UniBond Premier Division

30th August 2008

Attendance -2071

Team - Escritt, Burgess, Janes(Garvie 67), Tinkler(Forster 30), Lyth, Nogan(Brunskill 76), Huggins, Beadle, Raw, Hackworth, Charlton

Report - Whitby's unprecedented slump continued after a fifth straight defeat at the hands of new boys FC United on Saturday leaves them struggling at the bottom of the table. The club formed by Manchester United followers angered by the Glazer takeover three years ago were indebted to a farsical second goal which changed the game after Whitby had arguably enjoyed the better of the early exchanges.

The Blues made three changes from the side that went down 3-2 on Bank Holiday Monday to Kendal, with ex-boss Lee Nogan recalled, Kevin Burgess returning from injury and new signing Jimmy Beadle handed a debut.

Town began well in front of over 2,000 supporters at League Two Bury's Gigg Lane, the current home ground of FC United. However, a number of corners came to nothing, and from their first real attack, United found themselves ahead on 12 minutes. Admittedly, it was neat and well rehearsed as the men in red zipped the ball in quick triangles around Town's defence, but messers Tinkler and Lyth at the back were left flat-footed as Kyle Wilson nipped in to slot past Ben Escritt from close range.

Alex Janes headed down accurately but too close to United keeper Sam Ashton from a right-wing free-kick after arriving at the far post, but continued pressure finally brought a Whitby equaliser just after the half hour.

Skipper Tony Hackworth raced onto a through ball and forced his way to the right edge of the United box where his early shot deflected off the boot of a covering defender, looped over Ashton and into the top-left corner of the net.

But just to typify the Seasiders' season so far, makeshift defender Mark Tinkler pulled up with a leg injury four minutes later, and limped off, to be replaced by Richard Forster.

And Town were lucky not to go in at the break with a deficit, when a minute before half-time, Wilson marginally beat Whitby's offside trap but fired straight at Escritt when one on one with the Blues' gloveman.

Whitby began the second half strongly and Hackworth again strode clear but saw his unconvincing angled drive charged down by a backtracking red defender. Burgess struck an optimistic 25 yard effort that required no movement from Ashton as he caught the ball comfortably and cleared to the other end where United almost re-took the lead.

A corner was forced and the resulting far post set piece was headed goalwards by Simon Carden, only for a blue head to divert it off his own goal-line.

The Lancastrians kept up the pressure but were handed an enormous slice of luck on 66 minutes. Carlos Roca twisted and turned by the touchline on the right flank, some 12 yards from goal. Shadowed by Alex Janes, the United sub slipped as he tried another stepover, but found the nearby linesman flagging for a free-kick, much to the disbelief of both sets of fans, plus Janes who remained a couple of yards away.

Roca then got up to curl the free-kick into the Town box where Carden's header was blocked on the line, only for Wilson to nod home from point blank range.

The former Skelmersdale man then hammered what was to be the final nail in the Town coffin just two minutes later. This time there were no clueless officials to blame as the Blues' defence parted like the red sea leaving two men onside against Escritt from a simple ball through the centre of defence. Wilson took charge, slotting his sixth goal in five appearances past the helpless keeper to become the second man to notch a hat-trick against the Seasiders in five days.

Pacey teenager Sam Garvie replaced Janes moments later, and last season's top scorer Danny Brunskill, on the bench after a recent injury, came on for Nogan as Town went for broke late on.

And the men from North Yorkshire should have pulled a goal back with nine minutes remaining. A terrible error from United captain Dave Chadwick saw him gift the ball to Tom Raw inside the Reds' penalty area, but Whitby's number nine hesitated and Chadwick was able to get back and block.

More misfortune struck for the visitors seconds later when Ashley Lyth clashed heads with Carden, and collapsed to the ground unconscious. Luckily, nearby players reacted quickly to place the Whitby defender in the recovery position, but he was stretchered from the field still outcold, and with all three changes made, Town had no choice but to continue the match with only ten men.

However, with Garvie tricking his way down the right flank frequently, the Blues had one more guilt-edged chance deep into injury time. Again it fell to Raw as he collected Brunskill's long ball over the top, but when one on one with the stranded Ashton on the edge of the area, the diminutive striker chipped straight into the United stopper's hands- summing up Whitby's day perfectly.