UniBond Premier League

30th September 2006

Attendance - 303

Team - Campbell, Reid, Brumwell, Appleby, Farthingm Claisse(McTiernan 57), Robinson(Wilford 67), Drinkall, Raw, Brunskill, Ormerod. Sub not used: Wilkinson.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - MDanny Farthing's 90th minute winner extended Whitby's winning run to five league games and lifted them to fifth in the table- level on points with third-placed Guiseley.

Town manager Lee Nogan dropped himself from the 14, for fit-again right-back Neil Wilkinson to re-enter the squad- otherwise the Blues were unchanged from the midweek success against Kendal Town.

Despite the recent Town revival, it was visitors Mossley who threatened first inside five minutes with former Burscough forward Peter Wright curling a sweet 20 yard effort inches wide of Dave Campbell's right-hand post.

At the other end, Whitby's top scorer Danny Brunskill turned provider with a flick on for Tom Raw, but the local lad fired straight at keeper Danny Trueman on the turn from close range.

Town skipper Matty Appleby then curled a 20-yard free-kick to Trueman's right, but just past the post from a central position.

On 26 minutes, Tom Claisse's right-wing cross was headed over the top from 12 yards by an off-balance Brunskill.

Two minutes later though, and the Greater Manchester side led. It took a fine finish from 19-year-old midfielder Joe Shaw, after the former Huddersfield Town youngster beat two men then fired clinically past Campbell's sprawling right glove and inside the keeper's far post from the edge of the area.

Whitby were far from deterred and roared on by the 300-plus crowd, were level within three minutes. Phil Brumwell crossed from the left and Brunskill nodded on for Claisse to live up to his name and sidefoot an angled drive past Trueman from 18 yards.

Wright then missed a guilt-edged opportunity to reinstate the away side's lead, firing wide of the marooned Campbell, after Graham Robinson lost possession in midfield.

Whitby's James Drinkall hammered an ambitious effort high over the crossbar from 25 yards and Brunskill's trademark turn and shot flew across goal but ended up well wide of the mark.

But seven minutes from the break, it was Mossley who regained their lead. And it was Shaw again, this time taking advantage of a defensive lapse, to volley Ant Bingham's simple cross over Campbell and into the net as the visitors were left two on one by the slow-to-react Blues backline.

A few home truths may have been uttered at the half-time interval, as a more purposeful home side took the field for the second half. Six minutes in, and Tom Reid overlapping on the right wing, cut inside and powered a ferocious drive that Trueman did well to palm round his right-hand post.

The resulting corner was cleared as far as Brunskill who headed on for Raw to glance the ball neatly over Trueman from 12 yards and into the roof of the net for 2-2.

Five minutes later, and slightly earlier than usual, came the obligatory introduction of Dave McTiernan for makeshift winger Claisse.

But rather than a Town surge, it was Mossley who came forward and won a highly contentious penalty on the hour mark. Campbell diving at Wright's feet inside the area to push the ball clear, was adjudged to have tripped the ex-Chorley man, who hit the deck in theatrical fashion. Wright quickly dusted himself off to take the subsequent spot kick, only for Campbell to guess correctly and parry low to his right, and the Mossley striker blasted the rebound from an acute angle high and wide.

Christian Cooke sent a curling effort over the Whitby bar from distance on 65 minutes, before Robinson became the first man booked by referee Mr Sharp after a mistimed lunge on the halfway line by the South African. It was to be the assistant manager's last on-field action, as he trotted off the field to be replaced by Aron Wilford seconds later.

Farthing headed a tricky chance over the top, before play swung to the other end and Campbell was forced to turn Shaw's low drive wide and deny the teenage marksman a hat-trick.

McTiernan's optimistic low drive from distance was easily collected by Trueman, before Shaw drove wide on the turn for Mossley.

Former Bury forward Steve Burke replaced Bingham for the last fifteen minutes as the Lilywhites pushed for a winner in the first league meeting between the clubs.

However, it was Town who finished the stronger and Ant Ormerod's right-wing cross was acrobatically headed over by McTiernan at the far post, who did amazingly well to even get to the ball, coiling his head in mid-dive just to make contact.

Wilford, playing in an unfamiliar central-midfield role, fired aimlessly over the bar from fully 30 yards, with defender Terry Bowker just as off target from 20 yards as he fell to the ground. Five minutes from time, Wright nodded what was to be his side's last sniff at goal, wide of the mark.

Encouraged by the atmosphere generated by the many youngsters in the main stand, Town piled on the pressure at the death, with McTiernan's piledriver from the edge of the box deflected past Trueman's right-hand post in a crowded Mossley area. As the 90th minute ticked over, the corner kick was driven across the six yard box, as the ball ran loose, Raw stuck out a leg while on the ground, but it appeared to be Farthing who got the last touch, poking past Trueman for the winner.

Mossley threw everything forward during injury time but Town held out to edge a five-goal thriller, and take the momentum into Whitby's first trip to Seel Park on Tuesday night, for the quickfire return match. The Blues have now won five league matches in succession for the first time since their last promotion- from the Unibond First Division under Harry Dunn in 1998.