UniBond Premier

27th August 2007

Attendance - 305

Team - Campbell, Burton, Janes(Hardman 71), Appleby, Hartas, Lyth, Ormerod, A Raw, Hackworth(Andrews 82), Brunskill, Charlton. Sub not used: Thornton.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - The Blues grabbed their first victory of the season with arguably their most devastating performance of Lee Nogan's reign as manager. Danny Brunskill returned from suspension, blasting a goal for every match missed in a fine hat-trick.

Nogan handed a first start to new signing from Billingham Town, right-back Andy Burton and centre-half Ashley Lyth made his home debut. Right from the first minute, Town attacked with purpose. Tony Hackworth, linking up with Brunskill for the first time in competitive action, forced Frickley goalkeeper Jon Hood to save, with Brunskill driving over the bar from a one on one, moments later.

It was Hackworth's turn on three minutes to race clear, but faced with Hood, the former Leeds United forward scuffed his shot straight at the keeper. 23-year-old Danny Davidson sidefooted wide for the visitors, before Brunskill turned provider, playing in Karl Charlton on the left edge of the penalty area. But the young left-winger, who already has two goals to his name this season, poked his shot across the six yard box and past Hood's left-hand post.

The early onslaught was rewarded inside nine minutes when skipper Matty Appleby's corner was met with a stooping Anthony Ormerod header at the near post. The loose ball fell to Brunskill who promptly hammered into the top left corner of the net via an unfortunate covering defender.

Just a minute later, Charlton's right-wing cross picked out the unmarked Appleby, whose goalbound downward header from point blank range brought a stupendous reflex tip over from Hood.

Shell-shocked Frickley made their first substitution after only ten minutes when Scott Ball replaced former Farsley Celtic midfielder Carl Wood and the frenetic tempo slowed. Athletic had a chance of their own on 19 minutes when Nathan Hotte's bicycle kick landed just wide of Dave Campbell's goal.

Play was soon up the other end though when Ormerod headed the ball back across goal where Hackworth somehow poked over the top from just a yard out. Former Middlesbrough striker Ormerod, on his 201st appearance for the Blues, was again instrumental, putting over a pinpoint right-wing cross that Charlton nodded narrowly over the bar.

Appleby's fine play then set up Brunskill who turned and hammered an explosive 25-yard shot towards the top left corner of the net, which Hood palmed away. More fine Whitby interplay then culminated in Burton trying a shot from similiar distance but fired straight at Hood.

Athletic enjoyed a good spell in the last few minutes of the first half when a driven right-wing cross was sidefooted inches wide by Davidson, under pressure from Burton. And in injury time, the away side actualy had the ball in the Whitby net, when Davidson rounded Campbell and slotted home, only for the linesman to raise the offside flag.

Former Sheffield United and Scarborough marksman Richard Tracey replaced youngster Chris White for the visitors at the interval, but it was Whitby who doubled their lead ten minutes after the restart.

Ormerod was gifted a tap in when Lindley miscontrolled an innocous long ball, only for a cynical trip on the Whitby winger handing Town a penalty. Brunskill had no hesitation stepping up to confidently slot the spot kick low to Hood's right for 2-0.

However, three minutes later, Frickley should've pulled a goal back when teenager Hotte found himself clear on goal but sidefooted wide from 12 yards.

Within moments, Brunskill was again baring down on the Frickley goal, though Hood was equal to a fierce near post drive, getting down well to smother the ball.

Ormerod hooked well over from 12 yards, before Charlton's exquisite 18-yard lob after beating the flimsy Athletic offside trap, dropped onto the Frickley crossbar with Hood beaten.

The pacey Scott Turner replaced Tracy after just 21 minutes of football for the departing number 12, while Alex Janes made way for Lewis Hardman as one full-back replaced another for Whitby.

Davidson drove high over the bar on the turn when well placed, after Ball headed a right-wing cross back across goal.

It was to be all she wrote for the visitors, as Brunskill wrapped up his hat-trick 16 minutes from time. The towering Town number ten was clearly being held back on the edge of the box by his marker, but referee Mr Greenwood played a good advantage, as Brunskill shrugged off the unwanted attention, powered forward and slammed the ball past Hood from 12 yards.

A minute later, centre-half Dave Hartas headed over Appleby's corner, before the lively Sonny Andrews replaced Hackworth up front for the Blues. Good interplay between Brunskill and Hardman then released Ormerod, who, once again, hooked the ball over the top from the edge of the box. Brunskill, who was rarely out of the game, then found himself in the book after raising his studs to a Frickley defender, who oddly escaped punishment after shoving the Whitby striker in the chest straight in front of the official.

Campbell, for much of the match a mere spectator, preserved his clean sheet with a brilliant save low at his near post to deny Ball in the 90th minute, while Hood was determined not to be further breached, tipping Andrews' effort round his left-hand post.

Two minutes into added time, Brunskill had the ball in the Frickley net for a fourth time, only for the goal to be chalked off for an apparent handball after forcing the ball home from point blank range following a corner.