Team - Liversedge, Lyth, Scott, Hassan, Burgess, Leeson, Hackworth(c), Campbell A(Davis 68), Southern, Beadle(Dalton 77), McReady. Subs not used: Craddock, Oakley, Campbell D.
Report - by Andrew Snaith - Town threw away a two-goal half-time lead on Saturday after Kevin Leadbetter's late strike for visitors Burscough, much to the fury of manager Tommy Cassidy.
Cassidy, who now loses his 100% record since becoming Blues boss last month, described his side's second half display as "pathetic"- lacking responsibility and character.
The former Newcastle United and Northern Ireland star last week said the club needed "at least three new players minimum" and one of those made his debut at the Turnbull Ground. John McReady is an 18-year-old midfielder signed on a month's loan from Blue Square Premier Darlington, he replaced ankle injury victim Chris Batchelor.
However, it all started so well for the Blues, who led inside six minutes when Andy Campbell was barged over by last defender Zak Riley just inside the Burscough box. Riley was red carded and skipper Tony Hackworth slotted home the resulting penalty.
Campbell's strike partner Dave Southern should have done better on 20 minutes when he forced visiting keeper Sean Lake to the left edge of his six yard area but couldn't square to the ideally-placed Campbell as Lake smothered the ball.
Lake, a recent signing from Blue Square North title-winners Southport, then tipped over a fearsome 30-yard Jimmy Beadle free-kick on the half hour. From the following corner, Hackworth hooked against the underside of the crossbar on the turn from six yards and Campbell could only slice the rebound back across goal but well wide.
However, Whitby, who were playing some neat one and two touch football, looked to have sewn up the match three minutes before the break. Southern's acrobatic volley from Campbell's right-wing corner thudded back off Lake's left-hand post, only for Beadle to calmly chest down the ball and lash home his seventh goal of the season from close range.
There was still time for Ashley Lyth to bring a comfortable catch from Lake in the final minute of the half- Town keeper Nick Liversedge could have done with similiar practice. A virtual spectator for the opening 45 minutes, the 22-year-old gloveman's only worrying moment came when flattening team-mate Ibby Hassan after attempting a catch on the edge of his area.
Liversedge grabbed James Connolly's volley comfortably early in the second half, before Town threatened twice in a minute with some neat football. First, one touch passing between Beadle and Southern released Campbell in the Burscough box, but the ex-Middlesbrough marksman snatched at the chance and fired well over from close range.
Then, the diminutive McCready dummied Leon Scott's near-post corner but Beadle couldn't generate enough power from the edge of the area to beat Lake, who clung on without any problems at his left-hand post.
The towering Aaron Bowen then replaced Darren Byers, a former Prescot Cables man like manager Andy Gray, coinciding with a more physical and much-improved away side. An explosive effort on the hour mark from Jack Mackreath brought a firm push over the crossbar from Liversedge. Mackreath then made way for Matty Parry and from the resulting corner, the young Whitby keeper was forced to touch wide Bowen's deft low goalbound shot.
Campbell's long-running calf injury then flared up and he was withdrawn with fellow-forward Ashley Davis his replacement. But all the action was happening at the other end and Scott almost handed the Linnets a route back into the game after getting the ball stuck under his feet after pressure on the edge of the Whitby box. Bowen seized on the error but a poor connection enabled Liversedge to push the frontman's angled drive round the far post.
However, the green tide finally burst through moments later as a shot from the edge of the box was turned past Liversedge by Bowen. The towering six foot-four-plus striker looked well offside, even without the touch as he comfortably blocked the Whitby keeper's view as the ball rolled past him and into the bottom-left corner.
Regardless, the goal stood and things got worse for Town ten minutes from time. Kevin Leadbetter's cross-turned-shot, from inches inside the right touchline, level with the edge of the area, looped over a frantically-back-pedalling Liversedge and into the net.
Then just like the week's weather, it never rains but it pours at the Turnbull and the numbers on the pitch were also level when Hassan was dismissed for a rash jumping challenge on the near-side of the ground. Hassan insisted afterwards that he made no contact with the away defender who rolled on the ground for five minutes before miraculously managing to continue the game.
By this time, Ged Dalton had replaced Beadle but the threat remained firmly in the Whitby penalty area. Thankfully for the Blues, the closest the visitors came to a winner was Leadbetter's optimistic 20-yard drive that skimmed just wide.
After the match, an angry Cassidy told the Whitby Gazette he was hoping to have more new players in place for Saturday's important FA Trophy tie with Northwich Victoria, who are currently third in the Evo-Stik Premier.
"I wanted to go out and play football but we were second to every ball. It told me more about the players than the previous four games. Four, five, six players were very poor.
He continued: "Attitudes should've been much better. We didn't win a header, didn't get shots in and it's the worst half since I've come to the club.
"I feel that to do well in football you need character, but there was no character, no leadership and players were blaming each other instead of taking responsibility themselves."
Cassidy, a former Northern Premier League championship winning manager, added: "We need a couple of experienced players, leaders who dig in. At the moment, I don't think we've got that."
