UniBond Premier

26th April 2008

Attendance - 489

Team - Escritt, Pallender(Lyth 76), Burgess, Tobin, Forster, Nogan(Claisse 70), Scott, Burton, Ormerod, Brunskill(T Raw 80), Charlton.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Whitby survived in style as two goals from Players' and Supporters' man of the season Karl Charlton helped them to a 4-0 drubbing of relegation rivals Ilkeston Town at the Turnbull Ground on Saturday.

In the end, both sides stayed up as other results came to the visitors' rescue on a dramatic final afternoon in the Unibond League Premier Division.

Whitby's joint bosses Phil Brumwell and Graeme Clark made five changes from the side that went down 1-0 at struggling Prescot Cables the previous weekend. Goalkeeper David Campbell and skipper Matty Appleby missed out with knee injuries and Tony Hackworth was unavailable for personal reasons. There was a return after three years in the Northern League for keeper Ben Escritt, centre-half Richard Forster, who just days ago had a cast cut from his previously-broken arm also started for the first time in ten matches, alongside fit-again Steve Tobin.

And with further recalls for ex-manager Lee Nogan and the versatile Chris Scott, it was local lads Ashley Lyth and Tom Raw who dropped to the bench.

The Blues knew that only a win would guarantee their Premier Division survival regardless of other results, their visitors, just a point better off, could afford to draw and still stay up.

And the away side, led by player-manager Nigel Jemson, may have been buoyed by this as they began strongly in the opening 20 minutes of the game. Their physical approach saw the Robins create the better of the few chances on offer in an unsuprisingly cagey opening.

So Ilkeston may count themselves unlucky to have fallen behind on 25 minutes as the hosts sent much of their highest crowd of the season into rapture with the first goal. As Whitby broke quickly, it was a beautifully weighted through ball from the experienced Nogan to pick out Charlton, who sprinted clear and slotted past goalkeeper Phil Senior.

The Seasiders, looking confident, upped the tempo and struck a pivotal double whammy five minutes before half-time. Pressure down the right saw Scott's shot for goal deflected back into his path and as the midfielder nodded toward the roof of the net, last defender Gareth Holmes stuck out a hand and palmed the ball clear.

Holmes suffered the inevitable red card and the Blues' top goalscorer Danny Brunskill settled Whitby nerves, showing none of his own to fire home a record-equalling 29th goal of the season from the resulting penalty.

With the Robins reduced to ten men, Whitby had much the better of the second period and it was more a matter of how many rather than any kind of doubt over the result.

Charlton in particular was having an outstanding game and promptly put the result beyond doubt just twelve minutes into the restart. The 20-year-old again used his pace to race clear and drive his 16th goal of the season past the onrushing Senior.

Six minutes later as the blue tide continued, a mazy run from Andy Burton down the left flank saw the former Billingham Town man square diagonally from the byline to the right edge of the box for Anthony Ormerod to slam home a fourth goal via the underside of the crossbar.

With nearly half an hour remaining and blessed with a one-man advantage, Whitby supporters were able to belt out a full repertoire of songs and even launch into a few Ole's as the beaten visitors chased shadows.

The men from North Yorkshire looked dangerous every time they came forward with Charlton coming close on several occasions to his second hat-trick of the campaign. As it was, the former Sunderland junior was able to console himself with the twin accolades of players' player and supporters' player of the season, plus a well-deserved Whitby Town man of the match award.

Only one team outside the top three have found the net more than Whitby Town and a huge part of that is down to the prolific Brunskill who left the field to a huge ovation just before the end. The former Spennymoor United marksman's 21 league goals making him top goalscorer at the Turnbull Ground for the third year in succession.

The closeness of the Unibond Premier Division where just five points seperate 10th from 20th was apparent as Whitby leap five places to finish in 12th spot.

And as Prescot Cables and North Ferriby United snatched one-goal victories in their away ties, it was fans of the away side left nervously checking scores elsewhere, as mere goal difference kept the Derbyshire men in the league for another year.

Many of those travelling supporters arrived in fancy dress as is tradition for their final away fixture, adding to the surreal spectacle as 489 fans took in Whitby's biggest victory since January 2006. Long-time basement club Lincoln United are joined by fellow Lincolnshire side Stamford in relegation, with the much-maligned Leek Town the third club bowing out after goal difference also saved match-less Yorkshiremen Ossett Town.

Stamford's relegation and the arrival of three northern-based sides from the Conference feeder league above, may also mean Whitby can miss out on their longest trip of the season as Hednesford Town face a return to the Southern League Premier.