UniBond League Challenge Cup Final First Leg

2005

Attendance - 547

Team - Campbell, Obern (Johnson 45)(Escritt 88), Veart, Farthing, Linighan, Williams, McTiernan, Nicholson, L.Gildea, Wilkinson, A.Gildea

Report - By Andrew Snaith
Whitby Town, suprised many by fielding a full-strength side for the long midweek trip to Matlock for their second ever Unibond League Challenge Cup Final. Seven seasons ago, Harry Dunn's Whitby were beaten on penalties by Trafford, but manager Dave Logan was desperate not to be denied this time around.

On-loan Hartlepool winger Karl Richards was cup tied and Ant Ormerod missed out with a knee injury, so striker Liam Gildea and fit-again Full-back Graham Williams who missed Saturday's win at Bamber Bridge returned. Graham Robinson(injured), Paul Atkinson(unavailable) and Nick Scaife(injured) again missed out.

Mid-table Derbyshire outfit Matlock had the first real chance, winning the game's first corner on six minutes, but Linighan headed to safety. Kris Bowler then headed tamely straight at Blues stopper Dave Campbell.

Whitby's first threat on 13 minutes saw Veart's inswinging corner nodded narrowly over by Whitby captain and constant aerial threat Scott Nicholson. And within sixty seconds the Blues led, when Nicholson's low drive was deflected into the path of Brian Linighan who finished with ease from close range. Matlock burst up the other end, but James Lukic blasted wide when well placed. Another Bowler header was easily seized by Campbell, and despite desperate pleas from the home support and Bowler, the long-haired forward was denied a penalty following a firm Danny Farthing challenge.

Matlock's Steve Taylor then saw his low drive from distance well saved low down by Campbell on the half-hour mark. In-between some good build up play ended with Nicholson blasting a difficult chance well over from the right-edge of the penalty area.

Dave McTiernan was booked for a relatively innocous challenge just outside the box, but that was nothing compared to the decision still to come moments later. Alex Gildea went in strongly but clearly got the ball when challenging Rocky White in the Matlock area. However, when the forward hit the deck, hapless official Mr Taylor, pointed straight to the spot. And just as in the December league clash between the sides, Matlock's 23-goal leading scorer Simon Barraclough levelled the scores as the hosts once again profited from a questionable penalty call.

The interval saw forward Steve Johnson replace defender Mark Obern as the Seasiders opted for a more positive approach in their traditionally more-productive second 45 minutes.

The referee continued to frustrate the visitors into the second half, offering no protection from the likes of Riley and Lukic at the back who routinely hacked Wilkinson and McTiernan to the floor. However, eight minutes into the second half and the rub of the green was back with the visitors. Good interplay between Veart and Alex Gildea, saw Gildea drive home from 20 yards after a wicked deflection gave debutant keeper Andy Richmond no chance.

However, despite winning a string of corners, the Seasiders soon saw their lead wiped out in style just 12 minutes later. White collecting on the edge of box and clipping a beautifully struck effort past Campbell and inside the bottom left corner of the net.

Whitby pushed forward and Graham Williams' crisply struck 20 yard drive could only be parried wide for a corner by Richmond. Williams was back in the action two minutes later when Bowler appeared to throw a punch at a Whitby player after a late challenge on Williams sparked a furious reaction from the visitors. The Matlock forward was red-carded, and further hefty challenges were lucky to go unpunished as the hosts tried to diminish Whitby's already threadbare squad.

But, with ten minutes left, they got their just desers when Taylor stupidly elbowed McTiernan in the face right in front of the official, who had no hesitation in producing a straight red card and reducing the hosts to nine men. It was all Whitby from then onwards, with Nicholson coming close, but shooting straight at Richmond of-balance from close range.

With just two men on the bench, though, it was Whitby who were running out of players. And when forward Steve Johnson, himself a sub, was sensationally replaced by reserve goalkeeper Ben Escritt. But, despite six minutes of added time, the Seasiders and their surrogate emergency striker couldn't add to their two away goals. The teams meet at the Turnbull Ground to settle matters in the second leg on Wednesday April 20.