Friendly

12th August 2006

Attendance -

Team - Campbell, Reid, Brumwell, Farthing(Appleby 51), Wilford, McTiernan, Scaife(Hughes 51), Claisse, Ormerod, Parkin, Robinson(Buchanan 72). _

Report - The Blues ended their pre-season campaign with a narrow win at Unibond First Division Brigg Town on Saturday.

Without Danny Brunskill(work commitments), Tom Raw, Karl Richards, Paul Atkinson and long-term injury victims Neil Wilkinson and Scott Nicholson- Graham Robinson returned to a strike position alongside youngster Gavin Parkin and there was a place on the bench for debutant trialist Buchanan(NO-ONE KNEW HIS FIRST NAME- ASK NOGIE?).

In blustery conditions, this match took a long time to get going. But when it did, it was the home side that threatened first when veteran former Oldham Athletic striker John Ayre's goalbound shot was blocked on the line by Aron Wilford and cleared.

Whitby then had a golden chance two minutes later when Danny Farthing's superb through ball released Robinson who after a poor first touch, shot straight at the legs of the keeper when well positioned, just as at Scarborough the week before.

At the other end, Tom Claisse was unlucky to concede a free-kick for obstruction, with Dave Campbell saving well from the resulting 20-yard effort low to his left.

Tom Reid, who was having an up and down game at right-back for Town then found Ant Ormerod down the right, with the former Middlesbrough forward crossing for Parkin, who off-balance could only pick out the near post side netting from just inside the box.

Eyre sent a powerful angled drive into the side netting from distance before ex-Whitley Bay midfield man Stuart Ainsley sent an optimistic bicycle kick over the crossbar from a corner. Robinson headed wide from a tough angle for Whitby seven minutes before the break.

Early in the second half, the Seasiders replaced Nick Scaife and Danny Farthing with Craig Hughes slipping into midfield and Matty Appleby joining Aron Wilford in central defence.

Parkin's first-time poke goalwards from the edge of the Brigg box was charged down and Wilford's goalbound header was nodded off his own line by a home defender.

In-between, Brigg's best chance saw Alex Allen neat lob force Campbell to backtrack nervously before tipping the ball over the bar at the last second.

Whitby led on 69 minutes in slightly controversial fashion as home supporters felt the ball had travelled over the touchline with the ball in the Whitby half but play was allowed to continue. A long ball switched possession to the right where Ormerod raced clear rounding keeper Damian Steer who forced the Whitby man wide, but the ball was laid back for Robinson to scramble home from close range despite via the keeper's outstretched leg.

The South African's reward for breaking the deadlock was a trip to the showers as he made way for trialist, and another tall forward in Buchanan.

Moments later, Ormerod's low drive was smothered by Steer and ten minutes from time, Hughes sent a powerrful drive just over the top from 20 yards.