UniBond Premier Division

30th August 2004

Attendance - 414

Team - Whitby Town: Escritt, Obern, Lynch, Williams, Nicholson, Bishop(Jackson 85), Farthing, A Gildea, Ormerod(Yale 83), Robinson, L Gildea. Sub not used: Linighan.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - This Yorkshire derby started very cagily with neither team creating anything until the half-hour mark when Wilson headed over at the far post for the home side. At the other end, Alex Gildea's excellent through ball found Graham Robinson on the left edge of the Brid box but the South African's angled low drive flew across the six yard and passed Baxter's far post. Whitby got a real left off a minute after the break when Wilson raced clear but his close range shot was straight at Ben Escritt who made a good save. The match was becoming a very physical encounter with Graeme Williams already booked, both Gildeas, Farthing, Bishop and Nicholson all making their presence felt. At the other end, Neil Bishop's low cross was deflected wide by an off-balance Chris Lynch. On 57 minutes, Liam Gildea chose to square the ball from a tight angle inches from the line, with Bishop unable to control the cross. David Yale once again replaced Anthony Ormerod, with 20 minutes left. Moments later, Alex Gildea volleyed narrowly from the edge of the box. As expected, the earlier exchanges finally boiled over as Thacker elbowed Lynch in the face after a scuffle causing a mass brawl near the dugouts. When order was finally restored, Thacker was dismissed and Bridlington's owner/physio/chairman was ordered from the field after a few words in the nearby linesman's ear. Neil Jackson came on for Bishop late on after Scott Nicholson chipped over the bar from a difficult angle on 83 minutes but Whitby's best chance to make the extra man count came in the last minute. A series of headers in the box saw Robinson find Yale unmarked a yard out but the tall midfielder hammered his shot straight at Baxter who saved with his legs.