NRSC

20th January 2010

Attendance - 379

Team - D Campbell, Leeson, A Gildea, Hussan (L Gildea - 63), Burgess, Hanson, Dalton (Charlton - 72 then Ingram 79), Hackworth, A Campbell, Beadle, Scott Subs not used: Lyth, Yale

Report - by Andy Baxter - After 5 weeks of no football for Whitby Town, it was always on the cards that it would be a game most likely to below the usual par and if anyone was going to score for Scarborough, it would undoubtedly be Ryan Blott, released earlier in the season by Whitby Town.

It was the visitors who sprung from the blocks first when straight from kick off, Scott Phillips ran at the home defense and was allowed to shoot unchallenged, inches past the post. The visitors continued to dominate the early exchanges and an over zealous challenge from Kevin Burgess on Phillips, some 25 yards out, saw the Whitby player make an early entry into the referee's book.

But moments later, Phillips found himself in referee Matthew Dicocco's book for an untimely tackle on Andrew Leeson. It took until the 18th minute before Whitby had their first opportunity when Andy Campbell laid the ball off to Alex Gildea, who's low cross should have been dealt with better by the unmarked Jimmy Beadle, who unceremoniously fell over rather than connect with the ball.

Whitby then started to come into the game, and some nice interchange play saw Beadle make amends for his earlier miss by striking a shot which forced Scarborough keeper, Aaron Reid, tip the ball over his bar. But the resultant corner and play ended with Whitby taking the lead after Hackworth side footed home from 7 yards.

With 27 mins on the clock, Alex Gildea and Robert Northern were shown the yellow card for tussling after the ball had gone and throughout the match, the rivalry between the two teams resulted far too often in gangs of players retaliating after tackles. However, the visitors continued to push for an equaliser and as predicted, it was Blott who leveled the score after Burgess gave him a late Christmas present, casually heading an unchallenged ball across his own area to the unmarked Scarborough striker, who accepted the gift by smashing it past the beaten Campbell in the Whitby goal.

Scarborough nearly scored at the start of the game and at the start of the second half, Whitby nearly did the same as a sudden rush forward allowed Ged Dalton to pass to Jimmy Beadle, but his calmly hit side foot effort rebounded back off the visitors crossbar with less than 15 seconds gone.

Then on 51 minutes, a stomp on a Whitby player from Scarborough's David Ricardo saw him receive a straight red card and after a jury of 21 other players retreated from the action, the referee also awarded a yellow card to Leon Scott for his retaliation.

Whitby's next chance fell in the 57th minute when a corner reached the off form Andy Campbell at the back of the box, but his thundering shot flew yards over the bar. Beadle then found Alex Gildea but his shot also went woefully wide.

After 63 minutes, Manager Harry Dunn, felt a change was needed and introduced Liam Gildea for Ibrahim Hussan to bolster Whitby's one man advantage. However, Whitby continued to play as if they needed to walk the ball into the net rather than take early chances and it was only Alex Gildea's well hit shot which again crashed against the bar, that broke up this sluggish play which was starting to frustrate many of the home supporters. Ged Dalton was then replaced by the speedy Karl Charlton but he wasn't to feature for long as following Kevin Burgess holding back a player, referee Dicicco had no hesitation in giving Burgess his second yellow and resultant red card. With both teams now at 10 a side, Dunn then replaced Charlton, who had only been on the park for 7 mins, with Denny Ingram, which he said after the game was purely to strengthen Whitby at the back with them losing a man.

With only 5 minutes left, Scarborough could have snatched the game when a free kick found the head of substitute Craig Hogg, for the ball to go inches over the bar and in the final seconds of the 3 minutes added time, another Hogg effort forced a full stretch save from Whitby keeper, David Campbell.

Honours even after 90 minutes, the dreaded penalties took place and even though Whitby went 2-0 up after the first 2 penalties, they then proceeded to miss the next 3 whilst the visitors netted theirs to run out overall winners 4-3 after the penalties.

After the game manager, Harry Dunn, said "we had a poor start, but eventually got back into the game, and their keeper pulled off a few good saves. It was disappointing to lose on penalties as we created a few chances, hitting the bar twice and the post in the penalties, but to be honest, we had some sloppy passing and like we did in the game against Kings Lynn, our players wanted 4 touches when 3 would have done. We had the chances and we should have killed them off"

Dunn also confirmed that after the game, with so many matches to now fit in during a short period, he needed to bring in players to act as cover. Therefore, goalkeeper, Ben Eskritt has signed to become Whitby's No 2 keeper and veteran ex Whitby player Graham Robinson, will soon be making a return to the squad.