UniBond League Challenge Cup

January 22nd 2005

Attendance - 269

Team - D Campbell, Atkinson, Williams, Farthing, Linighan, Nicholson, McTiernan, Scaife, Johnson, L Gildea(Ormerod 78), Bishop. Subs not used: Robinson, A Gildea.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - he Blues marched into the semi-finals of the Unibond League Challenge Cup with an impressive 3-1 victory over highflying Ilkeston Town in a bad tempered clash at the Turnbull Ground on Saturday.
Whitby manager Dave Logan, who saw his side's 19-match unbeaten run ended in midweek, made four changes from Wednesday's defeated eleven. Newly fit Alex Gildea, loan striker Robert Gill, Graham Robinson and Ant Ormerod all dropped to the bench, with the exception of Gill who wasn't listed in the squad.

In-came young winger Dave McTiernan, strike-duo Steve Johnson and Liam Gildea, alongside Nick Scaife back from a one-match suspension.

And the reshuffled Seasiders made the best possible start when full-back Mark Clifford appeared to control the ball with his arm before hacking clear inside his own box. Referee Mr Salt had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot. In the absence of long-term injury victim and first-choice penalty taker Craig Veart, McTiernan stepped up and sent Turner the wrong way, finding the bottom-left corner with ease.

But the in-form visitors roared straight back into the match when David Jervis turned neatly ten yards out in a crowded Whitby area, and slotted neatly past Dave Campbell for the equaliser.

Johnson and McTiernan were causing all sorts of problems with their pace and skill. Both came close before Gildea saw his goalbound effort cleared off the line.

But Whitby weren't to be denied and a long ball over the top was seized onto by Johnson who calmly sidefooted past Turner's despairing left hand and into the net from 12 yards on the half hour.

The second half saw some good football, interspersed with some x-rated lunges and shoving matches all over the field. Finally a brawl broke out involving at least 20 players, shortly afterwards Liam Walsh was red-carded after elbowing Dave McTiernan in the face.

Holmes and Jervis were joined in the book by Whitby's Atkinson, Bishop and Scaife. Paul Atkinson let go with a ferocious effort from all of 25 yards, that slammed against the visitors' crossbar with the uncertain Turner beaten.

As things threatened to boil over, Whitby grabbed a third goal with just three minutes remaining.

Ormerod, replacing Liam Gildea, put over a perfect driven cross from the right that McTiernan turned into the roof of the net from point blank range.