UniBond Premier Division

23rd October 2004

Attendance - 185

Team - D Campbell, Williams, Veart, Farthing, Linighan, Robinson, McTiernan(P Campbell 76), Scaife, Ormerod, Johnson, A Gildea(Atkinson 85). Subs not used: Escritt.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Steve Johnson’s opener after five minutes in, and Graham Robinson’s late strike five minutes from the end, kept Whitby Town in third place on Merseyside at the weekend.
Dave Logan’s side put in a workmanlike performance to overturn the high-scoring newcomers Prescot Cables. Logan made two enforced changes with captain Scott Nicholson suspended for picking up five bookings, the skipper’s armband was passed to recent signing Nicky Scaife and fit again Alex Gildea returned to the midfield. Striker Steve Johnson made his first start of the season after hamstring trouble limited him to five minutes at Billingham Synthonia in the FA Cup- fellow forward Liam Gildea missed out due to last week’s straight red card.
Whitby started brightly with some excellent football on a difficult surface, and it was no surprise when they led inside five minutes. Scaife’s perfectly-weighted long ball picked out Johnson on the left edge of the Prescot box, and the youngster’s brilliant first touch saw him beat full-back Brian Holmes and drill inside the far post.
Scaife came close before Cables threatened for the first time on 15 minutes when Mark Peers surprised the Blues with a quickly taken poke goalwards from a free-kick but Dave Campbell did well to get across and clutch the ball.
The Seasiders then had an excellent spell with Alex Gildea and Anth Ormerod threatening. On 23 minutes, Craig Veart’s throw was flicked on by Scaife for Dave McTiernan arriving late at the far post, to head straight at keeper Prisetley. Moments later, some good work from Johnson, enabled Gildea to hammer a half-volley just over the bar from 16 yards.
Play then flew to the other end and Whitby were indebted to the evergreen Campbell for preserving their lead, firstly, with a brilliant reflex save to palm Peers’ goalbound drive over the bar. Then, from the resulting corner, Campbell saved well on the line with his legs from Dave Chadwick’s low drive.
However, the Blues could’ve ended the half two goals ahead after missing an excellent chance five minutes before the break. Gildea’s mazy run into the box saw Prisetley get back to parry from a tight angle and the loose ball was sliced well wide from the edge of the box by the previously impressive Robinson.
The home side surged out of the dressing room after the interval and pressed Whitby back straight away. A succession of free-kicks and corners saw Karl Connelly curl just over the Whitby crossbar from 20 yards and Sam McNutt’s header from Simon Garner’s free-kick suffered the same fate.
At the other end, the Seasiders’ excellent build-up play continued with Ormerod, Johnson and co. all combining but the move petered out with Scaife’s speculative chip landing comfortably in Prisetley’s gloves.
Gildea cut in from the left but fired straight at Priestley before a sickening clash of heads silenced the crowd. Whitby’s Robinson and Prescot’s Mike O’Donnall collided with a chilling thud as they contested an aerial ball, the sound reminiscent of another former Whitby skipper Neil Hodgson’s horrific broken leg sustained at the Turnbull Ground some six seasons ago.
Thankfully, both players were able to continue after lengthy treatment, with Whitby resuming the impetus. Minutes later, Johnson skipped past Adam Flynn on the right flank but Scaife’s shot from the pull back was blocked on the line, and cleared.
Cables continued to cause sparks at the other end, with the impressive ex-Liverpool Academy star Peers’ volleying over once again, and Campbell doing well to block with his legs from Kevin Garforth.
Paul Campbell replaced McTiernan as the Blues looked to condense the midfield and stem the Prescot pressure. However, Whitby hearts were in mouths on 80 minutes when Garforth spotted Dave Campbell off his line and his instinctive lob landed millimetres wide of the Whitby keeper’s far post.
Terror then turned to joy for the Yorkshire contingent within five minutes as Veart’s quickly taken driven free-kick took a wicked deflection off Robinson inside the visitors’ box, wrong-footing Prisetley and sneaking into the net for a very fortunate winner.
The Blues could’ve added to their tally late on when Ormerod’s skill opened things up for Scaife’s rasping low 18-yard drive that Prisetley blocked with his legs. Into the four minutes of injury time and Robinson should’ve had his second when Johnson’s unselfish cross was somehow turned wide from close range by the South African. Johnson, a thorn in the side of Prescot all afternoon was then unlucky to see his speculative low volley from Prisetley’s mis-kick fly inches wide. But there was no need to worry, as the final whistle followed seconds later and Dave Logan’s side had extended their unbeaten run to five matches. Despite victories from top-two Workington and Hyde, Whitby remain closely behind just a point behind the Greater Manchester side, who they visit next month