UniBond Premier Division

17th April 2006

Attendance - 211

Team - Escritt, Brumwell, Veart, Wilkinson, Farthing, Radigan, McTiernan, Nicholson, Ormerod, Brunskill, Richards. Subs not used: Yalcin, Claisse, Barber.

Report - Whitby kept up their unbeaten April on Easter Monday at fifth-placed North Ferriby United but had goalkeeper Ben Escritt, his crossbar and a post to thank for taking home a point despite dominating the second half on Humberside.

Blues manager David Logan made two changes from the side that edged out Guiseley on Good Friday- Town were without versatile defender/forward Aron Wilford and Turkish midfielder Lev Yalcin was dropped to the bench with Neil Radigan starting his first match of the season after signing from Billingham Synthonia last month and Scott Nicholson returning from suspension.

On nine minutes, the home side almost grabbed the lead in route-one style, goalkeeper Antoni Pecora’s free-kick carried on the wind and Neil Allison headed narrowly wide of Ben Escritt’s left-hand post from 15 yards.

Three minutes later at the other end, Ant Ormerod’s high ball saw Nicholson beat the Ferriby offside trap and try to muscle his way through only for the ball to cannon off the Whitby man’s shins for a goal kick as he battled with a home defender.

The hosts were back on the attack within seconds and Nathan Hotte’s mazy run ended with a deflected close range effort straight into Escritt’s hands, with Ferriby players appealing for handball.

The strength of the wind was evident once again on 19 minutes when Michael Price’s 40 yard free-kick flew over the back-tracking Escritt and inches wide of the young keeper’s right-hand post.

A dour first half gave way to a much more eventful second period with Town emerging from the dressing room in a much more purposeful vein. Five minutes after the break, Karl Richards raced down the left, juggling the ball neatly towards the edge of the Ferriby box before unleashing a half volley that Pecora did well to save comfortably low to his right.

A minute later, Radigan won a header on the halfway line and released Ant Ormerod who struck another half-volley, powerfully, but just wide of the mark from 18 yards, with the former Middlesbrough forward disappointed not to have tested Pecora.

Ferriby introduced Chris Gowen for Carl Ward in a like for like defensive change, before the home side came perilously close to grabbing the lead in an incredible spell of play.

On 69 minutes, Hotte broke on the edge of the Whitby area and fired goalwards only for Neil Wilkinson to clear with an acrobatic diving header. The ball was then lofted back into the Town box with Carl Fothergill’s point-blank header somehow pushed wide by Escritt. The action was not over though as Price’s corner was met by Jamie Waltham’s header which caught Veart and struck the crossbar with the rebound slamming off Escritt’s left-hand post with the keeper beaten.

Brunskill, fresh from rattling the unfortunate Allison’s ribs with a piledriver from point blank range, then set up McTiernan on 72 minutes, but the youngster was crowded out and could only poke a weak low effort straight at Pecora. Top-scorer Brunskill again turned provider four minutes later, heading on only for Nicholson to send a bicycle kick high over the bar and off towards the spectacular Humber Bridge which dominates the skyline of the tiny Hull village.

Right-winger Leon Wainman replaced Right-back Danny Moore as under-fire play-off chasers Ferriby looked for all three points in the final 13 minutes. And it was the lively former Matlock wide man who tested Escritt once again, forcing a solid save low to his left from the Whitby stopper with a dangerous 18-yard angled drive.

Nicholson then had two good chances for the visitors, firstly heading Ormerod’s deep cross past the near post from a difficult position and then when one on one with Pecora, taking the ball too wide and firing past Pecora’s left hand post and into the side netting.

Nicholson, who spent much of the afternoon on the ground despite his towering frame and had already been booked at this stage, then contested a stiff challenge with fellow yellow-card holder Price, with both men going in with studs showing- Nicholson was again left on the deck, Price- possibly fortunate to remain on the field- received no more than a ticking off from the referee, with Nicholson also warned.

A minute from time, Brunskill was upended just inside the Ferriby area and Radigan drilled the resulting free-kick narrowly wide. Moments later, some hefty but fair slide tackles around the same area of the field involving Brunskill, Waltham and McTiernan ended with the latter skipping into the six yard box only to be caught in two minds, firing across goal and out for a goal kick, as no-one followed up at the far post.

Sadly despite the game being played in a decent spirit, Price eventually saw red two minutes into injury time. McTiernan tricked his way past the left-back who caught the Whitby man with a trailing leg- sending him sprawling 20 yards from goal. The reluctant referee who ran the game very competently all afternoon produced a second yellow card quickly followed by a red as United were reduced to ten men with just seconds remaining.

Despite coming at such a late stage, the Seasiders nearly let their man advantage count as Richards’ whipped free-kick was headed wide by Danny Farthing from close range. However, Ferriby still had time to win a corner at the other end, and it was surely a relief to the visitors as the referee’s whistle interrupted plans for another corner after a Whitby man stuck out a leg to divert the ball behind at the near post.