In many respects this game was similar to Friday's fixture at West Allotment with Whitley dominating play but failing to put the ball in the net.

Tow Law went into the game on a good run of form and with a chance of finishing the season in third place.

Many Bay fans were surprised to see the game going ahead after the recent wintry weather but the snow which was lying several inches deep on the pitch the previous day had almost all melted but the playing surface was inevitably in rather poor condition.

With Terry Burke unavailable and Tom Kindley injured Whitley fielded their third goalkeeper in four games, Rob McLean coming into the side for only his second appearance.

There was not much to choose between the sides early on, but after a Paul Robinson free kick on the edge of the area came to nothing, the Lawyers made the breakthrough in the 16th minute when Alex Benjamin rounded off a good move by heading home at the near post from a left wing cross.

Whitley's response was good and when Chris Moore attacked down the wing, he was tripped on the right hand side of the penalty area and despite protests from the home defence, the referee awarded a penalty.

Lee Kerr stepped up to take the kick with fans anticipating that this would his 100th goal for the club.

However, his kick was poorly directed and keeper Norton made a comfortable save.

This set the trend for the remainder of the game and with 30 minutes gone, Kerr was put through on goal but shot straight at the keeper.

Shortly before the interval, Paul Chow broke away on the right but his cross into the goalmouth was just too high for Mark Minto.

Tow Law then broke away and might have doubled their lead but with only McLean to beat, the ball was fired wide of goal.

Whitley continued to have the majority of possession after half time and Moore's cross found Kerr whose shot was blocked.

Paul Robinson played a corner short to Brian Rowe whose cross into the six yard box was headed just past the far post by Brian Smith.

Moments later, Norton made a great diving save to push a powerful shot from Robinson round the post.

Whitley did eventually get the ball in the Tow Law net after 63 minutes but Paul Chow's effort was ruled offside.

The Lawyers were defending well but Whitley continued to push forward in search of an equaliser but it would not come.

Another effort from Smith went wide while Chow and Kerr both sae efforts blocked.

With Whitley throwing more men forward, the Lawyers almost caught them on the break and it took a point blank save from McLean midway through the half to keep Whitley in with a chance of rescuing a point.

Despite three substitutions, Whitley could not break down a determined home side and the final whistle saw the championship finally taken from their grasp as a result of this second successive defeat.

Wghitley Bay: McLean, Rowe, Minto (Picton 58 mins), Smith, Coulson, Graham (C Bell 73 mins), Moore, Robson, Kerr, Chow, Robinson (Dugdale 73 mins).

Whitley now face a battle to hold on to the runners-up spot as they continue their gruelling end of season programme with two more games in the next four days.

While supporters will inevitably be disappointed with this dip in form, the congested end of season fixture list is the price that Whitley have to pay for their successful FA Vase run.