10th January 2004

Attendance - 204

Team - D Campbell, Obern , Gildea(Swales), Reed, Hall, Dixon, Linighan, Robinson, Ormerod, Nicholson(McTiernan), Veart(Williams).

Report - An Anthony Ormerod strike just before the hour mark appeared to have given Whitby Town a vital away win before Vauxhall Motors hot shot striker Terry Fearns grabbed a late equaliser for the home team. Manager Harry Dunn started the game with the same eleven that were easily beaten at Altrincham last week. Vauxhall Motors had not won a league game for three months coming into this game and lay 21st in the league.

The home side had the best of the early action with David Campbell forced into an early save after Motors Rob Lawton's testing cross.
The game became a scrappy affair with little goalmouth action, before Whitby took control, midway through the half.

On 23 minutes Alex Gildea played a deleighful chip in for Ormerod but home keeper Kinsella made a good catch under pressure. Four minutes laterm some more neat football from Town saw Scott Nicholson find space down the left hand flank. His cross found Ormerod in the area and he nodded the ball into the path of Gildea who's shot was palmed around the post from 6 yards by Kinsella.
From the resulting corner skipper Graham Robinson headed over from 12 yards.
Whitby continued to reate pressure with Nicholson outpacing the defence and his cross come shot was just cleared before Ormerod could strike.

With ten minutes to go before the break, Whitby were awarded a free kick 25 yards out. The impressive Craig Veart floated the ball in for Nicholson to knock on. Ormerod then layed the ball back for Robinson who blazed over from the edge of the penalty area.
With half time approaching, the home side managed to create a couple of chances, with Lawton and Fearns combining, with the latter heading across goal.

Fearns then missed a great opportunity to set up McCann who was in acres of space in the Whitby area, but his poor pass was was cleared. The ball ended up at the feet of the right back McCauley who sped down the right and his shot was tipped over by the alert Campbell in the Town goal.

The first action of the second half came in the first minute and saw Craig Veart's central free kick charged down which allowed Motors the chance of a speedy breakaway. The counter attack came to nothing as Anthony Hall and Brian Linighan dealt with the situation in hand.
Campbell was forced into a fine save five minute later when Fearns' headed Nesbitt's deep cross from the left.

Nicholson then had Whitby's best chance to open the scoring. With eleven minutes of the second half played, he burst down the left channel to go one on one with keeper Kinsella who pulled off a fine blocking save.

Town didn't have to wait long as three minutes later Nicholson, after good work from Robinson, slid a ball through for Ormerod to chase. The former Boro man shrugged off the defenders challenge to fire in with a cracking finish from the right hand side.

Graham Robinson had a good chance to make it two when he went one on one with the keeper, but hiss chip landed on the roof of the net when he may have done better.

Motors started to boss the game more and put Whitby under pressure Lawton's deep cross from the right found substitute Rey in space, but the big centre forward headed over.

Veart had a stinging free kick easily saved with fifteen minutes left, but Vauxhall hit back when Fearns was allowed time in the box to turn and shoot past Campbell's right post.

Alex Gildea fired over from the edge of the box and on the stroke of full time Cumisky's cross found Rey in space and his header went inches wide with Campbell beaten.

The final action of the match saw Whitby waste a gilt edged chance to steal all three points. A corner from the left was not dealt with by the home defence and with the goal at his mercy, Whitby skipper Robinson managed to scuff the ball wide when it looked easier to score.

All in all it was a better display from Whitby, but with tough games against away day specialists Runcorn and high flying Gainsborough, this will be seen as two points lost, rather thana point gained.

Man of the Match - Anthony Ormerod just shaded out the influential Veart. Ormerod's class shone through again and his excellent finish should have been enough for the Blues.