UniBond Premier

22nd April 2009

Attendance - 333

Team - Liversedge, Burgess, Bishop, Lyth, Forster, Beadle, Ross (Huggins 57), Hackworth, Rae, Raw (Charlton 67), Scott Substitutes not used: Thompson, Brunskill and Campbell

Report - by Andy Baxter This vital relegation battle started with both sides needing 3 valuable points but with Whitby looking throughout like they wanted to win more and Witton content to simply play for a draw. With under a minute gone, Whitby could have scored when Sean Ross was unmarked in the 6 yard box and his free header at goal unfortunately resembled a back pass rather than a scoring opportunity. But Whitby certainly had the bit between their teeth as the first 20 minutes saw the ball almost constantly in the visitors half. However, the “Seasiders” were unable to create any clear cut chances against a solid enough Witton defence.

Neither keeper had much to do and it was in the 35th minute that the next opportunity arose, again for Sean Ross of Whitby, who struck a powerful shot from 25 yards out into the keeper, Greg Smith’s, midriff.

Five minutes later Whitby again came close when following a corner, a low cross into the visitors box, was met by the outstretched leg of Whitby captain, Richard Forster, whose effort went narrowly wide.

After a fairly stagnant first half, the game really needed something in the way of scoring efforts to lift it and again, it was Ross who came close early on with a half volley just past the left hand post. But within minutes, Witton pushed forward, Dunn took a shot which was saved by Nick Liversedge in the Whitby goal. He then threw the ball out to Ross, but Witton’s Kieran Lugsden stole it and luckily for Whitby, failed to steer his side foot shot into the empty net from a tight angle.

Whitby then introduced substitute Steve Huggins, returning from injury, for Sean Ross in the midfield, and Huggins was needed as Witton drove forward in search of a goal. At times, the visitors looked quite dangerous on the break and perhaps mid way through the half, realised the game was there for the taking and they didn’t need to sit back for a draw after all. But Whitby had other ideas, and after replacing Tom Raw with Karl Charlton, created a few chances, for Tony Hackworth, who also returned from injury and the best falling to Steve Huggins whose header glanced off the Witton crossbar, raising the expectations of the home supporters.

With 74 mins on the clock, a neat move by Whitby saw a lovely cross from Huggins again agonisingly close with Michael Rae heading over. But Witton responded with a long, over the top ball, which saw Neil Black put through one on one with keeper, Nick Liversedge and instead of rounding the keeper, Black shot early and Liversedge a full stretch saw his legs deny the goal, much to the relief of the Whitby defence and home fans, who must have been biting their finger nails as Black was driving forward on goal.

With 81 minutes gone, Whitby’s much needed lifeline emerged, as defender, Craig Bishop, scored his first goal for the Club when, after a number of blocked efforts from Rae and Hackworth, he struck a 20 yard shot which saw Witton keeper, Greg Smith, dive too early and the ball bounce over him into the corner of the net. The home crowd erupted with the thought that Whitby were going to win this game, and win it they did. Having kept up the pressure and another chance coming from Karl Charlton, being deflected wide, referee Richard Hewitt, signalled the end of the game and the home side’s victory.

Whitby were deservedly applauded off the pitch and on balance, thoroughly justified their win against, to be fair, a Witton side who looked for a great deal of this game as an already relegated team. Hopefully the lift this victory will have given the Whitby players will continue on Saturday, as they entertain Ilkeston Town at the Turnbull in the final match of this frustrating season.