Team - Courtney, Lyth(Faichney 87), Robinson(c), White, Burgess, Williams(Marron 86), Hodgson, Martin(Blackford 79), Tymon, Leeson, Smith. Sub not used: D Campbell (GK).
Report -
by Andrew Snaith
Blues and their player-manager Darren Williams will be wondering how they're out of the Doodson Sport League Cup, after dominating throughout at Evo-Stik Premier rivals North Ferriby on Tuesday night.
Despite Town's worst run of successive defeats since 1961, Williams, who played himself for the first time since taking over, was impressed by his side's efforts.
He told The Whitby Gazette:
"The lads have done tremendously- it's a great response from the weekend.
"We've had the best chances easily and should've won the game.
"I can't ask for more from the lads, we competed and we've created chances, which is a massive positive."
With no Ibby Hassan due to work commitments and groin-injury victim Dave McTiernan rested, Williams welcomed back Kev Burgess after suspension and gave a first start in nine weeks to Ashley Lyth, in place of Tom Marron.
Tom Courtney came in for assistant-boss Dave Campbell in goal and there was a debut for 31-year-old former Bolton Wanderers winger Jeff Smith, signed earlier in the day, as on-loan teenager Lewis Hawkins missed out.
Town started strongly and came close when Matty Tymon headed straight at Ferriby's ex-Frickley keeper Adam Nicklin inside seven minutes.
Blues should've had a penalty on 20 minutes, but referee Mr O'Brien missed Tymon being pulled to the ground in the box and as play continued, Callum Martin's far post right-wing cross was nodded over by Burgess.
Moments later, Martin cut in and shot from the right, but Nicklin saved comfortably low down. The same player caused the hosts problems again on the half hour, this time, requiring Nathan Peat to hack off his own goal-line from a well-placed effort, bound for the bottom-right corner.
19-year-old Martin, picked up from Hartlepool United in the summer, then threatened for a third time as he drove across the face of goal, but couldn't find a touch from anyone in blue.
So, if it wasn't for recent results, it would've come as quite a shock when United led on 36 minutes with their first real shot on goal. Instead there was a disappointing inevitability as some lovely one-touch play carved open the Town backline and Russell Fry stroked past Courtney from close range.
Whitby continued to push and only a top-class Nicklin tip-over denied Smith a debut goal from a wicked 20-yard free-kick, a minute before half-time.
The second half was only four minutes old when the Hull village side had the ball in the net for a second time, but a reckless connection of Ferriby studs on Courtney's ribs saw the would-be goal chalked off.
Moments later, at the other end, Nicklin was again on form to touch over a Tymon header from Mark Robinson's left-wing cross.
The home side's record-goalscorer Gary Bradshaw, purveyor of some 206 goals in the green and white, then failed to convert a sharp chance, with Courtney gloving over the bar after the ball appeared to strike the forward's right knee.
Wayne Brooksby dragged a speculative shot well wide after cutting in from the left, before Smith slammed across the face of the opposite goal and inches past the far post.
Martin then repeated the dose after collecting a neat Tymon backheel down the right, beating Peat and driving an inviting ball across the six yard box.
Tymon had a chance to turn predator 15 minutes from the end, but marked tightly by two defenders, his shot from 10 yards was charged down and another opportunity went begging. Billy Blackford then made a welcome return- the youngster took the field in place of Martin, after two months on the sidelines with a broken collarbone.
Late on, Williams himself made way for Marron and Jake Faichney replaced Lyth to form a three-man strikeforce. It almost bore results two minutes from time, but it wasn't to be Town's day as Smith's fierce effort was deflected onto the upright.
