UniBond Premier

6th April 2007

Attendance - 454

Team - A Reid, Brumwell, Janes, Appleby, Ward, Hollingsworth, Thomas(Robinson 45), Webster(Drinkall 45), Raw(Richards 77), Brunskill, Ormerod.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Ant Ormerod's 85th minute equaliser after Danny Brunskill's penalty rescued a vital point for Whitby Town at the Turnbull Ground on Good Friday, after the Blues trailed 2-0 at half-time against fourth-placed Guiseley.

Town manager Lee Nogan made one change from the side that defeated then-league-leaders AFC Telford United six days earlier, with Conference North Harrogate Town not playing until Saturday, their midfielder Byron Webster was allowed to represent Whitby, as James Drinkall dropped to the bench.

Nogan may well have been contemplating more changes just 10 minutes into the match when the West Yorkshire side grabbed the lead in simple fashion. Former Farsley Celtic forward Mark Bett played a simple long ball just inside the home penalty area and there was ex-Pickering Town defender Simon Sturdy to head past Blues keeper Arran Reid from close range.

The in-form Nethermoor club, with Conference ambitions after their takeover from a millionaire consortium in the last year, continued their bright start but Bett fired well wide when turning predator two minutes later.

Whitby threatened for the first time on 17 minutes when a deep right-wing cross to the far post was headed onto the top of the crossbar by young left-back Alex Janes.

Another young Whitby defender, 18-year-old Darren Hollingsworth, was unlucky to find himself in the book after an earial challenge where he appeared to be the one fouled, after a push.

Midfielder Scott McNiven, signed from promotion rivals Fleetwood Town at the end of January, then came close for the visitors on 35 minutes with a 30 yard shot on the turn that flew narrowly wide.

Brunskill, then showed his trademark ability to hold up the ball finally playing Tom Raw into the Guiseley box, but defender Sam Denton executed a fine sliding challenge to deny the tricky pint-sized Blues forward a second goal in successive matches.

Play then swung to the other end and with Whitby pushed up to the halfway line, Phil Brumwell's header saw ex-Blue and current Guiseley skipper Richard Dunning now unable to be offside, carry the ball to the edge of the home penalty area, where he was brought down by one of three chasing defenders. Home captain Matty Appleby was the culprit, and appeared a little lucky to get away with just a yellow card from referee Mr Khatib.

However, the visitors may say justice was done with the last kick of the first half- the resulting Danny Ellis set-piece was played out to the right wing where a pin-point cross was nodded home from close range by the towering figure of striker Marc Smith.

Nogan made a double midfield change at half-time, introducing Drinkall and assistant manager Graham Robinson in place of the ineffectual duo of Webster and Stephen Thomas.

However, the second halfd began as the first ended, with Guiseley firmly on top. Within seconds of the restart, Bett beat Appleby but fired a ferocious drive straight at Reid. A minute later and the ball skidded agonisingly across the Whitby six-yard box, with the away side so close to surely putting the game to bed once and for all.

As it was, they were made to pay for their missed chances, when Whitby won a slightly fortunate penalty moments later. There didn't appear to be a great deal of contact but when Raw went down in the box after a collision with Denton, the well-placed referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Brunskill promptly stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net, sending keeper Steve Dickinson the wrong way to claim his 26th goal of the season.

15 minutes later, and Denton may well have still being feeling a sense of injustice as he jumped into a 50/50 challenge with Raw on the halfway line. The big former Bradford City defender took the ball but left the Whitby forward sprawled on the ground. Raw was unable to continue and left-sided former Hartlepool United Karl Richards replaced him.

Richards was in the game five minutes later when Appleby's free-kick was headed back across goal by Janes but the 20-year old winger direced his header well wide.

Eleven minutes from time, Ormerod cut in from the left and tricked his way along the byline but his drilled cross was cut out at the near post by the alert Dickinson, who clutched the ball well, diving low to his left.

Moments later, and another left-wing cross, this time, found its way into a crowded box, with the tall figure of Hollingsworth getting the ball down but miskicking at the vital moment- and the away side cleared.

Youngster Craig Hall saw a low drive fly across the Whitby goal in an isolated raid for the visitors, but it was Whitby who were now in the ascendancy and levelled matters with five minutes remaining.

Appleby was the architect, exchanging passes in a move similiar to his impressive goal in the League Cup at Matlock, but this time setting up Whitby man of the match Ormerod, who curled calmly across Dickinson and into the bottom right corner of the net.

Successive corners for Whitby saw the cauldronous Turnbull come alive with the noisy 'barmy army' in the bumper 454 crowd making themselves heard. Richards fired wide from 20 yards with what proved Town's last chance of the match from the second set piece.

The away side, roared on by a sizeable following themselves, nearly grabbed a winner themselves in the last minute, but as well as McNiven connected with his half-volley from distance, the owners of property on Upgang Lane were in far more danger than the Whitby goal.

Time will tell whether this was one point gained or two dropped for Whitby, but being two goals down at half-time to the league's form side, suggests the former is more likely. However, this week's results at North Ferriby and fellow promotion-chasers Marine will tell a fuller story.