UniBond Premier Division

23rd August 2005

Attendance - 220

Team - Escritt, Atkinson (McTiernan), Veart, Farthing, Hudson, Nicholson, Brown, Scaife, Robinson, Wells, Richards - Subs not used - Burke, Campbell

Report - by CJ - Whitby Town travelled to Frickley Athletic bouyed by an opening day win, but without strikers Tom Raw (ankle) and Anthony Ormerod (impending fatherhood). Frickley had drawn their first game of the season at Runcorn and were looking to take advantage of Town's poor recent record at Westfield Lane.
The Home side drew first blood when Whitby conceded their customary early goal against Frickley, when Chambers outpaced Craig Veart. He crossed the ballacross the face of the goal and Scothern met the dangerous ball at the far post to slot home with the away defence nowhere.
Whitby's first attempt came a few minutes later when a Nick Scaife free kick was met at the back post by Danny Farthing but his headrer was blocked by Ingham and the home defence cleared. Frickley were by now controlling the game, mostly with the help of Whitby's wayward passing and pointless long balls, but Town could have scored just before the half hour when Veart's corner was headed against the bar by Karl Richards.
For Frickley, Pugh shot inches wide of Escritts goal from 20 yards, but the home side would have been happy with life as the half time whistle blew.
The first real action of the second half saw Frickley go two goals in front. A cross from the left from Woolford saw Escritt drop the ball at the feet of Callery who gratefully accepted the invitation and smashed the ball into the net from 4 yards out.
It got worse 6 minutes later when a similar ball from Woolford drifted into the box watched by the Whitby defence and the same man Callery was totally unmarked and again he crashed the ball nome from 8 yards out.
The home side looked pacey up front in stark contrast to Whitby who once again relied on the excellent Scott Nicholson to provide any spark. The Whitby skipper 18 yards effort was well saved by Ingham after 72 minutes, then Nicholson headed inches over from a Richards cross that had been flicked on by Graham Robinson. Nicholson again heaed just wide with minutes left, before Escritt saved Whitby further embarassment by saving well from Callery.
All in all a very poor showing from Whitby and an excellent one Frickley who took advantage of the sloppy play of the visitors. Too many stray balls, a lack of imagination, no width and no pace were Whitby's downfalls. Frickley will shock a few teams this season if they think they are going to be push overs.