Whitehaven were involved in an entertaining end-to-end West Lancashire League game at the County Ground – but finished on the wrong-end of a 4-0 scoreline.
Tempest United went away with the points after giving their hosts a lesson in how to take chances!
Jon Karl Benson, the Whitehaven manager, said: “It wasn’t a 4-0 game, but in the same breath it’s been the story of our season through not being clinical or decisive enough in the final third. If you don’t score enough you don’t win games.
“Our general play was good and there lots of positives to take out of the game and in spells I think it was as good as we’ve played. Kian Goulding and Callum Oswald driving forward from midfield was a joy to watch.
“Travis Fyfe was dangerous on the ball again and there was good link-up play from Owen Woodburn. In fact I honestly couldn’t say there was a player who had a bad game.
“We can make excuses and say we are a young, developing side with two 17-year-olds on the bench but some of these lads have played a lot of West Lancs games now so we need to start being better at things in our opponent’s half if we want to break into that top eight.
“Credit to Tempest they were absolutely ruthless where it mattered. They probably only has five chances and converted four of them and their striker Sam Parkinson is as good as there is in this League – big, strong, quick and experienced.”
It was Parkinson who opened the scoring on 32 minutes with a brilliant strike out of nothing after an even opening half an hour. It was still pretty well balanced until the 44th minute when Haven gave away a sloppy free-kick on the edge of the box.
From it Tom Booth poked the ball past home keeper Aaron Carter for the second Tempest goal.
Benson said: “It was frustrating because we were more than in the game, but going in at half-time 2-0 down was a killer for us. Game management and bad decision making proved very costly.”
The second-half was much of the same with Haven playing out from the back like an accomplished West Lancs side, but again they fell short in the final third with either a tame shot, a cross that never beat the first man or Tempest clearing all the corners as their height advantage was a telling factor.
On 56 minutes Parkinson scored his 24th goal of the season when he slotted home his 24th goal of the season. The fourth goal came seven minutes later when Oli Grocock scored with a spectacular overhead kick.
“Tempest’s League position doesn’t do them justice as they are one of the top three teams we’ve faced this season. But killer instinct inside the 18-yard box was the main difference between the two sides,” said Benson.
Whitehaven finish the season with three away games and will be blooding some of their younger players as part of their development.
