19th August 2003

Attendance - 478

Team - Kearney, Williams, S Swales, Reed, Dixon, Hall, Campbell, Nicholson, Johnson(Hore 64), Ure, Gildea. Subs not used: Veart, M Swales.

Report by Andrew Snaith - Whitby’s low scoring season continued as a late James Turley goal condemned them to their first league defeat of the season, at Harrogate on Tuesday night.
Harry Dunn made one change from Saturday’s winning team with Anthony Hall replacing Brian Linighan in defence.
Just as on Saturday, the match started in cagy fashion with neither side wanting to risk exposing their defence early on. The first chance came on 10 minutes and fell to the home side. Scott Bonsall turned superbly on the edge of the Whitby box leaving the Seasiders defence totally wrong-footed but sliced his shot past Kearney’s right hand post when well placed.
Kearney then comfortably caught weak efforts from Bonsall and Whellans, before Whitby had their best period of play certainly of the first half. On 23 minutes a strong run from Steve Johnson was deflected narrowly wide of Connor’s right hand post.
The Blues, or The Whites as they were on Tuesday, were moving the ball around well but without any kind of end result. Three minutes later, Nicholson’s powerful run saw him reach the edge of the box before firing over the Harrogate bar.
At the other end, Whellans hooked over from the edge of the Whitby box. The half ended with tempers flaring and both Whitby’s Hall and Harrogate’s Whellans going in the book.
Seconds after the restart, a great run and cross from Graeme Williams was chested down on the edge of the box by Nicholson but scuffed wide by the former Tow Law midfielder.
Whellans then came close at the other end when his turn and shot from just inside the Whitby area just dipped over the visitors’ crossbar.
But the Seasiders had by now upped the tempo and Williams’ pin-point cross on 52 minutes was headed wide by Nicholson. Two minutes later, the same combination saw Ben Dixon head wide when well placed.
The hosts then found a higher gear themselves and came agonisingly close to taking the lead when Whellans’ goalbound drive was cleared off the line by Whitby’s Adam Reed.
On the hour mark, Steve Swales’ well flighted free-kick was headed straight at Connor by Anthony Hall. Four minutes later, Whitby introduced Richard Hore, in place of Johnson as they searched for a reward for their efforts.
The 71st minute saw Lee Ure’s corner headed over by Nicholson arriving late at the near post.
Eight minutes later, Harrogate had the lead. Reed upended Bradshaw, conceding a free-kick on the edge of the Whitby box. Turley then smashed the ball against Kearney’s right hand post with the keeper beaten, the rebound was blocked with his chest by Reed, before Turley slammed home the rebound across goal and into the bottom left corner of the net from a difficult angle.
A minute later at the other end, an almighty goalmouth scramble saw Nicholson’s effort blocked by Ord and eventually hacked clear. A good passing move then created an opening for Hore but the youngster’s low shot from the edge of the box was weak and easily collected by Connor.
The remainder of the match belonged to the home side who nearly doubled their lead on 88 minutes when Hunter’s shot skidded across goal and narrowly past Kearney’s far post. And in the final minute, Hunter’s goal-bound 18 yard drive was brilliantly pushed wide by the Whitby keeper to deny the young striker once again.
Referee Mr Smith frequently reached for his top pocket, booking nine players in a niggly game that could’ve been better handled by the official. The Seasiders lack of bite up front was again painfully evident, however, a lack of invention in midfield was also a big factor with Harry Dunn reluctant to introduce arguably his most creative player in Craig Veart. As one supporter pointed out to me, it seems to go from one extreme to the other with 4 and 5-5 all draws last season now replaced with 1-0 wins or defeats.