Friendly

15th July 2008

Attendance -

Team - (1st Half) Escritt, Pallender, Bishop, Burgess, Foster R, Tinkler, Huggins, Burton, Hackworth, Raw, Charlton
(2nd Half) Ledgeway, Betson, Janes,, Tbin, Forster, Claisse, Nogan, Ross, Garvie, Ormerod, Thompson

Report - by ANDY BAXTER - Whitby Town kicked off their pre-season matches with a solid 3-1 victory over Billingham Sythonia. It was a nice position for Whitby to be in as they had 22 fit players available at the ground and Manager, Graeme Clarke decided to field 2 different teams for each half.

The first 45 mins started brightly with both sides stroking the ball around the superb pitch with ease. But with only 3 minutes on the clock, Whitby took the early lead when a corner from Karl Charlton was forcefully headed home from the unchallenged Tinkler, making his debut for the Seasiders. But on 28 mins, a very rare mistake from him, allowed Magowan to win the aerial ball and head in the equaliser.

The second half team carried on where the first half 11 had left off, with some nice, flowing football and they were rewarded on 65 mins when Thompson rose inside the area and headed a looping effort over the beaten keeper. Whitby finished off their victory in the 80th minute, when a by now, tired looking Synthonia couldn't cope with a through ball which found Tom Claisse, who neatly slotted it under the keeper for a deserved 3rd goal.

The crowd of about 80 saw a good opening performance from Whitby Town and as the word seems to be that the final WTFC squad will be 20 players, every single one, including a few trialists, who put on the Whitby shirt tonight deserved their place in the final squad. On tonight's showing, Messrs Brumwell and Clarke will have a few very difficult decisions to make as to who won't be staying for the start of the campaign. Last season's pre-season friendlies looked like Whitby had a side who were going to struggle, and we all know they did, wheras tonight's showing looked like a Whitby side, back from their summer break, fresh and fit and raring to prove they want to really play for the Seasiders.