UniBond Premier Division

17th April 2004

Attendance - 379

Team - D Campbell, Reed, Veart, Linighan, L Gildea(Sheeran 74), Dixon, McTiernan(Johnson 35), A Gildea, Ormerod, Nicholson, P Campbell. Sub not used: Williams.

Report - A disputed injury-time decision marred this Conference North promotion six-pointer at the Turnbull Ground on Saturday. It was Unibond Family Fun Day over the weekend, and this five-goal thriller provided plenty of entertainment, though a supposed goal-line clearence in the final minute spoilt the fun for many of the 379 crowd.
Whitby welcomed back former England Youth forward Anthony Ormerod from injury, with teenager Liam Gildea returning to the fold. Striker Mark Sheeran dropped to the bench, with defender Tony Hall beginning a suspension.
Amid bright sunshine, the match kicked off with 13th placed Altrincham holding a one-point lead over the Blues in 14th. Within seconds, Gary Scott had rattled the outside of Dave Campbell’s post for the visitors, albeit after the offside flag was raised. However, it was to be a sign of things to come as Scott’s through ball on six minutes released the lively Kieran Lugsden, who was upended by Campbell as he rounded the Blues keeper. Referee Mr West had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot, and former Tranmere Rovers full-back Steve Aspinall had no hesitation in finding the back of the net for the opening goal. Campbell was lucky to escape with a booking, especially as Whitby had no replacement on the bench.
The Blues fought back and should have levelled on ten minutes when Scott Nicholson’s flick on released Ormerod, whose seemingly goal-bound 18 yard chip dropped agonisingly wide of Stuart Coburn’s right hand post, with the Altrincham keeper completely stranded.
Within moments, Whitby again could’ve equalised when Nicholson was sent sprawling and Paul Campbell poked the loose ball over from point blank range in a crowded Altrincham box. A good passing move saw Nicholson come close, before the visitors struck on the break, to leave the hosts’ promotion hopes in tatters.
With only 14 minutes on the clock, a hopeful punt forward was missed by Whitby’s Dave McTiernan who kicked thin air, allowing Peter Band to hammer an unstoppable half volley past Campbell from close range for 2-0.
Whitby had a real let off on 32 minutes as the Robins could’ve wrapped things up when the Blues defence was left standing but substitute Marcus Hallows conspired to drive over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
Harry Dunn introduced striker Steve Johnson for the out of sorts McTiernan, with Nicholson dropping back to add some midfield bite. Liam Gildea came close with a mazy run on 38 minutes, and Nicholson headed over a Craig Veart corner.
Whitby hit back with perfect timing as half-time beckoned, albeit in controversial fashion. Adam Reed’s right wing cross was flicked on by Ormerod via an Altrincham defender for Nicholson to head into the top right corner past Coburn, only for the linesman on the far side of the pitch to flag the former Tow Law man offside. Mr West was on the spot to quite fairly overrule the decision and correctly award the goal, to send the Blues into the break, just one goal behind.
Whitby began the second half as they ended the first, pushing forward with their league status in the balance. The Blues were beginning to play the ball to feet and utilise the full width of the field and got their reward within ten minutes of the restart.
Paul Campbell was fed by Ormerod inside the visitors’ six yard box, where he collided with Wright, who had no intention of playing the ball in the referee’s opinion- penalty. Craig Veart- 100% from the spot, and top scorer with eleven goals so far this season, carefully replaced the ball after a gust of wind blew it forward, before rifling home for goal number twelve, 2-2. Game on. The Blues kept pushing forward and had the sizable visiting contingent, some decked out in navy uniform biting their nails as the incisive passing play continued at the Upgang Lane End.
However, Altrincham got a break in play and within four minutes of being pegged back, somehow regained the lead after a trademark defensive lapse from a set piece. Steve Aspinall floated over a free-kick from a seemingly innocuous position 40 yards from goal, where Mark Maddox rose well to flick on and find Hallows completely unmarked at the far post. The substitute had plenty of time to control the awkward bounce on the ball and slot past Campbell from point blank range for 3-2 Altrincham.
The visitors now wrested the advantage with Hallows firing wide after good work from Scott and sub Matt Bailey on 70 minutes. Moments later, Bailey went down holding his back and Band tangled with Nicholson, ending up on the ground himself; the visitors’ physio a busy man as he sprinted between the two casualties.
Sheeran replaced Liam Gildea for the last fifteen minutes as Whitby’s last throw of the dice. But it was the away side who looked much more threatening and Blues keeper Campbell did well to tip Ian Craney’s deflected 20 yard drive round his right hand post at full stretch. Within seconds, Hallows should’ve won the game for Altrincham but the former Irish League striker conspired to poke over the top from a yard out after Bailey’s speculative side-volley across goal.
The Blues gathered themselves for an all-out push in the final ten minutes. Skipper Ben Dixon was inspirational, surging forward from defence, beating three men to set up the first of a succession of Whitby corners. With Linighan and Dixon causing all sorts of problems, Nicholson was unlucky to miss-hit a bicycle kick at the far post after sustained Whitby pressure with two minutes remaining.
But despite the Blues insatiable forward play, it was the men from Greater Manchester who should’ve put the result beyond doubt in the 90th minute when Aspinall, Hallows and Wright combined to free Bailey, who was unlucky to curl against the corner of the Whitby bar with Campbell beaten.
To their credit, Altrincham resisted the temptation to waste time dancing around the corner flags at the Whitby end, but this afforded the Blues one last chance as they built patiently from the back. Finally, they worked the ball wide on the right to Adam Reed whose deep cross found Sheeran completely unmarked, the former Darlington man headed goalwards, only for Coburn and Wright on the line to combine and clear. However, the side of the net appeared to bulge, and Whitby players surrounded the referee, who after consulting the same linesman involved in Whitby’s first goal, confirmed play would continue. Craney had a chance at the other end right at the death to add a killer fourth goal, but the majority of the crowd still raged at the linesmen for his failure to keep up with play. The same official ruled out a Whitby goal just three weeks earlier, when clearly onside, the Blues went onto to lose that match 1-0 and many in the ground were reminding the Hull man as final whistle sounded and the pitch emptied. As it happens, results went against Whitby and a draw would’ve been scant consolation, but the debate will still roll on, as will the Blues league campaign.