Team - Liversedge, Hassan, Robinson(c), Leeson, White, Williams(McTiernan 33), Portas, Beadle(Burgess 68), Clarke, Appleby, Smith(Mulligan 45). Subs not used: Lyth, D Campbell (GK).
Report - by Andrew Snaith - Darren Williams' men took advantage of visitors Rushall having three men sent off to climb out of the bottom two for the first time since October.
The Blues' player-boss needed stitches after taking a first-half elbow to the head, so watched from the dugout as a late Andy Appleby brace secured just a second home league win for the Seasiders.
Despite highly-rated defender Kev Burgess' return to fitness, Williams picked an unchanged side for the fourth successive game and the hosts almost led after their experienced strikeforce combined inside ten minutes.
The lively Appleby got down the right flank and sent over an inviting cross for towering 38-year-old marksman Jamie Clarke to head over at the far post. But it was the away side, newly-promoted from the Evo-Stik First Division South, who struck first when Luke Bottomer's speculative low drive from the edge of the area skipped up and over Nick Liversedge's forlorn dive.
Whitby's underfire goalkeeper did make some amends when using his full 6'4" frame to hold onto Craig Bannister's looping header, right underneath the crossbar, midway through the half. With 33 minutes gone, Williams laid motionless after an aerial challenge with Christian Dacres and was treated on the ground for several minutes, before Dave McTiernan replaced his manager in a straight midfield swap.
The former Middlesbrough youth player had been on the field barely five minutes before finding himself one on one with Olympic keeper Chris Gemmell. However, McTiernan hasn't started a match since November and perhaps it showed with a rushed effort that rolled comfortably for Gemmell to gather.
But team-mate Clarke can make no such excuses, the ex-Gateshead marksman was identically placed just before half-time, but unleashed a copycat finish, scuffing a low shot that also failed to test Rushall's number one.
There was even time for things to get worse for the Blues as more indecision at the back let in Bannister for a second time, but he could only fire well wide when handily placed inside the Town six-yard box. That was a let off for the North Yorkshiremen, though there was to be no such luck for winger Jeff Smith, whose kneecap was opened up by opposition stud-marks and the ex-Darlington man limped off in first half stoppage time.
Another former Quaker Nathan Mulligan, signed from Northern League Division One Norton and Stockton four weeks ago, finally debuted in Smith's place on the left flank for the second half. With localish relegation rivals Frickley Athletic and Stocksbridge Park Steels both ahead at the break, no less than a victory was required, but it took a flashpoint near the home dugout to really lift the hosts.
Clarke, who was later booked for dissent, claimed to have been headbutted by away skipper Martyn Naylor, going to ground and holding his face near the left touchline, mid-way inside the visitors' half. With Whitby physio Kenny Bolton standing over Clarke and a furious Williams also on the field, referee Paul Cook consulted assistants George Marr and Simon Porter before awarding a Blues free-kick, but taking no action against the ex-Shrewsbury midfielder, who was wearing the captain's armband despite joining the Walsall club just three weeks earlier.
Home supporters in the nearby shed stand felt aggrieved and noticably upped the noise levels, before another clash saw McTiernan push over James Skedgel when the central defender obstructed a free-kick for a trip on the Whitby man. The Town substitute was fortunate not to recieve a card, while Skedgel picked up what was to be a crucial booking.
With Mulligan causing problems down the left to the point where right-back Mitchell Tolley made way for namesake Mitchell Botfield just after the hour, Skedgel handled the ball as the orange-booted wide player tried to go past him. Despite pointing to his shoulder, Skedgel was handed a second yellow card and Rushall were down to ten men. Sensing an opportunity amid the chaos, Williams threw Burgess, a former frontman, up front as a third striker, in place of a quiet Jimmy Beadle, with just over twenty minutes remaining.
Moments later, Mulligan beat one man before fizzing the ball across goal where it seemed destined for the net, only for a desperate defender in Rushall red and white to clear off the goal-line. Tom Portas then rushed forward before drilling the ball toward a crowded six-yard box from 20 yards, where it struck Appleby but skipped past Gemmell's left-hand post. Regardless, the former Hartlepool man was to have his way during the frenetic four minutes since Burgess' introduction. It was the versatile defender turned striker who squared for Appleby to cut in from the right edge of the area, fire across Gemmell and inside the far post.
Within five minutes there was more drama, as Clarke again hit the deck this time after clashing with Dacres. Another elbow from the beanpole midfield man this time brought a single red card with, perhaps tellingly, no complaint from the offender.
They say bad news tends to come in triplicate and so dismissal number three soon arrived for the West Midlands outfit. Ibby Hassan, who had already gone in the referee's notebook himself earlier on, was caught by a similiar late challenge which earned a booking for recent Rushall addition, Gary Fitzpatrick, ten minutes from time.
With Appleby following for use of the elbow, Fitzpatrick, formely a Republic of Ireland youth international and on the pitch for only eight minutes at this stage, then made the mistake of questioning why Burgess didn't see yellow for a robust challenge of his own. Hull-based official Cook was unimpressed, so just three minutes after his initial caution, Fitzpatrick was invited to join Skedgel and Dacres in the changing room, completing an unwanted hat-trick for the away team.
Within seconds, Whitby led with Burgess again claiming an assist as Appleby ran on from a similiar position to his first strike and hammered the ball in off the underside of the crossbar, Clarke following up to make completely sure.
Some might say, Town should've cashed in their three-man advantage and reduced their worrying minus 23 goal difference in the final six minutes, but despite McTiernan coming close with a deflected shot and Mulligan heading straight at Gemmell, it was a nervous Whitby who clung on to claim what Williams called a "fantastic win".
Appleby modestly added he was: "Pleased to score two goals, but more importantly we got the three points we needed."
Town's number ten also told the Whitby Gazette: "I think we deserved the win, especially with our second half performance, in which we showed great workrate and fight.
"Hopefully we can take this into the Bradford game."
