9th September 2003

Attendance - 188

Team - Riches, Nicholson, Betts, Dixon, Reed, M.Swales, P.Campbell, Robinson, Ormerod, Burt, Veart Subs - McTiernan, Ure, O'Bern

Report by Andrew Snaith Whitby put a scintillating display in Greater Manchester on Tuesday night to clinch their first away win of the season. Harry Dunn’s side recovered from going a goal behind and losing their only goalkeeper in the first 20 minutes, to hammer home three goals in the last 20 minutes.
The Seasiders in all white, were completely unchanged from Wednesday’s victory over Gainsborough as the 4-4-2 formation got another run out. On a good moist level pitch it was the home side that were first out of the blocks as they moved the ball around effortlessly.
In the second minute, Jon Dyson nodded Thackeray’s pinpoint cross narrowly over the Whitby bar. With almost all the play in the Whitby half, keeper Mark Riches came to collect a delicate through ball but collided with Ashton’s Jamie Miller and appeared to jar his knee badly. The keeper hobbled off and had to be replaced, but with no goalkeeper on the bench, Harry Dunn had to send defender Mark Obern into the breach just 12 minutes into the game- Obern had never played in net before.
And the newcomer must’ve wished he’d taken the night off six minutes later, when the lively Steve Smith turned quickly and caught Obern off his line to lob the ball into the roof of the net from 25 yards.
The hosts almost doubled their lead within seconds of the restart, but Obern reacted superbly to tip over Dyson’s goalbound header. By now, Whitby had found their feet and were enjoying the excellent surface, playing some excellent flowing football but just missing that final touch with Ormerod and Swales coming close.
At the other end, Jason Dormer drove narrowly wide of the mark as the hosts adopted somewhat of a shoot on sight policy against the Yorkshiremen’s fledgling keeper.
On 38 minutes, Whitby kept up the pressure as Mark Swales cut in from the right and fired a fizzing shot straight at Trueman from 20 yards.
The half ended with Whitby forcing successive corners but to no avail, however, despite the scoreline many Blues fans were optimistic after witnessing easily the best half of football involving Town all season.
The second period kicked off with Ashton coming close to adding a second of their own as Dormer’s free-kick skimmed Obern’s crossbar at speed as it flew over the top.
Whitby continued to play good football with Veart running the midfield like a footballing mafia don. And on 71 minutes, the Yorkshiremen got their reward as a superb Graham Robinson through ball found Jamie Burt still with work to do, but a deft finish from the edge of the box totally wrongfooted keeper Trueman and skidded in the bottom right corner of the Ashton net.
Whitby had their equaliser but weren’t about to stop there. Joint top scorer last term Lee Ure replaced Anthony Ormerod with twelve minutes remaining.
The cavalry charge from the White Rose club continued and they took the lead on 85 minutes as Trueman spilled Veart’s cross and Betts squared for Paul Campbell to tap home from point blank range. The Seasiders were still not satisfied and netted a third with just two minutes left as Ure tried a speculative 25 yard drive that squirmed through Trueman’s hands and into the net to complete Ashton keeper’s personal nightmare.
At the final whistle, Whitby fans were left to reflect on a very impressive display with the visitors deserving a slice of luck simply for the excellent way they played their football. One touch passing all over the field was a joy to watch and it was the first real indication that they’re starting to gel as a team. It was certainly refreshing to see two teams determined to play quality passing football and everyone involved including both managers deserve enormous credit for putting on a tremendous advert for Unibond League Football. Bring on Marine.