Whitley Bay 1 v Consett AFC 0 - Northern League Division One

And so it came to pass, that on this bright (bright), bright (bright), sunshiny day... I found myself in the thriving epicentre of all civilisation itself... or Whitley Bay as it's sometimes called.
On arriving at this popular north-east resort, I had time for a brisk walk down to the seafront to take in the views and a few lungs full of the healthy sea air.
Though it was only lunchtime there was already a four team beach football kick about tournament in full flow, but I won't be counting that in my games for 2009-10 games total... I only usually get that mercenary with my number-crunching towards the end of the season.
Just a hundred yards from the Promenade stands a pub venue called the Trojan Rooms, named after that record label whose famous and iconic Trojan head logo I have tattooed upon my torso... and the premises are painted in the maroon and white colours of Heart of Midlothian FC. How cool is that on so many levels!?

I'm under no illusions that the night life in Whitley Bay isn't anything other than a little bit scary at times, but for the afternoon session the hens and stags were all having a chilled out time in a multitude of beer gardens, basking in the sunshine and trying to avoid making eye contact with whichever troglodyte it was that they woke up next to this morning, after a heavy and ultimately regrettable dalliance last night. 
I'd wager anything that it probably gets a bit messy around the midnight hour round these parts, but though I've been partial to the odd zombie apocalypse in my time... I'll be well away by the hour that this sun-drenched haven of tranquillity morphs into a pit of debauchery and depravity.

The sign says it all.

Last season Whitley Bay won the F.A. Vase Final at Wembley Stadium against Glossop North End, who they beat 2-0 thanks to first-half goals from Paul Chow and Lee Kerr.
To date, Whitley Bay have won the Vase twice, the previous occasion being at the end of the 2001-02 season, when they beat Tiptree Town 1-0 (at Villa Park)... it's an achievement that the club and the locals are justifiably very proud of.

You don't have to look too far to spot some kind of tribute commemorating the momentous occasion.

Even boarded up retail premises in the town centre have embraced an upbeat, positive, eye-catching and celebratory appearance.

The Last Orders public house

And here it is, stood proudly on display on the edge of the pitch near to where you enter the ground (unless you are one of the cheapskates who nips in for nowt' through the wood yard at the other end of the main stand). 

They moved it before kick off.

Future generations of 'Bay watchers' enjoy an impromptu kick-about, perilously close to the Vase trophy.

Saturday 8th August 2009
Northern League Division One
Hillheads Park, Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay (0) 1
Lee Kerr 61
Consett AFC (0) 0
Attendance: 495
Admission £5, Programme £1 (free team sheet)

AWA' the lads!

Consett lost on their last visit to Hillheads, subsequently it cost them the league title and allowed Newcastle Benfield to take advantage of their slip at the final hurdle and snatch the championship with a win at Penrith a few days later.
Besides winning the Vase (had I already mentioned that?) Whitley Bay finished the 2008-09 campaign one place behind Consett, meaning an eagerly anticipated top drawer game was in prospect today and the near 500 crowd who turned out weren't to be disappointed.
In the first half Consett started like a team with a point to prove. If they are to finish one better than last season they are going to need to get off to a flying start and it certainly looked like the visitors were the team most likely to take all three points this afternoon; well, during the first half at least.

Chance after chance went begging as Consett players seemingly queued up to take it in turns to bridge Bay's defences and start the flow of goals that looked inevitable. Adam Emson was a constant thorn in hosts side.
But despite having the bulk of play and putting in no end of effort and endeavour, there was no end result and at half time the game remained goal-less.
In the second half Emson looked as though he was switched to role wide on the left, his supply of chances were still the main threat but the home side had stepped up to the oche to take aim now and were making a proper game of it. They had found the way to unlock Consett's defence too... not exactly direct football but a string pf well timed precision passes both over and through the back four for their strikers to run onto.
On 61 minutes Chris Moore ran on to such a forward pass and from outside the box he 'dinked' the ball over Daniel Staples in the Consett goal who was beaten all ends up, but the ball bounced on the edge of the six yard box and agonisingly came back off the crossbar. Lee Kerr, like all good goal poachers should, was following the ball in lashed the ball home from an awkward angle.
For having both the nous to not give up the chase and the technique to whack the ball home so accurately, one could almost forgive him for wearing those truly ghastly orange boots he had on ... almost!
'Dinked' might not appear in the Collins English Dictionary by the way, but I'll be getting a petition up to rectify it's omission as soon as I get home.

"And a Wembley 2009 rosette with onions please"

Both teams were hunting for another goal, with one trying to pull level while the other went in search of a further strike to finish the game off, it was an enthralling contest and a great advert for the Northern League.It was a shame someone had to be on the losing side. but perhaps fitting that Whitley Bay won the day to mark their homecoming from WEmbley with their prestigious silverware.
FT: Whitley Bay 1 v Consett AFC 0