Unibond Premier Division

16th March 2004

Attendance - 605

Team - Campbell, Reed, Veart, Hall, Dixon, Linighan, Nicholson, Robinson, Ormerod, Sheeran, Gildea Sub not used - Gildea D, Johnson, McTiernan

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Andy Todd’s 57th minute strike, after Gary Ricketts climbed all over Tony Hall to head the ball down, won this hard fought clash at Watnall Road for Unibond League champions-elect Hucknall Town on Tuesday night.
The Seasiders worked very hard against physical and skilful opposition, though neither side tested the other’s goalkeeper, as time and again, shots were blasted high and wide.
Harry Dunn made three changes from the side that drew 1-1 with promotion rivals Vauxhall at the weekend, with fit-again Adam Reed returning to the defence, and another experienced campaigner Craig Veart back in the midfield alongside the tireless Scott Nicholson. Youngster Dave McTiernan, the injured Graham Williams and striker Andy Appleby who was called up for Hartlepool Reserves made way.
The home side started strongly, unsurprising for a side that had won their last nine and were unbeaten at home since September. However, Whitby defended stubbornly and in numbers, with Hucknall’s Roy Hunter blasting high over the bar in the third minute, several more speculative efforts also threatened the housing behind Dave Campbell’s goal, but not the net itself.
In-fact it was the men from North Yorkshire who came closest to breaking the deadlock when Dean Barrick’s awful back-pass saw Mark Sheeran and Hucknall keeper Paul Pettinger tangle on the edge of the box, with Graham Robinson hammering the loose ball wide of the empty net from 20 yards.
Moments later, Nicholson’s excellent first time cross was headed straight at Pettinger by Anthony Ormerod from the edge of the Hucknall box.
Former Mansfield striker Danny Bacon found space down the left at the other end, but fired wastefully high and handsome from 20 yards. Then, Hunter poked wide after good work from Ricketts.
Two minutes before the break, Miller’s headed clearence fell to Whitby’s Nicholson who volleyed narrowly over left-footed from the edge of the home side’s box, much to the disappointment of the vocal travelling contingent.
The Seasiders continued where they left off at the end of the first half after the interval when Veart’s cross was headed down dangerously by Nicholson, with Alex Gildea’s follow up charged down and the ball eventually cleared.
John McCarthy fired over at the other end, before Hucknall grabbed the lead. A free-kick floated to the back post was headed down by Ricketts as he tangled with Hall, and Andy Todd stepped between Campbell and Hall to lift the ball into the top corner from close range.
Ricketts went into the referee’s notebook after poleaxing Ben Dixon with Scott Nicholson joining him for a mistimed slide challenge on quick-to-fall Mayman soon after.
Bacon curled over on 78 minutes with Todd chipping narrowly wide as Hucknall looked to put the game to bed. On 82 minutes, Campbell did well to force McCarthy wide and made a strong save at the striker’s feet.
Whitby desperately went all out for an equaliser in the dying minutes but Gildea’s speculative volley over the bar and Sheeran’s left-foot slice wide was as close as they got, as the hosts comfortably held on for all three points.
Though it was testament to Whitby’s efforts, that the league’s runaway leaders continually rolled on the ground and kept the ball in the corner to waste time at the end.
Whitby face a must-win six pointer tomorrow at second-bottom Burscough if they’re to keep up with the chasing pack for the magic 13th place and entry to the new Conference North.