UniBond Premier

23rd April 2005

Attendance - 328

Team - D Campbell, Atkinson(Williams 87), Veart, Farthing, Linighan, A Gildea, Ormerod, Nicholson, Johnson, Robinson, Richards. Subs not used: McTiernan, Obern.

Report - by Andrew Snaith - Despite a fourth straight winless match, Ant Ormerod's late equaliser on Saturday keeps Whitby in the title hunt following the Unibond League's decision to expunge all results against Durham outfit Spennymoor United.

Scott Nicholson's 14th of the season and Ormerod's 85th minute strike condemned play-off hopefuls Witton Albion to at least another season in the Premier Division, but following Sunday's ruling, the Blues sit joint second on goal difference alongside Workington and Farsley. The Seasiders and their two rivals are three points behind leaders Hyde, who have appealed against the decision and played a game more than the other contenders.

Manager Dave Logan made five changes from Wednesday's heartbreaking extra-time cup final defeat. Out went full-back Graham Williams, winger Dave McTiernan and striker Liam Gildea who looks to be sidelined for the season with a torn calf muscle. Forward Jack Wilkinson started a three match suspension and midfielder Neil Radigan returned to Billingham Synthonia's for their final match of the season. Captain Scott Nicholson returned from a two-match ban, alongside Paul Atkinson, Steve Johnson and Karl Richards. Graham Robinson started up front despite suffering a broken nose a week previous.

And the hosts began purposefully but struggled to create clear-cut chances in bright sunshine against a stubborn backline. On 24 minutes, Ormerod's neat cross-field chip found Nicholson unmarked at the far post, but the Blues' top scorer volleyed well wide despite having an age to strike the ball.

Moments later, Ormerod was against the architect, this time releasing Johnson after a good spell of one-touch play, but the fleet-footed forward fired an angled drive straight at keeper Andy Ralph who just about clung on low to his left.

However, at the other end, Whitby were caught on the break, with Adam Foy's pinpoint lob from distance striking the crossbar with Dave Campbell back-pedalling, 26-goal Mike Moseley's follow-up was charged down and a foul was eventually awarded to the Blues in the resulting scramble.

Albion again caught the home side cold just after the half-hour mark when Lee Spike collected from deep with the visitors having four players against three, but Spike suprised everyone by firing narrowly wide from the edge of the box.

The Seasiders were back on the attack with 34 minutes gone, when Craig Veart's perfect arching left-wing cross found Robinson at the far post- the South African stuck out a leg, but could only divert the ball up and over the crossbar from point-blank range.

Despite their occasional menace, it was still a suprise when the visitors took advantage of a Whitby defensive lapse. The dimunitive Foy delivered a wel-placed deep cross where Spike was somehow left unmarked to nod home the opening goal from close range in the final minute of the half.

However, as with many previous encounter, the manager's half-time words of wisdom seemed to do the trick and Whitby were level within three minutes of the restart. Johnson's quick feet created space for Nicholson to batter low against a covering defender and into the back of the Witton net past the haplessly wrongfooted Ralph.

The tempo then increased with play flying from end to end. The inventive Moseley poked a swerving effort wide from the edge of the Blues box on 54 minutes, and seconds later, great work from Richards down the lft presented Robinson with an excellent chance to put Whitby ahead but the South African headed an inexplicably tame effort straight at Ralph from six yards.

The visitors then inspired a pin-ball-like exchange on the edge of the Whitby box with Danny Farthing and Veart doing well to maintain a level scoresheet.

Ormerod's perseverance then released Atkinson down the right, with the overlapping full-back's neat cross headed just over the bar by Robinson.

A flurry of activity at the Whitby end then saw left-back Ian Latham cut inside and shake the Blues crossbar with a ferocious 20 yard effort- Witton skipper and centre-half Brian Pritchard scuffed the rebound over the top from the edge of the box.

Ormerod went in the book for a deliberate handball 20 yards out, but he and Whitby were lucky to see the resulting free-kick come to nothing and Spike fired another effort from the same range into the Upgang Lane gardens behind Campbell's goal.

Whitby had a useful chance when Alex Gildea neatly set up Johnson to nod just over the top, but the title-chasing Blues once again found themselves behind with just 15 minutes left on the clock.

Left-sided Latham was once again involved, finding room down the right and firing an innocous looking low drive goalwards, dummied by Spike, which rolled through Veart's legs, and past the unsighted Campbell, for a very soft-looking second goal.

But Whitby's response was impressive and they levelled with five minutes remaining. Nicholson's hefty clearance spiralled into the air, released Johnson whose perfect header on enabld Ormerod to rifle emphatically past Ralph from 12 yards and inside the bottom left corner of the net- game on.

Williams replaced Atkinson on 87 minutes as Whitby ran down the clock. And the Seasiders had their chance to win it seconds later. With the momentum flowing, Robinson sprinted forward and struck a low drive towards Ralph's right-hand corner, only for the on-loan Northwich Victoria keeper to palm the ball wide of the post.

As referee Mr Tyas' tombola of decisions frustrated both sides, things threatened to boil over with unrelenting duo Gildea and Nicholson in the thick of things. And perhaps inevitably, Witton had one chance to salvage three points of their own in the 89th minute. Spike broke clear inside the Blues box, only for Campbell to parry low to his right and the well-tested Whitby defence to finally hoof clear.

The final whistle brought mixed emotions for the home support. Two points dropped or one point gained, the Blues will find out this time next week- however the League's common sense decision has at least ensured a grandstand finish to the season, starting Wednesday night.