North Riding Senior Cup

19th December 2007

Attendance - 140

Team - Campbell, Brumwell(Lyth 51), Gordon, Appleby, Tobin, Janes, Claisse(Adams 85), Ormerod, Gildea(Burton 70), Thompson, Charlton. Subs not used: A Raw, Calvert.

Report - from www.whitbygazette.co.uk WHITBY Town will take on Premiership Middlesbrough in the last four of the North Riding Senior Cup.
The Blues booked the tie, which is yet to be arranged, after second half goals from Ant Ormerod and Tom Claisse on Wednesday night saw off spirited Teesside Athletic.

Whitby had an early chance on five minutes when a great defence splitter put Karl Charlton through and, despite the close attentions of two opponents, blazed well over the top.

Athletic were up for fight and could have opened the scoring themselves when Callum Revely burst up the right and squared for Steve Thompson.

But Blues' player-boss Phil Brumwell, making his 100th appearance for the club, got in enough of a challenge to take the sting out of the shot.

Charlton again was given an opportunity to score after being sent up the left by Ormerod's superb pass.

Keeper Dale Robinson, who had come well off his line, managed to get a hand to the winger's lob and then reacted quickly to smother the rebound.

Both sides were resorting to shots from distance with varying levels of success, with Whitby's ex-Crystal Palace defender Dean Gordon particularly keen to pull the trigger.

The Wearside League outfit should have grabbed the lead nine minutes before half-time.

Billie Millington's neat pass found Thompson in space on the left side of the box but he pulled the shot wide with just Campbell to beat.

A slow start to the second half saw the otherwise impressive Charlton squander another decent chance, having done well to create himself some room in the crowded area before firing wide.

But Whitby finally showed their superiority on 57 minutes with an emphatic finish.

Charlton's precise left-wing cross was expertly tucked home first time by Ormerod, giving Robinson no chance.

Skipper Matty Appleby almost doubled the lead from a free-kick which curled just inches the wrong side of the far post.

Athletic were let off the hook again moments later as a superb probing pass from man of the match Gordon was met first time by Ormerod, whose shot flashed inches wide.

But the pressure soon told as the Blues effectively killed off the tie with 20 minutes remaining.

The Blues' shoot-from-anywhere policy paid off as a weak headed clearance found midfielder Tom Claisse to power home a swerving drive from 25 yards.

Ormerod should have scored his second but headed another great Charlton cross over the top when well placed.

Redcar-based Athletic tried to salvage a late consolation through sub Dominic Tokarski but his 20-yarder slid just wide.