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9th August 2008

Attendance -

Team - Whitby Town: Escritt, Burgess, Cook(Garvie 54), Tobin(Lyth 46), Forster, Tinkler, Huggins, Ormerod, Hackworth(Raw 31), Brunskill, Charlton. Subs not used: Pallender, Ledgeway.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Ex-Whitby player Dave McTiernan returned to haunt his former club with the winning goal as visitors' Newcastle Blue Star bridged the one division gap between the sides at the Turnbull Ground on Saturday.

The Unibond First Division North side began much the better side, and won a free-kick on 13 minutes after Steve Tobin barged over Paul Brayson just outside the Whitby box, but Brayson's 20-yard effort flew well wide.

At the other end, Danny Brunskill powered an effort from 25 yards straight at visiting keeper Dan Lawson. Then on 21 minutes, Tobin dived in rashly and allowed Chris Emms to race clear, but when one on one with Ben Escritt, scuffed his shot past the Town keeper's right-hand post.

Emms again failed to test Escritt on 31 minutes, curling another dangerously-positioned free-kick high and wide.

However, Blue Star did lead seconds later when Emms turned provoder. The ex-Billingham Town forward made a great run to tee up former Gateshead midfielder Steve Bowey who made no mistake with a low angled drive from close range to put the visitors into a deserved lead.

But Whitby should've had a penalty within five minutes, when Lawson tripped Tom Raw from behind- diving at the striker's feet as Raw shielded the ball- but nothing was given by referee Mr Stalker.

Local lad Raw nearly struck early in the second half after Karl Charlton's left-wing cross came back off the crossbar and caused confusion in the visitors' box, but the 23-year-old hitman's shot on the turn was charged down by a nearby defender.

Blue Star kept on the pressure on Escritt's goal however, winning a series of free-kick around the edge of the Whitby box, culminating in McTiernan firing narrowly wide from distance.

These missed opportunities looked to have cost them with 19 minutes remaining, when a simple ball over the top released Raw, who patiently picked his spot, despite the presence of two covering defenders, before driving low past Lawson from 10 yards.

However, there was little respite for Town as, four minutes later, an innocous left-wing ball across the face of the penalty area, somehow alluded three Whitby defenders and McTiernan gleefully nipped in to despatch the loose ball past the helpless Escritt.

Things could've been worse and only a great covering tackle from Ashley Lyth prevented them from re-taking the lead on 73 minutes. A high ball was misjudged by Richard Forster, allowing Brayson a clear run on goal, only for Lyth to race across and disposess the visitors' dangerous number nine.

Whitby did have a bright spell late on when a great touch by Charlton, saw the pacey winger fire straight at Lawson, and Tony Hackworth, who returned to the field after being subbed in the first half after a four-letter-outburst toward manager Graham Clark, combined well in a one touch move with Brunskill, but to no avail.