Whitehaven bounced back from their disappointing Bank Holiday weekend with a 6-1 demolition of Hebburn Town in a mainly one-sided affair at the Focus Scaffolding Sports Complex.

They pressed forward from the first whistle and had two chances to score in the opening five minutes when Kev Connelly fired weakly at visiting 'keeper Swann and Robert Fowler saw his lob sit on top of the net. 

Graeme Lilly then hit the angle from a corner with Swann looking on before Mark Brocklehurst headed Hebburn's opening effort over the bar.

Mally Holliday then opened the scoring for Whitehaven on 16 minutes when he fired home a clearance from a corner kick.

The deflection from Kevin Law wrong-footed Swann, and the ball trickled over the line to put 'Haven one up.

There was nothing fortunate about Whitehaven's second, however, as Craig Robson surged into the box and planted an accurate shot into the far corner of the net.

It was all Whitehaven now, and Fowler saw his shot hit the post and bounce away to safety. He was then involved in a four-man move which saw Connelly bring a super save from Swann just before half-time.

Following the break Hebburn had their best spell of the match and home 'keeper Brian Miller had to make an excellent one-handed save to keep-out Billy Crew's snapshot.

Gavin Doorward then fired a free kick over the bar from a good position when skipper Holliday upended Crew on the edge of the box.

Haven made them pay by going straight down the field from the resulting goal kick and scoring. David Dustin unselfishly played in Darren Donald for a tap-in.

Donald again brought Swann into action on 58 minutes when his fierce drive was touched on to the bar, but the relief was short lived as Connelly was brought down from behind by Daniel Gray on the hour to present Whitehaven with a penalty kick.

Lee Dixon blasted it over the bar, but Gray was sent from the field as a result of the foul.

The introduction of Mike Farrer brought no respite for the visitors and his pace worried an overworked Hebburn defence. 

But the impressive Brocklehurst made the most of his chance on 75 minutes when he turned a Crew centre home for a Hebburn consolation, but exactly a minute later Farrer prodded his side’s fourth goal home following good work from Dixon.

Robson got his second shortly afterwards as the visitors tired, and Stephen Hewitt completed the rout on 87 minutes scoring from close range.

"I'm very pleased with the result and the club has had a very good week-end because John George was back with us and everyone connected with the club was delighted to see him," said manager Martin Harris.

Next week sees Whitehaven travel to Marske Utd in what should prove to be one of the games of the week-end.  Marske have made a good start to the season and lie one place below Whitehaven in the League.

Gillford Park, who are new to the Northern League this season, have struggled since their promotion from the Northern Alliance and slipped to their sixth defeat when they went down 4-0 t Crook Town.

That victory put Crook in fifth place just behind Whitehaven and Marske with matches in hand of both.

Gillford Park are sixth bottom but have played more games than all the five teams below them.

Gavin Barton was the hero for Crook as he had grabbed a hat-trick inside an hour while Darren Kokes scored the other.

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