Penrith vs Birtley Town

Recap

It was another game of two halves as Birtley claimed their first point of the season with a 2-2 draw at Penrith. 

Kyle Wharton and Reece Harrison made their first appearances of the season as they replaced Lewis Exley and Sam Dinsley. The first opportunity of the game fell to Jake Stafford, his cross/shot narrowly evading both the far post and Matty Ward.

Penrith started to dominate the game after the opening exchanges with Birtley struggling to find any real rhythm or pattern. Matthew Story should have put the hosts ahead as he mistimed his header at the far post. 

Jake Stafford was given a sin bin for dissent on 17 minutes and that proved costly for The Hoops. Despite going down to ten men, Birtley had a huge call for a penalty waved away as Scott Heslop was brought down in the area.

The hosts stepped up a gear with Birtley still a man down and Luke Hunter popped up to open the scoring on 26 minutes. Luke Brown won possession in midfield before threading a pass through to Hunter who accelerated beyond the Birtley back line to neatly finish. 

It was Hunter who doubled Penrith’s lead on 32 minutes as he was left unmarked in the area and easily tucked away Luke Brown’s cross. 

Half-Time | Penrith 2-0 Birtley Town

Birtley responded well to their half-time team talk and made two early changes in the second period. Ethan Bewley and Sam Dinsley were introduced and it was Bewley who made an instant impact. Bewley found himself played in just to the right of the box on 58 minutes and he lashed a low cross across the goal that was helped in by Scott Heslop to reduce the arrears.

Decklan Greenwood had to be alert to prevent an instant reply from the hosts as Birtley went in search of an equaliser. That came in the 74th minute as Bewley controlled the ball in the area, swivelled and forced a good save from Randall as James Proctor reacted quickest to force home the second goal. 

Both sides went on the lookout for a winner but it was Birtley who created the best opening. Reece Harrison delivered a beautiful cross that was met with a late run from Kyle Wharton, the Birtley man unable to keep his effort on target.

At the other end, Greenwood once against prevented Hunter from scoring his third of the evening. The referee waved away late calls from Birtley for a penalty for handball but the final whistle was blown and The Hoops were applauded off the field for their second half comeback. 

Full-Time | Penrith 2-2 Birtley Town

Attendance – 209

A healthy traveling support of around 30 Birtley supporters with some using summer holidays in the Lake District as an opportunity to pop to one of our furthest fixtures of the season. A special mention to those who travelled from the North-East and were subject to road diversions from Brough to Chester-le-Street!

Player of the Match – Ethan Bewley

H2H vs Penrith (at Penrith)
P3 W2 D0 L1 GF8 GA8

Next up…

The FA Cup returns to The Arrowmark Home Improvements Stadium as Birtley host Beverley Town in a 3pm kick-off.