21st September Whickham (h)

Unable to get to Tuesday's Hebburn Town game, there were mixed emotions when Hebburn took a 5-0 lead but there was complete shock when the Bay managed to score four unanswered goals. This season, I have only managed to witness The Bay score 5 times in league and Cup. I'm feeling slightly starved at the moment. Today, I was hoping for a change in fortune.

Whickham were on the same run of form as the Bay, 3 defeats and a draw, what chances a home win?

Teamsheet modelled superbly by Ann B, sunglasses provided by Moira.

It was good to see Nathan back on the touchlines after his enforced break for family reasons. He had been sorely missed!

There was also a return for Dan Lister, who had a point to prove after being replaced for the previous two games. It was also good to see Luke Taylor start  for the first time this season and he looked an imposing pairing with Connor Smith at the centre of defence. Two more reasons to be hopeful!

The bright, but breezy, weather was a pleasant surprise for the end of September and I kept short sleeves on all the way through the first half. Extreme bravery on my part.

The Bay made a bright start to match and once again, Mark Robinson was getting at the visiting defence and causing problems. The support behind the goal was a bit thin on the ground although one fan was taking full advantage of the warmth... all he needed was some sand and a bucket and spade to make his afternoon complete.

The only trouble was the age-old problem of unknown players as we followed the action. Moira's suggestion was that we could put different coloured cats on top of each player to identify them whereas I preferred the Fifa-styled names above their heads using small projectors installed on their backs.

Fifa names? Not sure it will take off!

Cats on heads? It might just catch on....

The final decision was that maybe we should try to learn their names and that a settled team each season might be nice. Bob said it would never catch on though.

Apart from a perfectly-timed Luke Taylor goalline clearance, there were not many opportunities but the first half had been surprisingly entertaining, even for the dynamic and demanding duo of Bob and Moira!

The second half, however was a cold affair. Once you stepped out of the sun's warmth and into the shade of the trees at the Car Park End, the temperature dropped.

At least the football kept the 'Siberian conditions' behind the goal at Bay.

 However, the match continued to engage. The Bay weren't losing anyway: an achievement in itself. Dan Lister looked particularly solid. His positioning was spot-on as each shot was perfectly handled and whenever he went walkabout, Taylor and co had his back and goal-line covered. There was excitement when Robinson was joined up front by Shanksy with Luke Salmon restored to the Bay's left wing. But the goal never came.. 

Whickham's defence was physical and no matter how many times Robo managed to wriggle a way through, there was always a Whickham arm, boot or leg ready to bring him down. 

In the end, we had to be contented with a clean sheet and a point. At least we hadn't lost, was the consolation.

14.9.19 - West Auckland (H)

The Bay had been unlucky, I heard. At Guisborough and Hebburn, they had lost by single goals with opposition goalkeepers performing miracles to keep them out. Today, against West Auckland, the Bay were going to win! West, on the same number of points, would be foiled by our influx of new signings from Norhallerton (Steven Hubery), Ashington (Scott Lowery) and Blyth (Craig Spooner).
In the last couple of weeks, Five new players had arrived to play for the Bay... and we'd lost three out of three. The worm could turn today? We could hope!

Fabulous photography provided
by the multi-talented Mr Programme Hall!

The sun was shining, it was short-sleeved weather and I was pleased to see Shanksy rewarded for his two goals with a place in the starting line up. There was some early hope but unfortunately new boy, Robinson, managed to get in the way of an early Lowery effort. Shanksy also weighed in with a couple of efforts. It was all going swimmingly then the inevitable happened. By the time half-time arrived, the Bay were 2-0 down, and cleared two efforts off the line. The Bay's best effort had been an almost-own-goal. There was too much head-shaking going on around the ground from the home faithful.
The two highlights so far had been, an x-files type cloud formation...

I want to believe!

... then the Bay clearance of the season, that ended up with the ball bouncing off the top of a floodlight. Hopefully, it didn't knock out any of the £500 bulbs or there might have to be a new fund set up to go with the new roof fund.

Into the second half, and West Auckland spoilt the afternoon by scoring. Shanksy didn't look happy when he was substituted for midfielder Orrell. It looked like it was damage limitation for the remaining 38 minutes.

Claire was not happy!

It was frustrating stuff for the players too, as my faithful camera took a swing.
Again, someone hadn't read the script, with most good things coming from the determined runs of our new Robinson, who was now showing some neat footwork. The lads suddenly woke up. Chances were being created!
Spooner's first effort was blocked but he managed to turn the rebound under the returning Tom Flynn's body.

