Team - Campbell D, Ingram(c), McWilliams, Hassan, Burgess, Hanson, Gardiner(Bramley 84), Beadle, Charlton(Robinson 35), Leeson(Freeman 82), Scott. Sub not used: Murphy.
Report - by Andrew Snaith - Two goals in the last 13 minutes of the first half won this North East derby for Whitby, but Blues boss Harry Dunn was annoyed with a performance he described as "not good enough".
"For all the people who've come to watch us today, it's not good enough and I was disappointed. Some lads are playing for their places next season. All the Football League and Conference clubs are looking to trim their squads, so the last thing you want to do this season is have a few good games before the manager goes on holiday, yet if the lad had scored near the end, we could have had a nervous five minutes and dropped two points."
There was a return for young striker Elliott Gardner from Newton Aycliffe as Dunn made one enforced change with injured skipper Tony Hackworth out for the season. Visitors Durham City, famous for losing their first 28 matches of the season and conceding 157 goals so far had the first shot on goal inside three minutes. Evanne Graham, an 18-year-old winger with experience at Wallsend and Willington, saw a speculative curling effort from 20 yard fly well off target. City were then hit by an injury to stocky centre-half Craig Harboard, who was stretchered off after a robust challenge just outside his own penalty area. Rufus Ayre, a striker of the same age, was a suprise replacement and the away side were weakened further on 20 minutes when another defender, Mark Batey, hobbled off, once again, a teenager Mark Hollingsworth, took his place.
Unsuprisingly then, Whitby had, by now, found their feet and the towering Gardner headed just over the top from 12 yards after meeting Andy McWilliams' wicked left-wing free-kick. Gardner then ran onto a long ball over the top, timing his run perfectly and chipping on-rushing keeper Rhys Jobling, only to be denied by a covering defender on the line. Moments later, Jimmy Beadle turned well just inside the box, and appeared to be trip, but referee Matthew Dicicco was perfectly placed to rule out a penalty and also take no action against Beadle.
Gardner, a similiar age to most of the opposition, again escaped his marker on 26 minutes but nervously drove into the legs of Jobling and powered the rebound first time against the outside of the near post. The Town tide finally penetrated City's young rearguard just after the half hour, however, it was one of Gardner's strike partners in Karl Charlton who found the opening. Another punt down the middle saw the pacey Charlton stride clear, chipping over Jobling and doing well to turn the covering defender after appearing to be in trouble, before slotting home from point blank range.
The match's Casualty-esque injury pile up continued three minutes later. Charlton, not the first Town striker to score and go this term, hobbled off with an occurence of his foot injury and Graham Robinson, back after three years in the Northern League, came on for his 407th Whitby Town appearance.
Scott hooked just over from the edge of the box after a neat turn and Robinson, currently Premier League Sunderland's Football Development Director, looked less than confident when clean through at the near post, taking too long to pickout Gardner, who was quickly charged down. The 35-year-old FA Vase-winning star was then involved in a bizarre second goal deep in first-half injury time. Another pinpoint McWilliams' cross from the left was met firmly by Leon Scott's diving header, which was deflected goalwards off a Durham player and brilliantly tipped onto the underside of the bar by keeper Rhys Jobling. But Robinson and makeshift forward Andy Leeson slid in simultaneously at the near post with the veteran originally credited with the goal, but later admitting it was Leeson's foot that forced the ball home.
The second half was a tepid affair though Durham were quickly out of the blocks and right-back Max Stoker's vicious 25-yard drive rocketed millimetres past Dave Campbell's left-hand-post. For Whitby, 15-goal top-scoring midfielder, Jimmy Beadle fizzed a number of shots from distance wide of the mark. Gardner came close on 63 minutes with a neatly controlled and smoothly struck effort that somehow flew across the six yard box but also past Jobling's far post.
Another Beadle effort from inside the City area then brought the best of Jobling's saves, a fine reaction tip aside with just a split-second to react. However, as Dunn alluded to, at the other end, Conor Winter's bustling run set up Elliot Cutts who should've done better with a close range angled drive but Campbell, twenty years his senior, saved well low down at his near post.
Eight minutes from time, Brad Freeman a well-built forward from Wearside League Houghton replaced Leeson, who'd done another fine job as an emergency striker- the full-back notching his third goal in six outings. And there was still time for Gardner to become the Blues' fifth attacking player carrying a knock. The youngster, who was the hosts' deserved man of the match, made way for another highly-rated teen six minutes from time- Liam Bramley- a midfielder from Northern League Brandon.
