Last 5 minutes deny Whitley Bay & Tyne

On Saturday Whitley Bay travelled to North Premier League leaders Leeds HC, with a depleted squad due to injuries. In a very close affair Whitley Bay had all 3 points in the bag right up to the final 5min, when they had their hearts broken with a brace of last minute goals, losing 2-1.

Leeds pressed hard from the off and tried to use their larger squad to run to Whitley Bay into the ground. Whitley Bay stuck with hitting Leeds on the counter attack and nearly took a surprise lead when Chris Traynor struck a reverse stick shot from the angle, which was saved narrowly wide. Although Leeds dominated possession the first half was an even affair as both teams won penalty corners and had chances to take the lead. However it was Whitley Bay that took the lead going into half time; Jonathan Stoddart putting away a rebound off the keepers pads, from a penalty corner.

The second half was a different game as Leeds heavily dominated the possession as they pinned Whitley Bay into their own half. Leeds won a series a penalty corners but found each drag-flick either off target or chased down by the runners. As the Yorkshire men became more and more frustrated as they're dominance came to nothing, Whitley Bay had two great chances to extend their lead. The best of the bunch fell to Hector Hall, but his first time shot just drifted narrowly wide of the Leeds goal.
With 5min remaining on the clock, Whitley Bay's captain Jervis Fleming was sin binned for a foul in Whitley's 25yard area. The resulting penalty corner broke the Northerners hearts as Leeds drew level; the ball crawling in the corner of the goal from a miss-trapped drag-flick. If things couldn't get worse 1min later Leeds had taken the lead. A steal in the middle of the pitch allowed Leeds to quickly counter attack and penetrate the Whitley Bay "D". Goalkeeper Jordan Thompson was only able parry the first shot from a tight angle but the ball fell kindly into the centre of the goal and was tapped in from close range by a Leeds forward.

Fortunately other scores went Whitley Bays way and they are still in the chase for 2nd spot. They can take away some positives from a good performance, with limited resources, as they ready themselves to host Chester HC next Saturday.