Vase legends kept at Bay as Lang Jacks win

Action from Whickham’s FA Vase victory over Whitley Bay WHICKHAM came out on top in the battle of the former FA Vase winners as they sneaked past Whitley Bay with a 2-1 win at the Glebe.

The 1981 winners progressed into the first round of the competition for a second consecutive season as an own goal from Bay defender Luke Taylor proved the difference between the two sides.

A lively opening to the game saw both sides create chances in the first five minutes.

It was the visitors that tried their luck first, as Peter Glen-Ravenhill snubbed the chance to pass to an unmarked Jack Foalle, before chipping into the arms of Whickham keeper Joe Clayton.

The Lang Jacks hit straight back with a chance of their own as former Vase winner Andrew Bulford raced in behind the Whitley defence, but dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Those two chances offered false hope that the first half would be laden with goalscoring opportunities.

There was plenty of endeavour shown by both sides, but little in the way of action in either attacking third until midway through the half when in-form Bay striker Jack Foalle sent a speculative volley just over the crossbar from 20 yards.

That opportunity signalled the start of sustained pressure from the visitors and Foalle was at the heart of the action as he wasted two chances in quick succession either side of the half-hour mark.

But his persistence finally paid off as the former Bedlington Terriers