Team - Liversedge, Craddock, Scott(Leeson 42), McReady, Burgess, Hassan, Southern, Hackworth(c), A Campbell(Davis 88), Beadle, Batchelor. Subs not used: Oakley, Dalton, D Campbell(GK).
Report - by Andrew Snaith - The Seasiders travel to Northwich Victoria on Tuesday after drawing a tie that took 75 minutes to get going, but was well worth the wait after a classic battle at the Turnbull Ground on Saturday.
Despite what manager Tommy Cassidy described as the Blues' best second half performance since his arrival at the club and another spectacular Chris Batchelor goal, Town replay in Cheshire for a place in the FA Trophy First Round proper.
Cassidy made two changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Burscough, seven days earlier. One local lad replaced another as Batchelor shrugged off a fever to take over from Ashley Lyth, who succumbed to a foot injury and Darren Craddock took Andy Leeson's right-back slot, presumably to add height to Whitby's backline.
The Vics, going well in fourth place, suffered a break-down of their team coach at Wetherby Services on route to Whitby, with play finally getting under way at 4.15pm.
Despite their dramas, it was the visitors who started the stronger on a surface drenched by overnight rain. On eight minutes, they should have led after John McAliskey just about beat the offside trap and rounded goalkeeper Nick Liversedge but saw his angled shot deflected into the side netting.
However, Andy Preece's men weren't to be denied, though it took a real howler from Liversedge to break the deadlock around halfway through the first half. There seemed no threat at all when Andy Fowler scuffed a tame low effort from just inside the box that appeared to be rolling wide. But the ex-Darlington keeper somehow gloved the shot through his own legs whilst gathering on the ground and the loose ball slipped agonisingly into the net.
Lively deadball specialist Wayne Riley then forced Ibby Hassan to hook off his own goal-line with an effort from near the left touchline, after Liversedge was caught out of position. The same player tried his luck again moments later after a misjudged run to the edge of his box from the Whitby keeper, only for Riley, whose goal slayed Charlton in last year's FA Cup, to chip wide, first time, from 30 yards.
Literally, in the wintry conditions, it never rains but it pours for Town as Leon Scott struggled off with a groin injury three minutes before the break, so Andy Leeson filled in as the Blues' defensive midfielder.
It was a nervous collective Bovril-sip for the huddled home supporters, most of whom were under the cover of the 'shed' on the far side of the ground, as their side struggled to create anything meaningful in a disappointing first half showing.
Many must have silently prayed for the heavy rainfall that greeted the returning players to abandon the spectacle, but it was a more-impressive Whitby that emerged for the second half.
Ten minutes had gone before the game turned on a brilliant piece of skill from Batchelor on the left edge of the penalty area. The youngster, who lives yards from the Turnbull Ground, waited for the ball to drop over his left shoulder before firing an unstoppable half-volley across goalkeeper James Spencer and into the top-right corner.
The Blues were now in the ascendancy, making a nonsense of the 12-place gap between the teams and playing some beautiful one and two touch football, complete with dummies and backheels to delight the crowd. John McReady, an 18-year-old on loan from Darlington for the month, looked particularly bright linking up with Batchelor, Leeson and Southern down the left.
Batchelor's quickly-taken drive from just inside the box and via the despairing last ditch challenge of Ferenc Foder, was then tipped over at full stretch by Spencer.
Town came close again when Jimmy Beadle, on his 100th appearance in a Whitby shirt, crossed from the left, only for Davey Southern's point blank header to land straight in Spencer's hands. McAliskey headed over from close range at the other end, with David Fitzpatrick's ferocious effort from the right flank, fizzing across the face of goal and narrowly wide without gaining a single touch on the way through.
The impressive Southern, at the heart of most of Town's play, then saw his driven near-post cross somehow deflected over his own crossbar with his knee by Foder- the on-loan Hungarian would certainly struggle to repeat the dose and avoid finding his own net.
But the luck finally turned the Blues' way as sustained Whitby pressure put the hosts ahead seven minutes from time. A perfect first-time through-ball from skipper Tony Hackworth found Andy Campbell who recreated his Football League days, outstripping Foder and slotting between Spencer's legs from 12 yards. The Whitby players ran en masse to the far side of the ground to celebrate with the noisiest of the home supporters.
However, those ecstatic Town fans had barely stopped bouncing before Northwich caught them and their team cold straight from the kick-off. Taking a leaf out of the book of last week's visitors Burscough, a deep right-wing cross alluded Liversedge via a cruel deflection and there was McAliskey, the tallest man on the field, unmarked at the far post, to glance home.
Campbell, who overcame a pre-match fitness test on a calf injury, was rested for the last four minutes- fellow striker Ashley Davis his replacement. Southern found the back of the Northwich net for a third time right at the death, only for Town's ex-Gateshead and Dunston marksman to be penalised for handball in the build-up.
Speaking to the Whitby Gazette after the game, Tommy Cassidy added: "We played so well in the second half, when we were much the better side- we weren't at the races first half.
"The second goal was a deflection and a lucky goal for them. I thought it was nearly cut and dried."
On another Batchelor wonder-strike, the ex-Workington boss added: "It was a great goal and put us back in the game. He certainly has potential and a lot more to offer, believe me."
