UniBond Premier

1st December 2007

Attendance - 287

Team - Campbell, Lyth, Gordon, Appleby(Adams 85), Janes, Pallender, Claisse, Thompson(A Raw 90), Gildea, Brunskill(Ormerod 85), Charlton.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Whitby Town brushed aside promotion-chasing bogey side Matlock Town after three second half goals at the Turnbull Ground on Saturday, extended the Blues' unbeaten run to five matches.

Caretaker managers Phil Brumwell and Graham Clark made one change from the side that won Tuesday's epic North Riding Cup tie 4-3 at Marske in midweek, with former Middlesbrough star Dean Gordon replacing local lad Andy Raw at the back.

But it was another returning Whitby defender in Alex Janes, back after a six-match injury lay-off who came close to breaking the deadlock inside six minutes. The ex-Darlington full-back slid in well to snatch possession in his own half then released Karl Charlton down the left flank. Charlton's dangerous driven ball to the right edge of the six yard box was turned behind by a visiting defender, with the resulting corner, nodded just over by Janes, rising highest at the far post.

Four minutes later, Blues' top scorer Danny Brunskill fired high and wide with a trademark shot on the turn from the edge of the Gladiators' area. As Whitby pressure continued unabated, Andrew Thompson drilled a 20-yard effort that Matlock's former Chesterfield keeper Andy Richmond unconvincingly let skid under his body and just wide.

Thompson, who has regularly struck from distance in his short spell at the Turnbull, was allowed another go from similiar range on 28 minutes, with the ball flying millimetres off target.

Matlock, sitting in sixth spot before kick-off, were again without influential defenders, Paul Riley, who netted twice in the corresponding game last season plus the disputed winner in the sides' meeting in Derbyshire earlier in this campaign, and skipper James Lukic through injury. With a recent record of just two wins from their last six encounters, the Derbyshire club looked a shadow of the side who have caused the Seasiders so many problems in recent seasons, as Whitby tore them apart at will.

Thompson fizzed another 20 yard piledriver just out of range, before, a minute from half-time, it seemed the breakthrough had finally arrived. A neat exchange of passes on the edge of the Matlock box, saw Whitby captain Matty Appleby through on goal, but when faced one-on-one, Richmond tipped the former Barnsley star's angled drive wide with the faintest finger-tip save.

As the second half opened, the visitors enjoyed a rare sight of goal, but on-loan Chesterfield forward Jamie Donnelly-Jackson's close range effort was off target.

However, the ball was soon in the net, only at the other end of the field as Whitby finally made shots on target and territorial advantage count. Ten minutes after the restart, repeated shots just inside the Matlock box, eventually culminated in the ball running loose for Thompson to stride forward and batter home from the familiar 20-yard mark his fifth goal in six starts since joining from Blyth Spartans.

Seven minutes later, it was 2-0, when Tom Claisse's 25-yard effort from nothing was completely misjudged by Richmond who only succeeded in spilling the shot invitingly for Brunskill to force home from point blank range.

David Campbell in the Whitby goal, was finally called upon to make an important save after 70 minutes. Gary Webster struck an explosive shot from identical range, and the 37-year-old keeper reacted quickly to palm the midfielder's shot round his right-hand post.

Two newcomers in Eugene Francis and James Kinsler swapped places as the Midlands club made their first change with 15 minutes remaining. But it was to little effect as the Blues wrapped up the match late on when a deep left-wing cross dropped perfectly for Brunskill to volley expertly between Richmond's legs from 12 yards for his 16th of the season and Whitby's third of the afternoon.

The marksman, who recently signed a contract extension keeping him at Town till the end of next season, immediately made way for winger Anthony Ormerod, while at the same time, another 90s Premiership performer Appleby, was replaced by 23-year-old fellow midfielder Tom Adams.

There was to be no overturning of Town's three goal advantage this week despite Matlock's man of the match Steve Circuit heading just over at the far post from a lofted right-wing ball. In-fact Whitby's own top dog Thompson nearly added to his healthy goal account seconds later, when the Peak District side again failed to close down the powerhouse, who saw a sweet half-volley roll just wide.

Thompson was able to enjoy the applause of the home crowd in the final minute, when swapping places with the equally popular Raw, on a day when the entire Blues' line-up deserved credit for an unblemished, dominant display and a welcome clean sheet.