UniBond Premier

14th November 2009

Attendance - 308

Team - D Campbell, Lyth, Scott, Leeson, Hassan, Hanson, Dalton(L Gildea 68), Hackworth(c), A Campbell, Reay(Charlton 46), Beadle(Ingram 85). Subs not used: A Gildea, Burgess.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Former Middlesbrough star Andy Campbell volleyed Whitby to just their second league win in 13 outings against fourth-placed Yorkshire rivals Stocksbridge Park Steels on Saturday, also helping his new club out of the bottom three in the process.

Blues' manager Harry Dunn made one change from the side that drew 2-2 at Burscough a week earlier, with one local lad replacing another- Ashley Lyth back after a bout of flu to replace injured newcomer Richard Jackson.

Neither side came into this match in particularly outstanding form- Steels with one win in six games, and Town with just one in 13. So the cagy opening should've been no suprise to either camp. Whitby's only chance of note in the half came on 17 minutes when Leon Scott's near post shot was slid wide by full-back Rob Tonks.

Andy Ring came closest for the visitors moments before the break. The Nine-goal danger man fired across the face of goal from the right edge of the penalty area, almost catching out Seasiders' keeper Dave Campbell as the ball flashed between the veteran and his defence.

Half-time saw Town make the only change among the playing staff- ineffective striker Shaun Reay, recently brought in from Northern League Shildon, was replaced by pacey youngster Karl Charlton. However, an unforseen circumstance prompted an altogether different subsitution as linesman Graeme Muir was taken ill and local official Liam Dudman step off the terraces to run the line Whitby were defending.

This led to a 15-minute delay to the second half, but when it finally did get underway it was Andy Campbell who headed over from a good position early on and Town's 10-goal-top-scorer Jimmy Beadle drilled a free-kick well wide from 20 yards.

At the other end, the highly-rated ex-Frickley winger Alex Callery came close before the league's top scorers had a chance to add to their 44-goal tally from the penalty spot. Leon Scott tangled with Ward, and was adjudged to have scooped the ball away with his hand while on the ground.

Ward was the picture of coolness from 12 yards, the former Sheffield United player driving the resulting spot-kick empatically into the roof of the net.

Dunn will point to a vital change moments later as substitute Liam Gildea took to the field and ensured the lead lasted just nine minutes. Gildea, on for Ged Dalton as Whitby went for three up front, react quickest in a crowded box to force home a right-wing corner through a ruck of players with his very first touch of the ball.

Jack Webster curled a free-kick wide for Steels, while Beadle almost caught out keeper Ben Scott with a set piece of his own that skimmed low and innocous straight at the ex-Hereford gloveman, who spilled the ball briefly before just recovering before Campbell could follow up.

Substitute Jamie Vardy, the South Yorkshire outfit's leading marksman then sped down the right wing and forced a fine near-post save from Dave Campbell.

Beadle made way for Denny Ingram in what seemed a defensive move as the centre-half replaced the midfielder, so perhaps even manager Dunn didn't predict what happened next, in the final minute.

Ben Scott in the Stocksbridge goal failed to get much on his clearance and Campbell on his competitive home debut reacted instinctively on the edge of the area. The former Premiership star met the ball on the half-volley and as it dipped late, eluded the stranded keeper, who was barely six yards off his line.