Team - Campbell, Lyth (Hodgson – 63), Scott (Cornforth – 77), Hassan, Burgess, Leeson, McTiernan, Hackworth (Davies – 80), A Campbell, Beadle, Batchelor Subs not used: Lambert, Courtney
Report - by Andy Baxter - MEN AGAINST BOYS was how Whitby Manager Tommy Cassidy described the performance of Whitby Town against FC Halifax Town at the Turnbull Ground, with Whitby searching for 3 more valuable points and the visitors, already crowned League Champions, stating they want the 100 points to end their fantastic promotion season.
Both sides started positively playing plenty of attacking football but lacking any finishing as neither keeper was made to make a save in the first 20 minutes of the game. While Whitby more than held their own at the start of the half, the visitors had the luxury of being able to effortlessly stroke the ball around every inch of the park and playing some very attractive football. Kevin Burgess for the home side headed against the post but was judged to be offside and immediately following at the other end, keeper, David Campbell slipped while attempting to clear a harmless back pass, but managing to just clear the ball in time as striker Danny Holland was ready to pounce on the mistake.
The visitors then gained the upper hand and showed their superiority in the 27th minute when, perhaps harshly as far as Whitby were concerned, Leon Scott playing at the back for the injured Alex White, failed to clear a nothing ball which allowed the ever present Holland to steal it and drive a low ball across the area to the unmarked Lee Gregory for the easiest of side foot tap ins from close range.
Seven minutes later, the home side were two goals behind following a Tom Baker free kick which again found the unmarked Danny Holland at the far post for another easy header in to the net. Whitby then appeared to go into melt down and with 5 minutes of the half remaining, found themselves 3 goals behind when Baker beat his man at the touch line and cleverly played the ball back to the incoming, and again unmarked, Scott Phelan, 8 yards out, who gratefully obliged by crashing the ball in to the back of the net.
It was all becoming far too easy for FC Halifax Town and in the second half they continued to show their dominance of much of the game as they played some lovely, entertaining football in which they could have easily scored a 4th goal in the 57th minute when Danny Lowe controlled the ball at the edge of the area and his powerful drive was superbly saved by keeper, Campbell, only for the rebound to end at the feet of the unchallenged Holland, but this time the Halifax striker blasted woefully over the bar from close range.
At the other end, Whitby themselves put together a string of nice passes which culminated in Jimmy Beadle slotting his shot past the beaten keeper, Jonathan Hedge and giving the home side a lifeline goal. However, the Whitby comeback was very short lived and in less than 2 minutes, Baker was judged to have been wrestled down in the Whitby penalty area and he stepped up to convert the resultant spot kick for the visitors to quickly regain their 3 goal advantage.
Halifax could have made it 5 after 74 mins when Leon Scott was beaten to the ball which ended with Scott Phelan put through one on one at goal, only to see his low shot again superbly saved off the legs of keeper Campbell.
With 10 minutes remaining, Whitby replaced Tony Hackworth, who’d had a steady game, with Ashley Davies who maybe could grab a consolation goal but unfortunately that wasn’t the case and FC Halifax broke away in the 85th minute and scored their deserved 5th goal after Jimmy Beadle failed to control the ball and Tom Baker stole it from him and found Scott Phelan, who crisply struck the ball into the net past the out stretched Campbell.
When referee Stuart Campbell brought the game to an end, it was very clear why FC Halifax Town have breezed their way to the title as they outplayed Whitby for much of the match. Afterwards, Whitby Manager, Tommy Cassidy said “It was Men against Boys tonight. But the most depressing thing was that the goals conceded at Kendal at the weekend and 3 of the goals FC Halifax got this evening were simply down to our mistakes rather than the opponents creativity. Tonight, we just weren’t good enough!”
