UniBond Premier

25th April 2000

Attendance - 504

Team - Liversedge, Burgess, Bishop, Lyth, Forster, Beadle, Huggins, Hackworth(Ross 88), Rae(Brunskill 88), Raw(Charlton 76), Scott. Subs not used: Lambert, Campbell.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Whitby face a nervous few weeks after clinching the fourth-bottom spot with a suprise win over title-chasing Ilkeston in Saturday's final game of the season. The Blues now await the result of an appeal by 16th placed Cammell Laird, who were demoted due to failing their ground grading recently.

Manager Graeme Clark made just one change from the side that defeated Witton Albion in midweek to leapfrog the ex-Conference club in the battle to survive, with Steve Huggins replacing Sean Ross on the right flank.

Visitors Ilkeston, began the day with an outside chance of lifting the league championship, and began the stronger in a cagey opening.

However, only Jon Douglas' weak header straight at Nick Liversedge from close range threatened to put the Robins ahead. After an indifferent start, Whitby found their feet and began to dominate around the half hour mark when Leon Scott released Michael Rae who poked past the far post from a tough angle.

Former Gateshead forward Rae then missed a much easier chance, following up when Tom Raw's shot struck the stranded keeper's legs, but only nodding straight into the hands of a grateful Chris Adamson.

Moments later, Rae headed over from a left-wing Raw cross before the Seasiders finally struck a minute from half-time. A neat through ball released the pacey Huggins who struck the ball early with his weaker left foot to put Whitby ahead going into the break. It was a crucial time to seize the advantage, especially with relegation rivals Witton, who needed to better Town's result, still drawing 0-0 with promotion-chasing Guiseley.

Ilkeston's lively marksman Amari Morgan-Smith headed over early in the second half, then forced a tremendous tip over from Liversedge with a goalbound strike. And surely, the turning point came when seconds later Douglas arriving unnoticed at the far post forced an incredible stop from the on-loan Darlington keeper. Ilkeston's impressive three buses full of travelling fans, decked in everything from superman to a nun, held their heads, and habits, in their hands. To the enjoyment of most of the bumper crowd, it appeared Witton had fallen behind in Cheshire.

Whitby piled to the other end and when Robins' skipper Simon Weaver was adjudged to have barged Raw to the ground, referee Mr Holmes quickly awarded a dramatic penalty. With most of the ground split between encouragement for penalty taker Hackworth, silence and shushing sounds for the first group, the former Leeds United man was the calmest man on the field and comfortably slotted home Whitby's second from 12 yards. The only distant blot on the horizon was news of Witton's equaliser, but it was irrelevant as long as Whitby held out for all three points.

The Seasiders never looked like being breached in the second half, and Clark took the opportunity to get Supporters' Player of the year Raw a deserved round of applause, when replaced by another left-sided forward, Karl Charlton. Ilkeston, looking for a treble over the Blues after an earlier 1-0 league win and extra-time cup success, were now settled for a home play-off tie on Tuesday with player fitness now their main concern. Whitby also took the opportunity to rest players late on with Rae and the highly-impressive Hackworth, showing no signs of his still-swollen knee injury, making way for Ross and Danny Brunskill two minutes from time. By now, Guiseley had re-taken the lead at Witton, though sadly wins for Matlock and Boston, meant Whitby would still be reliant on outside forces as a bottom four finish was now guaranteed.

Rumours still persisted that Brunskill, dogged by work commitments, may be playing his final game for the club, so hopes were high of an emotional send-off when he stood over a free-kick in the final minute. By now, the visitors had given up the ghost late on and with the Witton score now a result, Whitby were confident, knowing only off-field matters could now send them down. Brunskill duly stepped up, slamming a typically powerful drive that Adamson couldn't handle. But, instead of giving Brunskill a fairytale end to the season, it was Charlton on hand to tap in from point blank range, sending the Whitby fans into rapture and clinching the top scorers award, from last year's winner Brunskill.