Hebburn Town 1-2 Whitley Bay: Bay complete second-half turnaround to defeat Hornets

A second-half turnaround gave Whitley Bay a 2-1 victory away to Hebburn Town in the Northern League.

Graeme Armstrong gave the Hornets the lead in the 34th minute and they headed into half-time a goal up.

Whitley Bay levelled in the 52nd minute through Lewis Orrell and substitute Bradley Hird gave the Bay the advantage in the 67th minute.

Hebburn went into the game needing to reverse a run of three consecutive league defeats and four winless matches.

And the home side started the half on the front foot, Michael Richardson breaking through on the end of Ben Dibb-Fuller’s through ball in the 12th minute but his one-on-one was straight at Dan Lister.

Danny Carson released a good low strike from distance towards the right corner in the 26th minute but Lister got down to make a good save.

The pressure finally paid off when Richardson whipped in a good cross from deep and Armstrong raced onto the end of it to divert home with a deft touch.

Whitley Bay got level early in the second half when Orrell poked into an open goal on the rebound after Michael Colquhoun saw his close-range shot saved.

The Bay rallied following their equaliser and former Hebburn man Lee Kerr released a great strike from distance in the 59th minute which came off the underside of the bar and forced debutant Hebburn ‘keeper Mark Foden into an excellent save.

Colquhoun capitalised on a mistake at the back in the 66th minute to get on the end of Lister’s long ball but Foden was equal to his one-on-one effort.

And the visitors were ahead moments later when Hird smashed into the right corner from outside the box.

The Hornets mounted a late onslaught, Dibb-Fuller going close with two strikes from distance, hitting the bar and forcing Lister into a good save.

Olly Martin delivered a great cross to Robbie Spence in the 91st minute whose on-target header forced Lister into another save.

James Proctor saw red with a minute of added time to play but still the Hornets were frustrated in their search for an equaliser.

The defeat was the second time that Hebburn have lost after leading at half-time in two games after the weekend’s defeat to Billingham Town.

They will look to get back on track on Saturday when they face Bishop Auckland at home.

Hebburn Town: Foden; Carson, Donaghy, Storey, Lough; Spence, McKeown; Dibb-Fuller, Richardson (Sullivan, 83), O. Martin; Armstrong;

Subs (not used): Wright, Suddick, Carmichael;

Whitley Bay: Lister, Smith, Taylor, Lowery, J. Martin; Orrell (Bexton, 73), Anderson, Kerr, Martindale (Hird, 62); Robinson, Colquhoun (Proctor, 83);

Subs (not used): Davison, Salmon;