Team - Campbell D, Leeson, Lyth, Hassan, Ingram, Hanson, Dalton(Charlton 90), Hackworth (c), Campbell A, Beadle(Burgess), Scott(Yale).
Report - by Andrew Snaith - Goals in each half from captain Tony Hackworth extended Whitby's unbeaten league run to eight matches after just their second-ever win at Derbyshire side Buxton on Saturday.
Despite the return of highly-rated defender Kev Burgess, Town boss Harry Dunn kept faith with the team that defeated third-placed Retford 2-0, seven days earlier. The Seasiders were also buoyed by the official signing of former Middlesbrough captain Andy Campbell on Friday afternoon- the 32-year-old marksman is now on contract until the end of next season. Brothers Alex and Liam Gildea began one and three match suspensions respectively.
In-form playmaker Ged Dalton threatened for Whitby inside two minutes, winning a free-kick after a clear obstruction in full flow, but Leon Scott's set piece was easily charged down and cleared. At the other end, the lively Cayne Hanley slid in on goalkeeper Dave Campbell after the Town gloveman got down bravely to clutch an awkward drilled ball, which triggered some pushing and shoving from opposing players. The familiar flashpoint ended with a Hanley yellow card.
In a strongly-contested battle on a heavy surface, Buxton began to come into the match more as the half wore on. Midfielder Michael Towey, picked out by Harry Dunn as a threat in the press midweek, sliced well wide from the edge of the box on the half hour, while Neil Stevens' optimistic effort from distance was comfortably caught by Campbell. Moments later, the pacey Hanley failed to generate enough power from a close-range header and the 39-year-old stopper was again able to hold on with ease.
Despite the increasing Bucks' pressure, Town were always trouble with their three-man strikeforce and struck a timely blow in the final minute of the first half. On this occasion however, it was Scott and Jimmy Beadle- Whitby's two midfield terriers- who exchanged passes then fed Hackworth, who turned superbly just inside the penalty area and drilled into the bottom right corner.
The second half began as the first ended when, within four minutes, another angled drive from Hackworth forced Bucks' keeper Scott Hartley to tip the ball round his right-hand post. Beadle then fired a trademark piledriver inches over the crossbar from long range.
Buxton's record-goalscorer Mark Reed then did the hard work with a neat run but his resulting low drive was gathered without alarm by Campbell. Four minutes later, the off-balance number nine blazed well wide.
And the home side were to rue those errors when Town caught them cold once again twenty minutes from time. It was ex-Leeds star Hackworth running onto a precision ball and shrugging off one man, before drilling past Hartley with the aid of a deflection from covering defender Tommy Agus. Six minutes later, Agus tried to make amends but his header from a right-wing corner troubled neither Campbell nor the Whitby goal.
Hackworth again raced clear near the end and unselfishly teed up Dalton, but the wirey youngster could only drill across the face of goal with no-one in white ready to follow up. Town's skipper then missed the chance of a hat-trick after another late break, and even full-back Ashley Lyth got down the left flank cut inside and slammed a ferocious effort into the advertising boards, inches wide of the flat-footed Hartley's near post.
Meanwhile, Reed's radar was showing no signs of improvement with a wild effort from the edge of the box more of a danger to nearby residents than the visitors' net, and moments later, Stevens' 20-yard shot was as high as his colleague's was wide.
The final minute saw Reed again fail to show evidence of his 148 goals in 226 appearances at Silverlands with another off-target strike, albeit landing the wrong side of Campbell's left-hand post via a Whitby boot.
Dalton, Beadle and Scott got first dibs on the showers as Dunn made a bizarre treble subsitution in the final minute- the flurry of raised numbers resembling that evening's lottery draw. However, this result was no one in a million fluke as Town's well-drilled defence held firm for their second successive 2-0 victory and Whitby now stand just five points adrift of the play-offs with four games in hand, starting this Tuesday at rivals Guiseley.
Manager Harry Dunn was very satisfied with what he called "a good performance and a throughly deserved win."
Dunn added: "A long journey down and a tacky pitch always makes it hard work. We kept attacking and scored a good goal, the second was from a typical breakaway. It was a difficult decision picking the defence as Kevin (Burgess) was playing well, but at the same time I have faith in the current lads and they deserve a fair crack. Denny (Ingram) has had two very good games, and we're lucky to have that kind of cover."
