Professor Wilkinson to organise the defence and a contract for Zorba / Elfie / Angel / Mr Eleftheriadis to help him. 

We have a great team led by a great manager but it is very thin on numbers!

#HTB

                                                                   Penalty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!