UniBond Premier Division

22nd September 2004

Attendance - 217

Team - Escritt, Williams, Veart, Obern, Farthing, Bishop, Atkinson(Jackson 76), A Gildea(P Campbell 47), Ormerod, Robinson, Nicholson(L Gildea 82).

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Whitby Town leapt to fourth in the Unibond Premier Division after crushing fellow managerless North East club Blyth Spartans at the Turnbull Ground on Wednesday night.
The victory was caretaker manager Dave Logan’s fourth in the five matches since he took over team affairs from the long-serving Harry Dunn. The Blues made one change from the FA Cup success at Billingham Synthonia with Mark Obern replacing the unavailable Brian Linighan.
Despite making a bright start, Whitby were on the back foot in the ninth minute when McAlindon’s deep cross was met by Thompson’s misdirected close range header.
Moments later, Paul Barrett’s 18 yard snapshot was well held low down by 20-year-old Blues keeper Ben Escritt.
Within two minutes, play spilled to the other end and Whitby led after some audacious Scott Nicholson magic. A neat build-up from the right saw Nicholson steal the ball off Gildea’s boot on the edge of the box, before silkily beating two defenders and nonchalantly side-footing past Turns from close range.
Barrett threatened again before Spartans levelled on 24 minutes when Andy Armstrong’s looping right-wing cross found Thompson’s head in a crowded Whitby box, who in turn, found the bottom left corner of the net.
Previous manager Paul Baker left Blyth on Monday and short-term replacement Graham Fenton must've wished he'd joined him after some apathetic defending allowed Whitby to retain their lead almost immediately. Ant Ormerod’s low drive from the edge of the box was deflected wide, only for Nicholson to nod home the resulting Craig Veart corner completely unchallenged at the far post.
Ormerod headed against the top of the Blyth crossbar from another Veart corner on 27 minutes before a Tim Flowers-like moment to forget for Blyth’s ex-Sunderland goalie Craig Turns. With ten minutes remaining of the half, Alex Gildea’s tentative low effort from the edge of the box looked an easy take for Turns, before the famous Turnbull bobble created a moment of fist-clenching horror for Turns who could only watch as the ball skipped up off the surface, over the stranded keeper and into the empty net for 3-1.
The second half began with a real headache for the Blues as Alex Gildea limped off just two minutes in. Ten minutes later, it was 3-2 when combative defender Armstrong’s forward endeavours saw him side-foot home a right-wing cross from close range.
At the other end, Robinson ghosted past Harrison on the byline but saw his near post effort thwarted by Turns’ legs. Nicholson almost grabbed a hat-trick on the hour, as the Blyth defence again didn’t fancy marking him, this time the post got in the way to repel the former Tow Law midfielder’s downward header.
Ormerod then found himself completely clear as he sprinted down the left flank, laying the ball across goal but Atkinson’s desperate full-length slide could only deflect the ball into the side netting.
Whitby finally put the game to bed on 69 minutes when Gildea’s replacement Paul Campbell struck an excellent rising half-volley past Turns from 18 yards for the killer fourth goal. As always for Whitby, there were some worrying moments at the other end with Escritt saving well from Wayne Phillips two minutes from time. But Logan’s case for permanent control of the side looks stronger by the day with Whitby worthy winners in the North East derby.