20th September 2003

Attendance - 242

Team - Clementson, Nicholson, Betts, Hall, Reed, Linighan, Swales, Campbell (Johnson 33), Ormerod, Burt, Veart; subs, not used, O'Brien, Tierney.

Report - From www.whitbytoday.co.uk A makeshift Whitby Town missing five regulars battled hard throughout to take a deserved point against Runcorn at the Widnes Rugby League Stadium on Saturday.
The Blues were minus the services of Lee Ure, Graham Robinson, Graeme Williams, Ben Dixon and Alex Gildea.
Early home pressure was easily soaked up by the visitors. Steve Daley had an early chance but Adam Clementson, in the Whitby goal, was equal to the challange.
And it was Whitby who went in front in the ninth minute when Craig Veart's quick free-kick down the left was collected by Jamie Burt whose sharp, low cross saw Adam Reed challenge in the air and the loose ball was forced home by Anthony Ormerod.
For the rest of the half Whitby defended stoutly and although Daly, Leadbetter and Courtney all went close and the home side forced corner after corner, Whitby were still dangerous on the break.
Then, in the 29th minute, Campbell's long throw into the home penalty box caused havoc and the loose ball was met by Simon Betts whose speculative 16-yard shot flew over the crossbar.
In the 38th minute it seemed Runcorn would equalise when Courtney's lob had Clementson stranded but the ball went just past the far post.
But although Runcorn had all the pressure they did not look like scoring and wasted a free-kick 23 yards out in the 40th minute when Daly's shot went straight to Clementson.
Whitby's makeshift team were further hampered when Paul Campbell was substituted due to a neck injury and Runcorn contined on the offensive.
In the 47th minute, it seemed the equaliser must come when Leadbetter cut in from the left wing but his 21-yard shot flew just over the Whitby crossbar.
The visitors retaliated two minutes later when Scott Nicholson made a good run from his unusual right-back berth to cut inside the home penalty box but his 15-yard shot was just over.
Then it was Runcorn's turn in the 53rd minute when a deep cross was headed clear by Adam Reed but the ball fell again to Leadbetter whose 25-yard shot flew wide with Clementson beaten.
From a free-kick, Daly's header seemed destined for the top corner of the Whitby net only for Clementson to pull off a fine save by tipping the ball just over the crossbar.
Just as it seemed Whitby would ride the storm the Blues conceded an equaliser in the 78th minute when Leadbetter picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and beat two defenders before dispatching a cross-shot into a corner of the Whitby net.
Three minutes later, Whitby's goalkeeper problems this season continued when, from a harmless goal kick, Clementson appeared to pull a groin, and although he did not leave the field he was seriously restricted.
The visitors played out time to take a deserved point.