Recent Posts

3-2 win owensx2,hacky

One for the forum part-timers to get their teeth into...

FA Cup on Saturday...

The Blues host Yorkshire rivals Ossett Town on Wednesday, hoping to end a run of four winless matches, especially going into Saturday's FA Cup First Qualifying round match at FC Halifax Town.
 
Harry Dunn's men went down 2-0 at league leaders Northwich this past weekend. But the Whitby manager was "quite pleased" with his side's display, which he thought was an improvement on recent performances.
 
He added: "We missed a lot of chances and if you miss chances you don't win games of football. I think that was the main difference between the teams."
 
Ossett are one of just two unbeaten sides in the top-tier of the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League, with results including a victory at last season's second-placed neighbours Bradford Park Avenue and three goal-less draws.
 
The Seasiders have a poor record against Phil Sharpe's side with just two wins from the clubs' last seven meetings. However, Whitby came out on top when the teams last met- a 3-1 success secured in December with Andy Campbell, Andrew Leeson and Ged Dalton on target.   
 
In the corresponding fixture last term, Jimmy Beadle earned the Blues a share of the spoils with the equaliser in a 1-1 draw, watched by a 436-strong crowd.
 
Kick-off at the Turnbull Ground is 7.45pm with Whitby continuing to charge some of the lowest prices in the division at: £7.50 Adults, £4.50 Concessions and £2.00 Under 18s.

1-1
Owens.

Blues 2 Ossett 1

Owens, Beadle

2 1 ossett owens

Two second half goals in five minutes extended Town's winless run to four games, despite an improved performance at new leaders Northwich Victoria on Saturday.

Skipper Tony Hackworth struck the post, with fellow forwards Andy Campbell and Jamie Owens missing gilt-edged chances as Harry Dunn's men toiled hard in Cheshire.

Dunn made one enforced change from the side that drew 2-2 with Frickley Athletic, five days earlier. With Andy Leeson on holiday, 18-year-old Shaun Lambert made a first start of the season, on the right of midfield.

Mark Robinson, some 11 years Lambert's senior, almost cost the Blues a goal in the first five minutes. The left-back was caught in two minds as he faced his own net, and Jonathan Crane quickly nipped the ball off him and forced goalkeeper Dave Campbell to quickly get out and touch the ball away. Another of Town's new defenders Darren Craddock then tripped Wayne Riley, who sent the resulting 25-yard free-kick narrowly over the top.

As Northwich continued to have the lion's share of possession, Campbell did well to save low down, at the second attempt, from full-back Adam Sumner's drilled 20-yard effort- the ball sticking between the Whitby keeper's ankles as he dived forward. At the other end, a neat first-time ball from Owens released Andy Campbell who tried to chip James Spencer one-on-one. However, the 25-year-old former Rochdale and Stockport gloveman managed to tip the ball over his own crossbar at full stretch. Spencer nearly undid his good work after flapping at the resulting corner, but Campbell blazed the loose ball out of the ground with a first-time right-foot snapshot, from 12 yards.

Ten minutes before the break, ex-Boston forward Ollie Ryan beat keeper Campbell in the air, and Riley ran on to drill the ball across goal, only for Ibby Hassan to hack the ball off his own goal-line. Another Riley drive was headed goalwards, moments later, only for the ball to be blocked in the six-yard box by a team-mate- beanpole striker John McAliskey.

Kev Burgess then bravely charged down Ryan's angled drive, before Campbell saved comfortably as McAliskey's downward far-post header lacked power. Before the break, Campbell's namesake, Andy, hooked over from the edge of the Northwich box.

Despite the hosts enjoying more possession, Whitby should have led just three minutes into the second half. Hackworth's lovely reverse ball released Campbell down the left, who fired across the six-yard box, where Owens somehow deflected the ball up and over from point blank range.

The stocky marksman almost made amends minutes later, with a fierce effort that cleared the bar by mere inches. Hackworth then nodded past the far post from Jimmy Beadle's swirling free-kick, after Campbell was upended. Overlapping right-back John Disney then struck a powerful diagonal drive that looped just too high to trouble Dave Campbell.

In a defensive move, Ashley Lyth replaced the quiet Lambert on the right flank for Town, as the green tide began to sweep forward on the equally-slick surface beneath them. McAliskey somehow conspired to scuff the ball wide of Campbell's left-hand post from six yards, apparently assisted by a mystery deflection, as an uneventful corner was awarded.

Whitby always looked dangerous on the break as the former Conference side left holes at the back. With 20 minutes remaining, a terrific left-foot pass from Owens found Campbell who fired just wide with a low drive.

With the on-field forwards failing to find their range, it was Northwich's newest addition Andrew Fowler, who broke the deadlock after just 17 minutes on the pitch. The ex-Everton trainee finished like another great Fowler from Merseyside after cutting in from the right and slamming an unstoppable low shot across Campbell and inside the far corner of the net.

The thin line between success and failure was clearly visible as Hackworth's turn and shot out of nothing beat Spencer but thudded against the inside of the keeper's right-hand post, three minutes later. Within seconds, Northwich won a soft free-kick 25 yards from goal after Michael Connor went to ground. The Mancunian celebrated his 21st birthday six days early as he stepped up and fired the ball through the Whitby wall and past an unsighted Campbell for 2-0.

With their tails up, Andy Preece's side finally started to look like a team who were headed for the top of the table and Fowler came up with a fearful run and shot that whistled alarmingly close to the frame of Campbell's goal.

Dave McTiernan replaced Andy Campbell with eight minutes left, but it seemed merely a token gesture as play remained firmly in the Whitby half. Fowler again showed why he was so prolific in local football, cutting in dangerously again and forcing a good block from Dave Campbell, who continues to perform well in place of the injured Nick Liversedge.

In injury time, Hassan tried a daring run from his own half, the talented centre-half jinked his way past four men before a sliding challenge and an unfortunate ricochet ended his progress, some 25 yards from the opposing goal. It was a good metaphor for the afternoon's entertainment- a brave showing from the visitors, that lacked good fortune but gave encouragement for the months to come.

Whitby Town: Campbell D, Craddock, Robinson, Hassan, Burgess, Owens, Lambert(Lyth 63), Scott, Hackworth(c), Beadle, Campbell A(McTiernan 82). Subs not used: Liversedge, Oakley, Hopcutt.

Attendance: 476 

Whitby   1   (Beadle)   Ossett   1

2-0      A Campbell Owens

2-2

Beadle and Owens