UniBond Premier Division

28th August 2004

Attendance - 289

Team - Escritt, Obern, Lynch, Williams, Nicholson, Bishop, Farthing, A Gildea, Ormerod(Yale 85), Robinson, L Gildea. Subs not used: Jackson, Linighan.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Whitby again paid the price for scoring just once, as second-placed Hyde grabbed a late point at the Turnbull Ground on Saturday. Liam Gildea had put the Seasiders ahead just before half-time with a well-worked goal, before Dale Johnson drove home Hyde’s equaliser with seven minutes remaining.
The Blues welcomed back skipper Graham Robinson who missed Wednesday’s draw at Bishop Auckland with a hamstring strain. Last season’s Unibond First Division Champions were captained by former Manchester United and Everton defender John O’Kane.
However, O’Kane had some defending to do on six minutes when Mark Obern’s overlapping run culminated in a dangerous cross cum shot well tipped over by Tigers keeper Tim Mullock. Hyde’s skipper was then lucky not to go in the book after tripping Liam Gildea on the edge of his own box. Anthony Ormerod drove the resulting free-kick straight at Mullock.
The visitors, already blighted by injuries were forced into two changes inside 28 minutes, with full-back Lee Brough and midfielder Carl Barrowclough limping off. But it was Hyde who came closest to breaking the deadlock on 32 minutes. 18-year-old Johnson wrapped Williams and Nicholson in knots before poking disappointingly wide from 16 yards.
At the other end, Whitby were moving the ball around well but couldn’t find that elusive finishing touch. They finally found it just seconds before the break, with Alex Gildea’s low left-wing cross, neatly dummied by Robinson for Liam Gildea to calmly fire low past Mullock for the opening goal.
The Greater Manchester side, led by ex-York man Neil Tolson, Johnson and 6’3 marksman Matty McNeil look a different side in the second half, pushing Whitby back for long periods. On 59 minutes, McNeil drove a speculative 25 yard effort narrowly wide. McNeil was again involved after a long scramble culminated in the big striker poking wide when he should’ve done better from point-blank range.
The pressure was reflected in some verbal and physical exchanges, with both Gildeas squaring upto veteran former Oldham defender Paul Jones- goalscorer Liam eventually ended up with a yellow card after lunging in on Hill by the near touchline.
Hyde were beginning to dominate with Whitby’s only effort a hopeful Ormerod drive from 25 yard that sailed over the bar. Despite the lateness of the goal, it seemed inevitable that Hyde would level and they tied the score on 83 minutes. Johnson shielded the ball on the edge of Whitby’s six-yard box before turning Williams brilliantly and giving Escritt no chance with an emphatic low drive.
As the Mancunian side pushed men forward, Harry Dunn publicly in the hunt for another striker, removed Ormerod with left-sided midfielder David Yale taking his place. Only some frantic last gasp defending from Nicholson then denied Tolson right at the death as the Blues were made to hang on.
In the end, this may prove to be a point gained than two dropped, but undoubtedly a young Paul Pitman may have put away some of the chances created in the first half.