UniBond Premier League

26th Augist 2006

Attendance - 338

Team - Norton, Reid, Brumwell, Appleby, Wilford, Farthing, Robinson(Scaife 65), Claisse(Parkin 89), Raw(Ormerod 5), Brunskill, Richards.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - New Blues boss Lee Nogan enjoyed his first competitive fixture at the Turnbull Ground, as his side picked up their first win of the season on Saturday.

Lowly Lincoln, like Whitby, had themselves only picked up one point from their opening two fixtures, but goals from last season’s top-scorer Danny Brunskill, who has now netted four times in as many matches and subsitute Anthony Ormerod kept John Wilkinson’s men under the cosh and town into the top half of the table.

Nogan made three changes from the team that began the 3-2 midweek defeat at Frickley Athletic- the big news being the replacement of long-serving goalkeeper David Campbell in favour of 19-year-old newcomer Jack Norton. Player-coach Graham Robinson made his first appearance of the season- replacing Ormerod as Tom Claisse moved onto the right flank, and right-back Tom Reid recovered from his leg injury as there wasn‘t even a place on the bench for Paul Atkinson.

However, Ormerod was not to be left on the bench for long as striker Tom Raw suffered a recurrence of his long-running hamstring problem, inside the opening five minutes. The former Middlesbrough striker took Raw’s forward spot and was soon in the action floating over an inviting cross for Robinson to awkwardly scissor kick on the half volley over the top from 12 yards.

Two minutes later, and another fine ball into the box, this time from 20-year-old left-winger Karl Richards with veteran midfielder Matty Appleby, on his home debut, nodding down but wide when well placed.

At the other end, as Lincoln enjoyed a useful little spell, Aron Wilford was lucky not to be cautioned for a deliberate handball- however, United wasted the subsequent free-kick, driving well wide from 25 yards. Four minutes later, Sam Wilkinson slammed a powerful effort over the Whitby bar from distance.

In-between, Brunskill saw his 18-yard effort charged down with Claisse powering the loose ball wide of the target.

As it was, Town took the lead with a chance from absolutely nothing. The rest of the league still haven’t figured out the Brunskill special, the big forward cut inside and with little backlift, struck a perfectly placed 20-yard shot off the inside of Mariano Ziccardi’s left-hand post and into the back of the net with the Lincoln keeper beaten.

Moments later, with the lions share of the 338 crowd roaring him on, Richards raced down the left, beating one man before winning the first of two quickfire corners, which came to nothing for the home side.

Four minutes from the interval, a speculative effort almost caught out Norton but just dropped the wrong side of the far post for the visitors.

Richards had another go at increasing Whitby’s lead, but couldn’t quite copy the legend of Leek the week before as he screwed a 25 yard effort well wide.

The second half opened as the first closed, with Town trying their luck from distance. Two minutes in, and Brunskill’s optimistic 20-yard punt bounced awkwardly in front of Ziccardi who kept his eyes on the ball to clutch comfortably in the end.

But Whitby soon found a way through once again on 54 minutes, this time Brunskill turned provider, playing in Ormerod who rounded Ziccardi with ease, as the Lincoln defence raised arms for a forlorn offside appeal, and walked the ball into the empty net.

Three minutes later, and it was Ormerod’s turn to provide the assist, with a neat right-wing cross but Richards can only head over the bar under pressure from two defenders in the United six yard box. Ormerod then tried his luck from 20 yards, but Ziccardi was equal to the effort, initially parrying and just about hanging on.

Whitby then dominated and after Brunskill struck another blow from distance over the top, Whitby could and should have had a nap hand after missing three guilt edged chances in an amazing four minute spell.

First, on 63 minutes, Brunskill delivered an ultra-inviting low ball across the Lincoln six-yard box, only for a Lincoln defender on his own goal-line to poke the ball off the end of Robinson’s boot. Three minutes later, Ormerod’s deep left wing cross found Claisse completely unmarked, only for the former Bradford City academy player to hammer a six yard volley several yards over the crossbar. Then, finally, within seconds, Ormerod again laid off, this time for new Blues skipper Appleby, but Barnsley’s £200,000 former Premiership signing curled wide from 12 yards with just the keeper to beat.

Wilkinson fired wide after good pressure from Phil Brumwell in a rare Lincoln breakaway, before Town made their second change with fifteen minutes remaining- Nick Scaife replacing Robinson in midfield.

Richards again tried to repeat the Leek feat after Brunskill fed him the ball on the edge of the box, but the former Hartlepool United man hammered another wayward effort over the Lincoln crossbar.

Lincoln then had a couple of half chances with a 79th minute curling effort failing to test Norton and moments later, Wilkinson heading wide from a good position but with the linesman’s offside flag raised.

Three minutes from time, Richards surged forward again, with the crowd baying for him to shoot, the youngster tried his luck from a near-impossible angle on the left side of the box, 12 yards out- and sent a powerful effort just over the bar.

Lincoln nearly hit the Blues on the break as striker Simon Bird, on a month’s loan from Conference North neighbours Gainsborough Trinity, sent a lively shot from all of 30 yards, inches over the Whitby woodwork.

With a minute left, Claisse sneaked off the pitch practically unnoticed to give another youngster, nippy forward Gavin Parkin a quick run out.

There was a notable landmark in the final minute as referee Mr Wallace- seemingly determined to avoid any additional paperwork- finally produced the first yellow card of the match- for a relatively innocuous obstruction from Stuart Reddington on Appleby.