UniBond Premier

25th September 2007

Attendance - 226

Team - Debbage, A Raw, Janes, Appleby(Vickers 75), Hartas(Brumwell 45), Drinkall, Ormerod(Andrews 28), Adams, Hackworth, Brunskill, Charlton.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Whitby never recovered from going 3-0 down inside 20 minutes on Tuesday night, eventually losing 5-2 in blustery conditions to perennial tormentors Ossett Town.

The visitors attacked from the off at the Turnbull with a first minute effort tipped over well by young Town keeper James Debbage. The former Plymouth stopper then reacted superbly to keep out James Walshaw’s low angled drive.
With 12 minutes on the clock, Ossett led when Rob O’Brien’s effort from distance was palmed out by Debbage but only two players, both in red, reacted to the loose ball, and one of them- Lee Tuck- sidefooted home the simplest of goals.

Whitby had a great chance to equalise three minutes later when Tony Hackworth charged down keeper Piotr Skiba’s attempted clearance but was forced to wait for support to arrive, and when Karl Charlton did, his shot was charged down.

Ossett doubled their lead thanks to some defensive indecision at the other end, when Alex Janes cleared straight to Lee Pugh who gleefully slotted home from close range.

Tuck then grabbed his second and Ossett’s third in the 20th minute, beating Town’s weak offside trap with ease to roll the ball past the helpless Debbage. Tuck could have completed his hat-trick a minute later but poked straight at Debbage from close range.

Experienced defender Phil Brumwell made his first appearance of the season after a groin injury, as he replaced centre-half Dave Hartas, who himself was coming back from a knee problem. Whitby looked determined to make a real effort right from the start of the second half with the wind in their favour but could’ve found themselves four down early on, when Appleby’s sloppy backpass was picked up by Walshaw who shot wide when well placed.

But a minute later, Danny Brunskill’s shot on the turn was cleared at the near post by a visiting defender, and the resulting corner was headed home emphatically by the on-rushing Tom Adams.

Walshaw brought a good tip over from Debbage, and Pugh inexplicably hooked into the side netting when unmarked at the far post a minute later.

On the hour, Sonny Andrews who replaced the injured Ant Ormerod in the first half, put together a fine solo run and poked a hopefully effort goal wards, only for Skiba to spill, but recover before Brunskill could strike.

Six minutes later, more good work from Andrews, saw him set up Brunskill to drive inches wide of Skiba’s right-hand post from 18 yards. Moments later, the same two players exchanged passes for Andrews to poke just over from similar range.

However, the killer goal came from nothing at the other end as Aiden Savory fired an unstoppable effort into the roof of the net from fully 25 yards with just ten minutes remaining.

Substitute Mike Vickers, on for Appleby, hadn’t given up hope and promptly rifled home an even more impressive effort that sailed past the helpless Skiba from an identical position for 4-2.

As it was, Ossett had two great chances late on as Debbage saved point-blank from Tuck, and O’Brien drove over the top from the edge of the area. Vickers had a chance of his own to force a grandstand finish but nodded a free header straight at Skiba on 90 minutes. With five minutes of added time announced, the Blues still had hope, but Savory shredded that as he got in behind a depleted Town defence to half volley past Debbage from close range.