UniBond Premier Division

25th March 2006

Attendance - 1835

Team - Escritt, Brumwell, Richards, Farthing, Wilford, Barber, Greening(Atkinson 68), Nicholson(McTiernan 72), Ormerod, Brunskill, Batchelor. Sub not used: Campbell.

Report - Whitby's play-off hopes were almost certainly laid to rest after a 17-minute second half horror show in Shropshire on Saturday.

Manager David Logan made one change with new midfield signing Lev Yalcin not travelling so on-loan Mark Barber made his first start for six weeks.

The successors to the former Conference club were playing in front of their largest crowd of the season- some 1,835 packed into the impressive New Bucks Head Stadium.

And both sides looked a bit overawed in a tame opening of few chances- the ball spending more time in the air than on the muddy but well-maintained surface.

Both sides were limited to speculative potshots from distance with Steve Pope having a 25-yard free-kick charged down and Dean Perrow's effort was also blocked- at the other end Barber drove well wide before the home side won a succession of corners around the 20 minute mark.

However, the Blues backline marshalled by Aron Wilford and Danny Farthing, held firm with Perrow's long mazy run let down by a tame finish that rolled well wide just over the half hour.

Telford carved out their best opening on 35 minutes when 22-year-old midfield man Ben Twigger ran from deep but Escritt just about got his hands to the youngster's attempted lob when marooned on the edge of his box.

At the other end, Whitby's first chance saw Ant Ormerod deliver an inviting right-wing cross that narrowly eluded Danny Brunskill's attempted bicycle kick with Scott Nicholson also unable to get the vital touch in the Bucks' six yard box.

Perrow headed well over before the unlikely figure of Farthing popped up on the edge of the Telford box after a brief scramble firing straight at Stuart Brock on the turn in first half injury time.

The second period began as slowly as the first, however it was Whitby who threatened first with Ricky Greening popping up with a first-time 25 yard hook just over the home crossbar.

Telford then applied their first pressure of the half with the lively Perrow sidefooting onto the roof of the Whitby net from an awkward angle. The hosts kept up the heat with Gary Hay's header slid off the line seconds later by Blues skipper Phil Brumwell, the ball fell invitingly to Brumwell's opposite number and home captain Steve Palmer hammered an unstoppable rocket into the top left corner of the net from 30 yards leaving Escritt helpless.

With Whitby still in shock from the first blow, Telford promptly doubled their lead three minutes later. The shellshocked Whitby defence could only stand and admire as full-back Richard Beale was able to ghost into the Blues six yard box and execute a neat diving header past Escritt.

As the Seasiders attempted to rescue the sinking ship, Karl Richards headed straight at Brock, with Wilford nodding just over the top moments later. Logan introduced full-back Paul Atkinson for forward Greening- not the defensive change it looked as Wilford went up front and Brumwell covered at centre-half.

Soon, the Blues were trying an audacious 4-3-3 as Dave McTiernan replaced Nicholson, who had already acquired a yellow card for a rash first-half challenge, to join Richards and Barber in a very young midfield and Ormerod supporting Wilford and Brunskill in attack.

However, the changes seemed entirely irrelevant on 76 minutes after Davion Hamilton replaced Perrow seconds earlier, it was Perrow's strike-partner Hay who beat Richards to a loose ball before somehow slotting under Escritt's body from just inside the Whitby box for the killer third.

In like for like changes in the home midfield- Sean Parrish and Glen Tolley replaced Palmer and Twigger respectively.

Ironically, Town then preceded to cause more trouble for the closing ten minutes than at any time in the previous 80 as a loose ball in the Telford box was emphatically fired past Brock on the turn from close range by Brunskill for his ninth goal in eight matches.

But on the break United nearly reversed November's 4-1 Whitby win when Lee Vaughan appeared unmarked inside the Blues six yard box but Escritt did well to parry from point blank range. Seconds later, Farthing charged down another goalbound effort.

Brunskill again looked dangerous as Town threatened again, the 16-goal marksman driving another shot on the turn just wide.

Unfortunately in the final minute football took a back seat with the match threatening to boil over on more than one on occasion. With Barber and Richards already in the referee's book, Blues fans must've feared the worst when a mass brawl ensued over a late Telford challenge. The scuffle ended with Hay and Farthing wrestling on the ground and the former Willenhall forward landing a punch in the Whitby man's face right in front of the official.

Amazingly though, Mr Tavinder decided that wasn't enough to warrant a sending-off, taking the unusual route of booking both Hay and oddly, McTiernan.

It wasn't long before the referee's whistle effectively signalled a knockout blow to the Blues promotion hopes for this season, with Farsley and Marine winning- only a miracle will bridge the 16-point gap seperating Town from fifth place.