Unfortunately, most guessed it was too little, too late. The game almost took an unexpected turn when Flynn's bar was left quivering before our ex-flying policeman had to soar smartly to his right to keep out a follow-up effort. His return to the Bay had sadly seen our former number one have a mostly quiet afternoon. It had indeed been too little too late.
We need to hope that last season's struggles aren't going to be repeated. Sadly, things don't seem to be going our way!

31.8.19 Barnoldswick Town (H) FA Vase QR1

Bay fans can't help get excited whenever the Vase comes around. The years of 2009-2011 are now just like the clouds that whizzed past Hillheads... dreamlike and out-of-reach. The eight years since have brought mediocrity, to put it mildly.
How many times have we failed to make the first round proper?
Last season's 6-0 hammering of Esh Winning was then followed by 2-1 defeat at Whickham and only 2017's mazy run to the 3rd round, and cruel defeat at West Auckland (4-3), has produced much excitement. "Pogo if you love the Bay"?
Today could be the start of something fantastic! Two new players had snuck into the Bay when I had been celebrating my 50th year: Midfielder Connor Smith (former Hartlepool, York and Whitby) and forward Mark Robinson (from Sunderland West End). I was also looking forward to the return of my old fave, Shanksy. The sun was shining... what more could you ask for?

The Boy Mark, not in his 50th year, had to do a double take when I pointed out the Blackburn Rovers flag stuck to the New Stand. It turned out to be owned by Tony, whose son, Ashley, was playing for Barnoldswick. He chatted to us for a quite a while about how he gets stick from theother, Burnley-leaning,  Town fans for his allegiance..

New programme and raffle shed.
courtesy of WBFC Twitter.

He also mentioned some of the initiatives the club are using to generate revenue. Something the Bay could maybe look into is printing less programmes and putting the programme online. He said that this meant the adverts in the programme gained maximum exposure and was extremely popular. could it work here? Apart from the fact that we have a shiny new programme hut, it might be worth considering. If nothing else it would reduce the demand for paper and give the Brazilian Government less reason to burn down the Rainforest... Oooh! Political banter!

The only burning I hoped to see today were from holes in the Town defence, and there looked to be good signs going forward with Robinson, McFarland and Smith Combining well. Hird was looking sharp and was unlucky when he rounded the keeper but his effort just failed to hit the mark.

However, the visitors gradually took control and the supply dried up to Brad and Mark. It was also no surprise when they took the lead, the futuristically-nmaed Zak Dale scoring low to Uncle Lister's right-hand post.
It was at this point, we first heard Tony and his friends. Their celebrations turned to a single song that they continued on and off for most of the match.

Myself, The Boy Mark, Bob, and Jane were not impressed. Moira didn't get the memo.

The corner crew hadn't even noticed as they contined to enjoy the final rays of summer sun.

Something was needed to get the lads going and Kerr, Stephenson and Shanksy were introduced. However, despite some improvement, the crowd of 308 were mostly disappointed to see the visitors extend their lead. Once again, it was future-boy Zak who scored from the tightest of angles.

Unfortunately, it had taken this second goal to wake the lads up and, driven on by some great runs from McFarlane, Ryan Livesey was being kept on his toes. Previously, the only things of note about him were that he wore the tightest shorts of the season and could well have been the lovechild of Les the Scientist, from Vic and Bob's Big Night Out.

Tightest shorts... for the ladies (and some gentlemen).

Les's lovechild?

Probably because of all this scrutiny, the leaning one was getting quite ratty with everyone and stopped being a friendly figure of fun. Shanksy was getting little service and was getting frustrated. He tried flicks that came to nothing...

...then he tried moaning, before finally coming up with the perfect header from his one decent cross to reduce the defecit. Two appearances and two goals. 

He's still not match fit but the signs are promising.

Feed the Shanks and he will score?

It certainly shut up the Town fan in the lime green jacket who had wandered behind 'our' goal, lovingly placed his drink down, ignored it, shouted their players' names a lot, annoyed us even more and lit up a cigarette. Pleased with his excursion, he picked up his pint and staggered off.

Sadly, it would be his team that came away with the win as the Bay ran out of time. Mark was not impressed. However, we shook hands with Tony before leaving him and his friends to enjoy their moment of glory.

Now we are out of both the FA Cup and FA Vase, will we see the player floodgates open as in previous years? Only time will tell, but surely getting out of this league was always going to be the priority?