UniBond Premier League

2nd September 2006

Attendance - 305

Team - Norton, Reid, Brumwell, Appleby(Scaife 30), Wilford, Farthing(Parkin 45), Robinson, Claisse(Hughes 25), Ormerod, Brunskill, McTiernan.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Whitby's nightmare start to the season continued on Saturday after a 2-1 defeat to new league leaders Matlock Town at the Turnbull Ground.

Lee Nogan's men go into Tuesday night's trip to Guiseley, who are run by three millionaires, sitting third from bottom, with just one win from their opening five matches andseven or more players on the injured list.

However, it was far from doom and gloom for the home side after a bright start that saw Dave McTiernan's goalbound header tipped over by Andy Richmond in the third minute.

Moments later, Phil Brumwell's 30 yard drive flew inches over Richmond's crossbar.

And after another unsuccessful effort from distance, this time from Danny Brunskill, the Seasiders had a penalty after Brunskill was pulled to the ground. The big striker got up and despatched the resulting kick into the bottom left corner of the net.

Matlock responded with a fine effort destined for the top right corner that Jack Norton in the Whitby goal did well to palm over.

Whitby defender Danny Farthing was perhaps lucky to only recieve a yellow card after a lunging challenge from the Blues' last man just outside the area.

It appeared the home side had now used up their luck as they lost two midfielders in a devastating five minute spell in the first half. First, Tom Claisse made way for Craig Hughes on 25 minutes then within seconds, Matty Appleby went down as he chased a through ball just outside the visitors' box.

The 34-year-old former Barnsley man tried to run off the injury but was eventually forced to limp off. Nick Scaife replaced him but found the going tough and the visitors began to take control.

There was therefore, a feeling of inevitability five minutes from the break when Farthing misjudged a testing right-wing cross and Paul Riley was on hand to fire clinically past Norton from close range for the equaliser.

Instead of being able to regroup at the break, the Blues were hit by another injury problem as Farthing could no longer play through a dead leg and teenage striker Gavin Parkin was the only available replacement.

Riley came close twice early on after the restart with the visitors having most of the play, though Richmond saved well with his legs to deny Brunskill a chance to reinstate Whitby's lead.

Former Notts County midfielder Riley was not to be denied though as he put the visitors in front with 17 minutes remaining with an unstoppable 18 yard angled drive that gave Norton no chance.

Matlock almost added a third moments later direct from the keeper's goal-kick. Richmond's ferocious clearance was acrobatically tipped over at full stretch by his opposite number Norton.

Simon Barraclough saw his deflected shot on the turn from the edge of the box fail to extend Norton. The same player then drove wide after a mazy run.

Five minutes from time, Norton held a fierce 20-yard shot that went straight at the young keeper, while at the other end, Scaife's effort from the edge of the box was charged down and Reid could only fire straight at Richmond from the follow up.