FA Cup 3rd Qualifying

8th October 2005

Attendance - 231

Team - Campbell, Brumwell (Hudson), Veart, Farthing, Nicholson, Scaife, Ormerod, Richards, Raw, Wilford, McTiernan - Subs not used Escritt, Barber, Batchelor

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Whitby Town’s FA Cup dream is over for another year, despite a battling performance at Conference North Alfreton Town on Saturday. A shambolic opening six minutes saw the hosts, a league above the Seasiders, go two-nil ahead, with Jon Stevenson netting inside 45 seconds and former Scarborough schemer Jason Blunt adding the second to finally wake the Blues up- Dave McTiernan struck back just before the break.

Whitby manager Dave Logan was without the suspended Andrew Brown, so former Hartlepool United teenager Karl Richards returned to the midfield after a stomach injury, otherwise the Blues were unchanged from Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Ossett Town.

Referee Mr Naylor kicked off a couple of minutes to three, and the Yorkshiremen forgot to set their alarms as the hosts roared into the lead inside the first minute. Lee Featherstone fought his way down the left and crossed for Mick Godber to play in the completely unmarked Jon Stevenson who made no mistake firing past Dave Campbell from close range.

Then, as the slightly-drunken Whitby fan next to me insisted we’d win 4-2 with an 85th minute penalty, the hosts walked home a second with just six minutes on the clock. Chris Bettney’s left-wing cross was once again flicked on by Godber for former Scarborough midfielder Jason Blunt to rifle home with not a blue shirt in sight.

On 15 minutes, Blunt fired wide, and moments later, Stevenson headed straight into Campbell’s hands. The surreal onslaught continued as the hosts seemed destined for double figures when only Campbell’s outstretched legs denied the completely free Stevenson from adding a third within the half hour.

Whitby finally managed to get the ball out of their half on 35 minutes when they came within a whisker of forcing their way back into the game. Ant Ormerod’s neat header on released Aron Wilford down the right, and the ex-York City striker’s deep cross was headed goalwards by Scott Nicholson, only for a Reds defender to clear off his own line- McTiernan’s follow-up was then charged down in a crowded Alfreton box.

Seconds later, the Blues had penalty appeals waved away when Wilford twisted and turned before releasing Ormerod into the hosts box, the former Middlesbrough man was felled just inside the box when surrounded by defenders but the Sheffield official had no interest in the visitors’ furious claims.

Whitby continue to pepper the home side, and when Craig Veart’s tremendous 25-yard free-kick was tipped wide by keeper Greg Smith, Wilford crossed from the byline and Nicholson volleyed against the crossbar- the referee then ruled the ball was already out after the initial save, awarding Whitby a corner kick.

However, the Seasiders weren’t to be denied. Again it was a Veart free-kick perfectly worked over the wall drawing another superb parry from Smith, but this time McTiernan was following-up to walk home the rebound.

Despite, working their way back in, the tie was nearly put to bed before the break, when Alfreton surged straight up to the other end of the field. Beating a rather marginal offside trap, Blunt’s pinpoint cross was punched home Maradona-style by the veteran Godber- one of the few incidents the officials spotted.

Whitby could’ve levelled again, seconds before the interval, only a last-ditch Ryan Clarke challenge dispossessed Tommy Raw, as the youngster prepared to pull the trigger. And in injury time, Ant Ormerod was all alone in the hosts box, but sent his header from Veart’s cross just over the top from close range.

The second half opened in similar fashion to the first, with the Derbyshire side camped in the Whitby half. Godber’s near-post drive was charged down by Farthing early on.

On 55 minutes, Mark Blount’s header from Blunt’s cross was just about held onto by Campbell at the second attempt, with the wet ball squirming out of his hands. Two minutes later, Alfreton were shouting for handball as the ball struck a Whitby defender, then Bettney surprised everyone by hammering a real piledriver against the Whitby bar from the edge of the box- with Campbell beaten.

The Blues then worked hard to find a way back in, and should’ve found it with 20 minutes left, Wilford strode clear, but the big forward thought he had less time and chipped well wide from the edge of the penalty area.

The home side were then lucky not to be reduced to ten men when Wilford’s ball through caught Alfreton square with Raw about to race clear and the ball past him, Blount desperately stuck a hand up to halt what would’ve been a clear goalscoring opportunity. However, Mr Naylor continued his less than impressive showing, taking the easy way out with a yellow card for the centre-half. Predictably, no justice was served as Veart’s free-kick came to nothing and was quickly cleared.

With nine minutes remaining, Attilio Lombardo lookalike Bettney sent a dangerous skidding ball across the Whitby six yard box where Farthing, Veart and finally, Stevenson, all threw forward outstretched legs, but the right-wing cross eluded all three and flew harmlessly wide for a goal-kick.

Godber then chose the wrong option on 82 minutes after beating Nicholson, firing wide of the near post from distance, when Bettney was much better placed on the far side.

In the final minute, without a recognised striker on the bench, Logan sent towering defender Chris Hudson up front, with right-back Phil Brumwell making way. And in added on time, the ball just wouldn’t sit up right for Whitby’s ten outfield players, and McTiernan’s low drive was deflected wide. The resulting corner saw Smith earn the obligatory free-kick for a foul on the goalkeeper, and within the seconds, the whistle was blown on an excellent game of football, which even made the £8 admission fee seem good value. A tremendous advert for non-league football and a great shame Whitby only showed up for the last 80 minutes.