UniBond Premier

15th Nov 2008

Attendance - 263

Team - Whitby Town: Campbell, Burgess, Bishop, Lyth, Forster, Beadle(Nogan 55), Huggins, Hackworth, Charlton(Raw 67), Rae(Brunskill 67), Scott. Subs not used: Brumwell, Garvie.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Chris McCaughtrie's late goal helped crisis club Leigh Genesis' team of reserves and youth players to a shock draw at the Turnbull Ground on Saturday.

The Lancashire club's ambitious former backer Dominic Speakman withdrew his financial support a fortnight ago. With wages cut to zero, manager Steve Bleasdale and most of the recognised squad then departed as a result.

However, Whitby, unbeaten in ten league games going into the encounter, allowed two defensive lapses to cost them and could even have lost after a late barrage.

The Blues made two changes from the side that drew 2-2 at then second-placed Marine last weekend, with left winger Leon Scott returning for striker Tom Raw, as Karl Charlton got a rare chance up front. On-loan Darlington goalkeeper Nick Liversedge served a one-match suspension after a recent sending-off at Stocksbridge, with veteran Dave Campbell making his first league start of the season.

After a slow start, Whitby threatened first on the quarter hour mark when Tony Hackworth's ferocious effort from 25 yards flew narrowly wide. Two minutes later, a free-kick was played into the feet of Charlton, who turned quickly to drive just too high and outside keeper Dean Porter's right-hand post.

The hosts should probably have led on 20 minutes when Steve Huggins' pinpoint right-wing cross fell to Michael Rae, who misjudged the ball's sudden bounce and miskicked over the crossbar from close range.

At the other end, Scott Sefton's effort from distance was only a coat of paint off target.

Whitby finally got their act together on 32 minutes. Charlton fed Leon Scott on the left edge of the box, with the full back turned winger firing early across Porter and finding the net off the inside of the far post.

Four minutes before half-time, Rae beat the Genesis offside trap, before teeing up Scott whose powerful drive was held at the second attempt by Porter.

Ex-Wigan keeper Porter then did well again to parry Rae's goalbound near post drive on 45 minutes.

However, there was still time in the first half for a scare from the visitors as a perfectly-placed free-kick from the halfway line found Richard Botchey who should have done better than heading straight at Campbell at the far post.

Leigh carried on in an attacking vein, but profited for some real seasonal generosity from Blues' skipper Richard Forster early in the second half. The former Blyth defender hesitated from Craig Bishop's backpass, allowing Sam Parkin to nip the ball off the end of his boot, cut in from the right and fire clinically past Campbell.

As Town attempted to hit back straight away, lively overlapping right-back Kevin Burgess slammed an unexpected 25 yard effort goalward that Porter did well to catch at the second attempt.

Moments later, the experienced Lee Nogan replaced Jimmy Beadle in the Whitby midfield, while Chris Rogers made way for Joe Fielding as Leigh reorganised their backline.

And it was Fielding who literally handed Whitby a chance to retake the lead on the hour. The defender was a touch unlucky though when his close range block from Huggins' cross was adjudged handball by referee Mr Hewitt and the Blues had a penalty. Up stepped Tony Hackworth and the former Leeds United midfielder made no mistake from 12 yards, driving low past Porter's outstretched left hand for his fourth goal of the season.

Danny Brunskill and Tom Raw replaced Rae and Charlton up front for the final 20 minutes as the Seasiders tried to push on and extend their advantage. Within a minute, Brunskill fired straight at Porter on his trademark turn from 20 yards.

But perhaps galvanised by what they saw as a harsh penalty award, Leigh's youngsters, with an average age of 18, fought back and were level again on 77 minutes. McCaughtrie took advantage of Whitby's defensive statues, springing Town's attempted offside trap and keeping his nerve to round Campbell, before sidefooting into the empty net.

Four minutes from time, Brunskill found himself clear on the edge of the Leigh penalty area, but the out of form marksman hooked high over the crossbar.

And Parkin even had a chance to win it for the visitors in the last minute, when he once again left static Town defenders trailing, and forced a good low save from Campbell at his near post.

Whitby now move onto struggling Ossett Town on Tuesday night, no doubt with joint boss Graham Clark's stinging team-talk, which was audible in the club car park, still ringing in their ears. The Blues may have extended their unbeaten league run to eleven matches, and have lost just once in sixteen outings, but five draws in their last six games keep the Seasiders in a disappointing 13th spot.

Porter put his side's youth into context when winning the visitors' man of the match award. The 17-year-old goalie is not yet old enough to drink his champagne prize.