UniBond Premier Division

15th September 2004

Attendance - 214

Team - Escritt, Williams, Veart, Linighan, Farthing, Bishop, Atkinson(L Gildea 82), Campbell(McTiernan 73), Ormerod, Robinson, Nicholson. Sub not used: Johnson.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Whitby remain in title contention after a comfortable 1-0 victory over Ossett Town at the Turnbull Ground on Wednesday night. An Anthony Ormerod goal was enough to take the Blues up to eighth spot, just three points behind second-placed Hyde. The Blues were missing the injured Alex Gildea with Chris Lynch not in the squad and Dave McTiernan on the bench. Paul Atkinson returned to the right wing, Neal Bishop to midfield and Craig Veart made his first start of the season.

Ormerod and Nicholson threatened in the opening four minutes and it was unlucky for Ossett as Whitby led on 13 minutes. Ossett then came close when Ben Escritt saved acrobatically from Alex Callery's powerful drive and just clung on at the second attempt as the ball squirmed from his grasp. And the visitors almost struck on 34 minutes when Walshaw slipped on the ball but still managed to retain possession and set up former York striker Rodney Rowe. But after a manic scramble in the Blues box, the combination of Nicholson and Linighan managed to hack the ball clear.

The second half saw Ossett try and assert themselves in the air, but the Blues favoured the ball to feet and nearly doubled the lead when Graham Robinson turned and shot just over. Five minutes later, Ormerod and Robinson exchanged passes before a low cross was mis-hit by Nicholson and cleared. Nicholson then linked up well with Ormerod, whose cross was headed narrowly over by constant aerial threat Brian Linighan. Ossett were continually limited to periods of head tennis in the Whitby box, while Whitby could've sewn it up on 75 minutes. Robinson took Veart's through ball brilliantly in his stride but the South African's low drive was blocked with his legs by Ossett's erratic keeper Jon Hood.

Hood dropped the ball in the air for the fifth or sixth time with seven minutes left, with Ormerod just off balance to shoot wide from close range. Caretaker boss Dave Logan replaced Atkinson and Campbell with Liam Gildea and McTiernan late on. Gildea poked just wide arriving late at the far post from Ormerod's dangerous low cross on 86 minutes. And with two minutes left, Veart's looping free-kick was headed wide at the far post by Linighan. A much improved performance from the Seasiders to take them into Saturday's big FA Cup clash. The victory being a lot more comfortable than the scoreline suggests