UniBond Premier League

18th November 2006

Attendance - 376

Team - Campbell, Reid, Janes, Appleby, Farthing, Brumwell, McTiernan(Richards 58), Drinkall, Raw, Brunskill(Wilford 85), Ormerod. Sub not used: Wilkinson.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - A record 376 crowd saw Whitby make it seven straight league wins at the Turnbull Ground after enjoying their biggest victory of the season over Nigel Jemson's Ilkeston Town on Saturday.

Manager Lee Nogan dropped himself from the squad and welcomed back right-back Tom Reid, with Phil Brumwell moving into midfield.

And it was Brumwell who set up the first goal straight from the kick-off, with top-scorer Danny Brunskill and the former Darlington man combining to set up Tom Raw's close range diving header beating keeper Jamie Annerson.

On six minutes, Brunskill's neat flick picked out James Drinkall who laid off for Dave McTiernan to fire wide from the edge of the box. Drinkall himself then headed well over from close range two minutes later.

At the other end, Blues keeper Dave Campbell reacted well to tip over Chris Adam's quickly-taken 25-yard free-kick.

The half hour mark saw a familiar scene as Tom Raw ran down the left and squared for Brunskill, who suprisingly shinned wide as Annerson came to close him down inside the Ilkeston box.

But Town's leading marksman quickly made amends as Whitby capitalised on Barry Miller's loss of possession, Brunskill shrugged off Paul Robinson's slide challenge before dummying Annerson and firing his 15th goal of the season into the roof of the net.

Brunskill then turned provider for Drinkall to nod wide from point blank range. But the ex-Pickering man was on target to send Whitby into the break with a three-goal cushion. As Town pressured just inside the visitors' box, the ball found it's way to Drinkall on the edge via Raw's hand, and the lively midfielder drilled an unstoppable low drive through a ruck of players and inside Annerson's right-hand post.

The second half saw the Robins replace full-back Lee Featherstone with journeyman forward Martin Carruthers and the away side enjoyed their bestspell of the match. However, a succession of corners came to nothing, with Campbell finally tested on 58 minutes after leaving his net to punch away a high cross, only for Adam Muller to lob goalwards- ex-Blue Robert Gill's back-post header was cleared.

Town made their first change with Karl Richards replacing McTiernan in a like for like swap down the left flank. But found themselves under a bit of pressure on 64 minutes when Muller, Ilkeston's leading scorer, raced clear and calmly slotted past Campbell from 12 yards for 3-1.

Whitby were soon back on the job though, with Ormerod's inventive lob dropping wide of the far post from the edge of the area. Brunskill then headed over from point blank range and seconds later, the Derbyshire side cleared off their own goal-line after a marathon scramble inside the area.

The visitors had the chance to make for a nervous conclusion to the game with 20 minutes remaining, when man of the match Danny Farthing upended Carruthers just outside the area, 15 yards from goal, down the Whitby left. But Adam's weak free-kick was blocked and Doug Wade's lob from the edge of the box was easily caught under no pressure by Campbell.

Ilkeston's final sub Barry Miller replaced Gill for the last fifteen minutes, but all the action was happening in the visitors' own half.

Two fine saves from Annerson, kept out, first pushing wide Brunskill's poke goalwards after being picked out by a weak headed back-pass, then fending away, Ormerod's cross-come-shot from the right.

With five minutes remaining, the versatile Aron Wilford replaced Brunskill, and the regular centre-half took a bow up front. It was to be a master-stroke from boss Nogan, as Raw's long break from deep ended with an unselfish square ball to tee up a tap-in for the substitute in the 90th minute.

Town now have a two week break from league action, but with such a formidable record at HQ, opponents Prescot Cables and Wednesday's league cup visitors Ossett Town, will not be relishing their visit to Fortress Turnbull.