UniBond Premier Division

30th April 2005

Attendance - 804

Team - D Campbell, Atkinson, Veart, Farthing, Williams(Linighan 68), A Gildea, McTiernan, Nicholson, L Gildea(Johnson 80), Robinson, Richards(Wells 67).

Report - by Andrew Snaith - A superb second-half brace from Billingham Synthonia's David Wells gave Whitby a morale-boosting victory at title-chasing Workington, but unfortunately the fiery encounter looks set to be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

On 68 minutes, The Cumbrians had captain Steve Birks sent-off for a rash challenge that left Whitby's Graham Williams prone on the ground. Chaos followed when a home supporter jumped the barrier behind the Whitby goal and attacked Williams, before eventually being escorted from the ground- cans and bottles were also thrown towards Whitby keeper Dave Campbell by spectators.

The warring sides will meet once again at Borough Park on Saturday in the semi-finals of the League play-offs subject to appeals from Hyde United, Gateshead and Workington themselves.

Blues manager Dave Logan was able to bring back Hartlepool loanee left-winger Karl Richards who missed Wednesday's first meeting between the teams, Dave McTiernan also started on the right. Wells was dropped to the bench, while ex-Middlesbrough forward Ant Ormerod missed out completely.

Within three minutes, the Cumbrians who led the Unibond Premier table from August until last month, should've taken the lead in front of 804 lining the intimidating terraces of Borough Park. If only Whitby's defence could hold a similar line, the Blues were caught cold within three minutes when Steve Archibald and Marc Eccles were gifted a simple tap in from six yards- however the pair collided and Eccles' eventual effort was blocked on the line by Campbell.

The hosts continued to monopolise possession for much of the half, but Whitby limited them to shots from distance, with Birks curling over the bar from 25 yards. Matt Henney hooked high over from distance, before the visitors came close to snatching a shock lead a minute from the break.

The opinionated Marc Green upended McTiernan on the right edge of the Reds' box, and joined the equally verbal Liam Gildea with his name scribbled in the referee's notebook. Craig Veart's neat free-kick then provoked an almighty scramble which only ended after the official spotted a foul on a Workington player in the melee.
The half-time announcement came that Gateshead were leading 2-0 at the break over Hyde, a result that would've benefited the hosts, alas, the source was incorrect as the North East side were actually trailing 2-1 at the time.

However, the home side's frustration at failing to break down the stubborn Blues and supposedly go ahead in the championship race threatened to boil over early in the second half. Defender Alan Gray was lucky not to recieve even a caution after throwing the ball at Liam Gildea, following the latest clash between the two which resulted in a Workington free-kick.

Richards' speculative 30 yard side volley suprised everyone on 56 minutes with the ball fizzing narrowly over Reds' keeper Adam Collin, but also the Workington goalframe.

The Gildeas continued their feud with the entire Reds' backline and much of the midfield, but the Blues' brothers also let their feet do the talking, and Alex saw a rare right-foot 18-yard effort force a finger-tip save from Collin.

The turning points in the match then began with Wells replacing Richards for the final 25 minutes. Then, Birks' late lunge on Williams and the fan attack left the former league leaders with ten players on the field, no skipper and a gaping hole in the centre of midfield.

Brian Linighan replaced Williams who had to be helped off the pitch, and moments later the Blues were in-front. Whitby's patient build-up play exposed gaps in the home defence and Wells found himself on the spot from close range, and made no mistake slotting low past Collin with ease.

John Wharton replaced fellow defender Will Varty, and former Whitby winger saw an angled drive well saved by Campbell as the home side tried to mount some offence. But it was only to leave more openings at the back and the visitors duly took advantage increasing their lead on 80 minutes. Gray's misdirected header started a Whitby move which saw Wells again left on his own this time just inside the box, and the versatile newcomer calmly powered a sweet drive inside the top right corner of Collin's net.

The home side were finally stirred into action and Wharton headed over from close range on 82 minutes. Moments later, Danny Farthing hooked an Eccles effort off his own goal-line. In reply, the Seasiders rested the in-form Liam Gildea with fellow Steve Johnson coming on for the final five minutes.

However, all the action happened at the other end of the pitch as Workington finally pulled a goal back. After the ball fell loose in the Whitby area, it was Craig Johnston who powered a low drive past Campbell, with a late deflection off Farthing, giving the Blues keeper no chance whatsoever.

Game on it seemed, but the play then spilled back to the Workington end, with the home side clearly learning nothing from the previous 20 minutes. Wells was again let free to fire a powerful drive on-target but a Reds' defender bravely threw himself in front of the ball, preventing a match-winning Wells hat-trick. Johnson then threatened with his pace taking him clear, but the quicksilver sub's chip over Collin, clipped the Workington crossbar.

Seconds later, and the popular striker was again free, but Collin this time produced a fine finger-tip save to deflect a shot heading for the roof of the net over the bar.

As the Williams saga yielded an agonising five minutes injury time, there was time for one more pile forward for the home side, with Collin even lurking on the edge of the Whitby penalty area. A flurry of boots swung at the ball, and finally Henney's rasping goalbound drive was somehow slid off the line by Scott Nicholson and then breathtakingly pushed wide by the acrobatic Campbell.

That was all she wrote in the second chapter of the Whitby-Workington epic, the third exert next Saturday will have even more at stake with a sorted-on-the-day play-off surely requiring a big security presence to avoid a repeat of the weekend's shameful scenes.

An enormous shame was that it took some of the gloss of a fine Whitby victory, that ensured only goal difference seperated the Blues from the Cumbrians in third- surely an achievement in itself for Dave Logan's first season in the managerial hotseat. Time will tell whether more still can be achieved in the coming days and weeks...