UniBond Premier Division

14th April 2007

Attendance - 277

Team - A Reid, Brumwell, Janes, Appleby, Ward, Hollingsworth(Robinson 70), Thomas, Drinkall(McTiernan 62), Raw(McTiernan 62), Brunskill, Ormerod.

Report - Whitby Town fell into the bottom half of the Unibond Premier Division for the first time since September after a seventh straight away defeat, this time at Marine's Arriva Stadium on Saturday.

Manager Lee Nogan was able to name an unchanged side for the first time since November, and kept faith with the players who went down 2-0 at North Ferriby on Easter Monday.

Marine's 24-goal leading scorer Peter Cumiskey dragged his shot wide inside three minutes, but Nogan's decision looked the right one as the visitors led just moments later.

Wing-back Alex Janes swung over a cross from the left for Danny Brunskill to rise highest at the far post and head past Andy Banks for his 27th strike of the season. Brunskill then came close and the Mariners had keeper Banks to thank when the former Fleetwood Town goalkeeper denied Town's leading marksman a second goal, blocking with his legs.

As it was, this only seemed to irritate the home side who from then on proceeded to dominate. Cumiskey was providing a good outlet for the Crosby club, and they levelled the scores on 14 minutes. The prolific ex-Vauxhall forward found the lively Darren Brookfield, who beat Whitby's flimsy offside trap and slid the ball past Blues keeper Arran Reid with ease.

Three minutes later, the game was turned on its head as the in-form Merseysiders led for the first time. Teenage Town defender Darren Hollingsworth's rash slide challenge took Brookfield's legs just inside the area- with the youngster yellow-carded. Cumiskey strode up confidently and placed a crisp low penalty past Reid's despairing right glove and neatly inside the post.

For the next ten minutes, Whitby struggled to get out of their own half as the home side laid seige with strike duo Brookfield and Cumiskey a constant threat. On 23 minutes, a foul on Brookfield, culminated in right-sided midfielder Lee Parle chipping straight at Reid. The Whitby keeper had to be alert moments later when Eddie Hussin raced onto a loose ball, the combative former Leigh man got there first, lobbed Reid but saw his effort drift just over the crossbar.

The Seasiders tested Banks on the break when Stephen Thomas' swerving 20-yard strike had to be pushed wide by the Mariners keeper. Before half-time, Brookfield and Cumiskey again combined for Ian Latham to head inches wide from a left-wing cross.

The second half opened with Marine skipper James Connolly heading just wide from a good position, but Whitby didn't heed the warning, and the home side killed the match off as a contest on the hour mark. Hollingsworth halted Cumiskey's progress illegally just outside the box and was given what was surely a last warning by referee Mr Benton after a number of minor fouls throughout the game mainly involving the strong Cumiskey and pacey, diminutive Brookfield. As it was, his club paid the penalty as Hussin's free-kick was nodded emphatically past Reid by Connolly for 3-1, and Whitby's hopes of ending their barren run had wilted in the increasingly-scorching Merseyside heat. They almost vaporised completely moments later when Cumiskey crossed from the left for Brookfield to head home unchallenged at the far post, only for the nearby linesman to have his flag raised for offside.

Nogan quickly threw on Karl Richards and Dave McTiernan in place of Tom Raw and James Drinkall as Town went to 4-4-2 after starting with wing-backs. The changes appeared to work as the Blues created more chances in the last half hour, than in the entire past 60 minutes.

Connolly saw another header hacked off his own line by Phil Brumwell, before Robinson broke clear but saw a weak effort saved comfortably low down by Banks. A drilled Brunskill cross was then spilled by the Marine keeper, but his defenders were alert enough to clear the loose ball.

Richards fired well wide from the edge of the area before Matty Appleby's ferocious 25-yard free-kick flew millimetres the wrong side, for the visitors, of Banks' left-hand post.

After the match, Nogan was suprisingly positive saying how some of the football was the best he'd seen from his side for a long time. However, the Blues boss was quick to add that his team could not afford to defend like they did on Saturday. The former Reading striker also stated confidently that he'd be bringing better players into the club over the summer.