Recap

Oscar Fletcher’s first half goal made the difference as Redcar Athletic outfought Whitley Bay on a bitter evening at Hillheads Park.

The midfielder ghosted into the box to turn home Adam Boyes’ tidy lay off with less than half an hour on the clock.

Whitley Bay showed more fight when play resumed for the second half, but Redcar worked exceptionally well to control the game to a satisfying end.

Carl Jarrett made a lone change to the team which beat Guisborough Town on Saturday afternoon, opting for Bradley Fewster as the replacement for a missing Chay Liddle.

Redcar peppered the Seahorses’ net from minute one through ninety, perhaps unfortunate not to lead after but seven.

Bryan Taylor fed Adam Boyes with a delightful ball down the left channel, the forward stretching to glance his effort off the upright.

Bradley Fewster turned a well-worked move into the side-netting before lofting a header over the bar. Oscar Fletcher was the first to test Dan Gladstone with two identical attempts to find the far corner.

A dead ball situation offered Craig Gott a chance to step out from defence, his driven effort well stopped by a sprawling Gladstone.

Constant pressure eventually paid off when Adam Boyes slipped the play through to Oscar Fletcher, his well-timed run rewarded with a simple finish.

The midfielder attempted to turn provider before the half was up, slotting Callum Guy through on goal with Gladstone’s outstretched leg in his way.

Josh Mazfari had a lone save to make, remaining relatively unchallenged having denied Mikel Thompson’s deflected drive seconds from the restart.

That wasn’t to say Whitley Bay had little of the ball. The Seahorses grew into the game as time ebbed away but found a red shirt in their path at almost every turn.

Danni Lay opened Redcar’s account of missed efforts in the second half. He found himself the target of two successive corner deliveries, one effort fended behind, the other simply nodded wide.

The defender wasn’t the only one to miss the target. Mark Anderson three times took aim from deep, each getting closer, but to no avail.

Redcar’s last concrete chance came through Callum Guy, slipped through on goal by Mark Anderson, but again denied by the outstretched leg of Dan Gladstone.

Steelmen: Mazfari, Guru, Taylor, Griffiths, Gott, Lay, Guy, Anderson, Boyes, Fletcher, Fewster

Goal Scorer: Oscar Fletcher (27’)

Next Match: Crook Town (a) | Saturday 25 January 2025