FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round

2005

Attendance - 208

Team - Campbell, Brumwell(McTiernan 70), Veart, Farthing, Nicholson, Richards, Atkinson, Brown, Raw, Ormerod, Scaife. Subs not used: Burke, Escritt, Robinson.

Report - To follow Report - by Andrew Snaith - Whitby Town were made to work hard but eventually came from behind to end Northern League leaders Newcastle Blue Star's seven-match 100% record in the FA Cup’s first qualifying round on Saturday.

In a match switched from Blue Star’s Wheatsheaf Ground which is having the pitch reseeded, Whitby were in rare White kit at the Turnbull Ground as the ‘away team’ and ended up looking whiter than white after defenders Scott Nicholson and Paul Atkinson netted either side of the break to claim a well-earned victory.

Andy Gowen’s Blue Star included £4,000 left-winger David Southern signed from Northern League champions Dunston Federation a week ago, with Town themselves priced out of a move. Former Manchester City striker Craig Russell’s name also stood out from the teamsheet with ex-Seasiders goalkeeper Adam Dowell lining up against his former employers.

David Logan gave a debut to versatile defender Phil Brumwell, but was without the services of on-loan wing pair Nick Hegarty and Paul Ashton whose club Grimsby Town refused to let the teenagers become cup-tied.

There was a let off or Whitby on nine minutes when Stephen Locker was left completely unmarked inside the Seasiders’ box but the Blue Star skipper turn and drove wide from close range.

At the other end, bright play from Tom Raw and Ant Ormerod won a corner which Nicholson headed over after arriving late at the far post.

Andy Carr’s ferocious 20 yard drive was directed straight at Town keeper Dave Campbell, but Carr was far more clinical seconds later. More slack marking allowed the former Bedlington midfielder time to turn on the right edge of the Seasiders’ box and slot the ball coolly across goal and inside the far post.

A brave header from Ormerod set up Andy Brown, who mis-kicked well wide on 18 minutes but Blue Star were unlucky not to double their lead five minutes later.

Lazy play from the Whitby midfield allowed Carr to break clear once again, Karl Richards slid in only to deflect the ball onto the post and luckily straight into the midrift of the outstretched Campbell.

Brumwell, who was looking very composed at right-back and supplying some excellent long passes, got down the right flank and put in a deep cross which was deflected goalwards, but Dowell just about held on.

Raw’s speculative drive flew over on 43 minutes, but Whitby levelled the scores when Craig Veart’s perfectly flighted free-kick picked out Nicholson, who made no mistake nodding home emphatically from point blank range at the far post.
Apart from a few neat touches here and there, Southern made his only meaningful contribution in first-half injury time, striking a vicious 22 yard drive millimetres over Campbell’s crossbar.

The second half opened with another scare for the Unibond Leaguers when Russell’s low drive fell narrowly wide with Campbell slow to get across and cover the angle.

However, the match was turned on it’s head moments later as Richards broke from midfield finding Raw who in turn up teed up Atkinson to drill home his first ever Whitby goal, an angled drive from 12 yards.

The Seasiders suffered a blow on 50 minutes, when Brumwell was clattered and had to be carried from the ground, with Dave McTiernan his replacement.

And it could’ve been even worse when towering centre-half Danny Anderson missed out with a free header from close range- Campbell finally clutching the loose ball as it fell at Russell’s feet.

Town looked the fitter side, a contrast with performances earlier in the season, as they finished strongly. On 55 minutes, some neat build-up play culminated in Ormerod’s turn and shot deflected over the bar. Nick Scaife hit a 20 yard free-kick straight at Dowell, and Craig Veart’s speculative dig goalwards was driven wide on the rebound by McTiernan.

Atkinson sent an ambitious 35 yard effort well wide, before Ormerod’s neat cutback found Raw who headed goalwards from point-blank range, only for Dowell acrobatically turn the effort wide.

Veart came close with a rasping 30 yard snapshot on 72 minutes that flew a coat of paint away from the Blue Star crossbar. Brown came close to getting on the end of Richards’ deft chip forward and Scaife once again picked out Dowell with a low drive.

Raw had a great chance to put the result beyond doubt on 86 minutes but despite creating space with some nimble footwork in the Tynesiders box, the 20-year-old chipped narrowly wide. Almost inevitably, Blue Star threatened one last time- winning a corner inside the final minute.

Thankfully for the majority of the crowd, Russell’s far post header was misdirected high over Campbell’s crossbar. In the second minute of injury time, another Ormerod cutback from the by-line was headed into Dowell’s hands from close range by Brown.