UniBond League Cup

3rd January 2009

Attendance - 125

Team - Kazimierczak, Burgess, Janes, Huggins, Tobin, Beadle, Ormerod(Ovington 65), Ross, Raw, Brunskill, Garvie(James 80). Subs not used: Lambert, Campbell.

Report - Forgotten star Anthony Ormerod returned to help Whitby forget their league problems and reach the Unibond Cup Quarter Finals after a 3-1 win at First Division Garforth on Saturday.

The Seasiders decimated by injuries and suspensions, recalled on-loan Polish goalkeeper Schem Kazimierczak, midfielder Shaun Ross who featured in pre-season and Ormerod after a three month absence from all football.

Without seven first-teamers going into the game, Blues' manager Graham Clark even lost Ashley Lyth minutes before kick-off after the defender experienced discomfort in the warm-up. That meant Jamie Beadle, usually suited to midfield, dropped into the back four and a semi-fit Steve Huggins was promoted from the bench, which was now filled by veteran goalie Dave Campbell and three Under 19 players.

As fellow forward Michael Rae was suffering from a hamstring injury, Danny Brunskill was also brought back and tried the first effort on goal within six minutes- an angled 18 yard drive that flew narrowly wide.

Moments later, another lively effort, this time from strike-partner Tom Raw, was slammed into the near-post side netting from similiar range.

But the Whitby pressure was to pay off on 16 minutes when Steve Huggins' quickly taken flighted free-kick picked out Raw inside the Garforth box. The 23-year-old's goalbound drive was deflected into the path of Brunskill who showed good strength to turn whilst holding off a defender and practically walk the ball into the net.

This stirred the hosts into action and they were level within five minutes. Jason St Juste escaped down the right and saw his shot deflected wide. But from the resulting corner, the ball ricoheted out to Brett Renshaw who drilled expertly through Kazimierczak's legs from six yards.

At the other end, Alex Janes' powerful header shot into the roof of the net, but referee Mr Roberts adjudged home keeper Luke Gibbons already had the ball in two hands as the pair contested a looping cross.

As Garforth, in their Brazilian styled kit fought back, St Juste nodded a far-post cross straight at Kazimierczak from close range. The West Yorkshire outfit then really should've taken the lead after arguably the miss of the season from well-travelled frontman Andy Hayward. The ex-Frickley man threw himself forward for a diving header almost on the goal line but somehow managed to direct the ball horizontally across goal, allowing Kazimierczak to pull off a fine double save- the on-loan Darlington star even blocking the point-blank follow-up.

Whitby nearly punished the miss two minutes before half-time from an unusual source. First, another ex Quaker, full-back Kevin Burgess made a tremendous run out of defence and saw his powerful goalbound shot deflected wide. The resulting corner then saw centre-half Steve Tobin's header loop toward the roof of the net, only for Dominic Blair to nod off his own goal-line.

The second half opened as the first ended and the visitors re-took the lead within seven minutes of the restart. An obstruction on Shaun Ross presented free-kick-expert Huggins with a great opportunity from 20 yards, and the former Billingham Town man made no mistake, curling the ball up over the wall and past the helpless Gibbons.

Kazimierczak pulled off two more fine point blank saves to deny Duncan Williams and Hayward before Whitby pressed home their one division advantage with a third goal. Good work from teenager Sam Garvie played in Brunskill who shrugged off Lee Connor before despatching his fifth goal in six games calmly past Gibbons from close range.

Ormerod left to warm applause after rolling back the years with a composed display, before making way for young midfielder Bob Ovington. St Juste fired straight at Kazimierczak, before the increasingly confident Brunskill's opportunist shot with his back to goal was tipped over by the back-pedalling Gibbons.

Garforth, who were somewhat more robust than their South American lookalikes, didn't give up and Kazimierczak was forced into his best save yet, a tremendous reflex parry from Hayward, with Tobin completing the clearance. And two minutes later, neat play from the lively Greg Kelly, forced another astonishing stop, and two great last-ditch sliding tackles from Tobin.

As it was, Whitby then restricted their mid-table Unibond First Division North hosts to efforts from distance, with Carl Fox coming closest right at the end. The Blues did find the net once more but Raw's cool finish four minutes from time, was disallowed for offside.