FC make an ash of it as Whitby get revenge..

Whitby Wanderers 2 – 1 FC Buxton

Whitby gained revenge for the 7-0 drubbing at the hands of FC Buxton earlier in the season with victory in a tight encounter on Saturday morning. In a warm-up to that afternoon’s Unibond Premier League match between Whitby Town and Buxton FC, FC failed to take advantage of their dominance throughout the match, with several good chances wasted.

Despite this being their longest away trip of the season, the fact that it was their last appeared to bring all sorts of players out of the woodwork, as a strong squad of 13 boarded the team bus. Many were taken aback as young Dominic Caley appeared from the end of Spring Gardens for his first appearance in six and a half years, whilst the Tiffster’s much publicised second dirty weekend in as many weeks went up in a puff of volcanic ash, with him instead joining the trip to the seaside, bucket and spade in hand.

Full squad for an away game!After a pleasant three hour journey into the April sun, FC arrived before their hosts. A strange encounter with an opposition player followed, before the changing rooms were opened and FC were finally able to don the infamous yellow and blue away kit, an hour after arrival.

Following the quickest change in FC history, after Redburn had unleashed his own mix of toxins into the atmosphere, the lads were out on the pitch and Caretaker Manager Merse was announcing the team: Redburn. Betts. Gould. Moss. Merse. Dren. Bolton. Tiff. Norton. Caley. Corbett. Substitutes for the FC Bucks were JLS Wright and Dan Gould.

FC started sluggishly, and the hosts’ made their attacking intentions clear from the start, with several balls played over the top towards their pacy and powerful front line. Buxton were struggling to deal with the early pressure, and it was no surprise when a whipped cross from the left gave the Whitby forward a free header which he dispatched with ease. 0-1.

Buxton were finding it difficult to cope with the unsual conditions. The previous week’s sun had clearly had an effect on the surface, which was more akin to concrete than grass. The pitch was also a lot shorter than FC were used to playing on, and a succession of overhit balls evaded the visitors’ attack. However, some curious defending by the hosts acted as encouragement for Buxton. If they could find their composure and take a bit off their passes, the match was well within their grasp.

For the rest of the half FC dominated. By this stage the long ball game of the hosts had become predictable, and Buxton were starting to work some good opportunities around the visitors box. Efforts from Corbett and Drennan flew narrowly wide, and a low Norton drive was parried by the Wanderers’ keeper. The bobbliness of the pitch was making it difficult to get any sort of real control on the ball, especially in the final third, and as such it was fitting that when FC’s goal did come it was from distance – Caley picking the ball up on the left before cutting inside and unleashing a screamer of a toe-poke towards the goal, with the power of the strike ensuring the keeper could only help it into his net. 1-1.

HT 1-1.

As half-time came it was perhaps Whitby who went in the happier of the two teams. With the exception of their goal, they had created little, and at times had had to withstand heavy pressure from the FC attack. The feeling was that if Buxton were to go in front the match would be theirs. The team began the second half unchanged.

The second half commenced much the same as the first had ended, with FC playing most of the game within the Whitby half. Again though, chance after chance went begging, and frustrations were beginning to creep in, especially with the presence of a lax referee, who appeared to be the body-double of the Whitby gaffer.MoM Utility Corbett

With FC enjoying so much presence in the hosts’ half, it was inevitable that Whitby might have chances on the break, but it appeared that any attack would be dealt with comfortably by the commanding back four of Betts, Gould, Moss and Merson.
One such Whitby break did breach the defence, however, when, with 20 minutes remaining, the previously quiet striker showed smart trickery to get away from his marker before hitting a drive which appeared to be going straight down Redburn’s throat. It did, but unfortunately for the FC Bucks it came back out of his gullet, and was spilled into the top corner. 1-2.

The remaining minutes were a bombardment of the Whitby goal. Dan Gould and JLS Wright were introduced into the attack to try and make themselves heroes, but some commanding defending by the veteran Wanderer’s centre half was making it difficult to find a path to go down. Drennan looked to have levelled for the visitors, but his impressive attempt sailed narrowly wide. Similarly, in the closing minutes, last week’s goal sensation Andrew Gould thought he had done it again, but he watched in horror as his header was cleared off the line.

And so it was not to be for FC Buxton in their last away trip of the season. Despite a good effort, it had been one of those days, and they headed to watch the big boys play hoping that they would re-establish some pride for the town. Thankfully, they did – and we had an ice-cream. Good times.

FT 2-1.

Caretaker’s MOTM: Stuart Corbett.