25th August 2003

Attendance - 170

Team - Kearney, Betts, Gildea (Johnson 83), Reed, Linighan, Dixon, Ure, Nicholson (Swales,M 61), Robinson, Campbell,P (Ormerod 45), Veart -

Report by Andrew Snaith Whitby slipped to their third successive defeat on Monday at Frickley, despite finally discovering a goal from open play from former Middlesbrough striker Anthony Ormerod.
Ormerod fired home after just nine minutes on the field, but by then the Blues were 3-0 down and effectively out of the game after making an spectacularly awful start at Westfield Lane.
Another new signing Simon Betts started on the right, in place of the injured Graeme Williams. After Steve Swales’ sensational departure from the club, Alex Gildea was his replacement on the left. Anthony Hall was also missing from the squad, with Ben Dixon and Scott Nicholson returning. Ormerod, signed from Scarborough this week, started on the bench.
The first minute, saw Lee Ure’s tame shot deflected wide, however, it was the home side who struck first on seven minutes. There seemed to be nothing on at all when Chris Kamara Jr’s cross cum shot dipped towards Whitby keeper Martin Kearney, it even appeared to be in the keeper’s hands before somehow squirming out of his grasp and dropping into the empty net behind him.
Harry Dunn’s men had no answer with Ure shinning over the bar from 12 yards really epitomising the Whitbyites lack of confidence in front of goal.
Things then got worse for the visitors on 17 minutes as Kearney was caught out of position chasing down Pugh and Steve Robinson was left all alone on the edge of the box to slot the ball into the roof of the empty Whitby net for 2-0.
Kearney did partially atone for his error on 23 minutes when he did well to push Lee Morris’ goal-bound 20-yard half volley over the crossbar.
At the other end, Gildea’s speculative half volley was blocked and both Ure and Veart hammered shots over the Frickley crossbar from 25 yards.
Whitby’s best chance came a minute before the break when easily their best passing move saw Robinson play in Gildea, but the former Scarborough man scuffed the ball well wide from 12 yards.
The second half saw Harry Dunn throw on Ormerod in place of midfielder Paul Campbell, for his first outing in several weeks after a heal injury. But within three minutes, the hosts had a third goal when an almighty scramble in the Whitby six yard box saw Karl Colley drive across goal and find the back of the net via the inside of the far post.
However, Ormerod showed no signs of fitness problems when an innocuous looking high ball out of defence by Linighan bounced awkwardly in front of defender Antony Jackson. The Irishman was in immediately to snatch possession and slot low past Samways and into the bottom left corner of the net for a consolation goal.
Whitby then suddenly turned into a completely different side as they finally showed some interest in the match. Gone were the thoughtless up and under air passes and blind punts upfield and in came a renewed sense of urgency. On 63 minutes, a neat bit of interplay ended with Ure shooting narrowly over the top from the edge of the Frickley box. Mark Swales replaced Scott Nicholson just after the hour as the Seasiders tried to utilise the flanks more.
Four minutes later, as the Seasiders laid siege to the Frickley goal, Veart’s goalbound drive from close range appeared to strike Pugh on the hand, no penalty was given, but Ure looked certain to bury the rebound only to somehow poke the ball wide from point blank range.
The 73rd minute saw Ure’s acrobatic bicycle kick strike a Frickley defender and fly wide. Whitby seemed to run out of steam at the same time as Ormerod and lost their previous momentum. As the newcomer tried to keep up despite a lack of match fitness, the home side searched for a fourth goal.
Vickerage blasted over from the edge of the box, Kearney clutched Morris’ low drive and Morris again fired wide of the mark in the last ten minutes.
Two minutes of injury time were added but neither side threatened a further goal and the hosts were left to celebrate their first win of the season when referee Mr Brittain blew the final whistle.
All in all, Whitby threw the game away in dramatic fashion in the first half. They looked incredibly disjointed at times and often appeared as though the players had never even met let alone played in the same team for the last month.
Only when Ormerod was introduced did they perk up and start to believe they could get something out of the game. The side badly need to work better as a unit and find a midfielder capable of controlling a game in the mould of those famous names from years gone by: Toman, Dobbin, Hodgson et al. Hopefully Whitby’s new striker will bring a new start on Saturday at former Football League side Southport, who still hold a 100% record and now lead the Unibond Premier Division.