UniBond Premier Division

25th February 2006

Attendance -

Team - Campbell, Atkinson, Veart, Farthing, Brumwell, Richards, McTiernan(Barber 73), Nicholson, Blott(Raw 60), Brunskill, Ormerod. Sub not used: Escritt.

Report - Whitby suffered their first league defeat since the turn of the year at a windswept Ashton United on Saturday. However, fifth-placed Farsley Celtic’s defeat at AFC Telford meant the Blues remain ten points from a play-off place with two games in hand, though rivals Matlock Town and Witton Albion both won to enhance their campaigns.

Manager Dave Logan was down to the bare bones of his Blues squad with defender Aron Wilford suffering from tonsillitis, on-loan local lad Chris Batchelor called back to Scarborough, Mark Eccles and Ben Escritt still injured and Graham Robinson unavailable.

It meant a return for fit-again Karl Richards, who missed last week’s draw with Bradford due to an injury suffered in the pre-match warm-up, with Phil Brumwell covering for Wilford at the back.

Amid difficult conditions with a swirling wind and bright sunshine to unsettle Whitby’s cap-wearing keeper Dave Campbell, it was the hosts who struck first out of nothing. Former Altrincham defender Terry Bowker executed an optimistic looking lob from fully 30 yards that seemed to be heading way over the top, only for the swirling breeze to deceive the back-pedalling Campbell and cause the ball to drop perfectly under the crossbar for 1-0.

Up until then, neither side had threatened with the long ball approach favoured, particularly by the visitors.

In a rare Blues attack, Ant Ormerod had an angled drive charged down, with Danny Brunskill coming close, and Scott Nicholson blazing over the bar and out of the ground from 18 yards.

At the other end, the lively Steve Smith sent a close range effort into the side netting and moments later forced a smart full-length save from Campbell, who did well to cling on.

Whitby began to have more possession, winning a series of corners but Ashton keeper Ashley Connor failed to be troubled as much as his opposite number, though his defence looked less than comfortable when faced with Brunskill and Scott Nicholson in the air.

But just as the Seasiders were starting to impose themselves, the hosts doubled their lead on 38 minutes. Finnish striker Andreas Bjork tried another audacious chip that Campbell fended away but only as far as Ciaran Kilheeney on the edge of the area who drove home emphatically into the bottom left corner past Campbell’s despairing right hand.

However, just as it seemed Whitby’s way back into the match had been closed off for good, Brunskill found the key. The Blues’ marksman grabbed possession just outside the Ashton box but there seemed nothing on when the striker unleashed a devastating curling effort into the top left corner, giving Connor no chance at all.

It was to be little consolation though as Whitby's unsettled rearguard was to be exposed again before the break. James Riordan’s header came back off the crossbar from Bowker’s cross as United pushed the Blues back once again. The Robins were finding it too easy to whip balls into the Whitby box and take advantage of the nightmare defensive conditions, especially down their right and the Seasiders failed to heed Riordan's warning shot.

In first-half injury time, the visitors conceded a free-kick just outside the area- Bowker’s whipped effort was again palmed away by Campbell, but no-one was picking up Kilheeney who nodded inside the far post from an awkward angle for 3-1.

The Seasiders began the second half with a new formation- going to three at the back with Veart joining Brumwell and Farthing in central defence. Tom Raw was also introduced early on, with on-loan teenager Ryan Blott making way but it seemed all for nothing when Ashton added a killer fourth.

Some great movement from Smith saw the ex-Stalybridge man beat two men comprehensively before driving clinically past Campbell for what appeared a certain winner.

Oddly, this seemed to kick Whitby into gear and they entered their best passage of the match. Veart curled a devastating free-kick against Connor’s right-hand post with the keeper beaten, and Brunskill following up looked certain to reduce the arrears, only for the striker to find the top of the same post.

As Ashton’s nervous backline hacked away numerous efforts, Town finally found a way back in with substitute Mark Barber, who replaced the disgruntled McTiernan seconds earlier, instrumental. It was the young midfielder’s pinpoint cross that found Brunskill in the six yard box, the ex-Spennymoor hitman struck an angled drive which cannoned off the opposite post but this time, Nicholson was on hand to sidefoot home from point blank range for 4-2. And with 16 minutes remaining, it looked like game on, as Whitby were now a genuine threat.

But to their credit, the hosts knuckled down and held out as Town struggled to carve out a third goal to really put on the pressure and the Greater Manchester side held out to deny Whitby their first double of the season and further undermined their play-off hopes.

In the past two away trips in the league, two goals would’ve meant three points for the Seasiders, but defensive frailty cost them dear and it will now take a huge effort to bridge the ever-increasing gap between Logan’s men and the promotion places.