Match Report

Reds Make It Three-In-A-Row with Whitby Town Victory

 After a free Saturday, the Reds were straight back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Whitby Town at Broadhurst Park.

The first real chance of the game came on 11 minutes, with a deep through-ball from Dec Evans finding Matty Grivosti down the left. He laid it off for Jay Fitzmartin, who cut inside before getting a shot away that beat Shane Bland low to his right to give FC the lead.

However the Seasiders were level just 7 minutes later. A lofted cross-field ball found Donald Chimalilo on the left wing. He advanced into the box before hitting a good shot into the far corner and leaving Dan Atherton with no chance.

Mark Beesley’s side were nearly back in front on 37 minutes. After catching the visitors in possession in midfield, Michael Donohue got forward and put a low cross into the box, with captain Charlie Ennis sliding in to meet it. It had Bland beaten, but slid very narrowly wide of the far post.

Dan Atherton was called into action five minutes before the break, as the visitors found themselves with far too much space in the box, but the shot from Watts’ didn’t have much power on it and was easily saved.

Adam Le Fondre had a chance in time added on to send FC in with the lead at the break, but his shot from the edge of the box was right at Bland.

After a relatively quiet start to the second half, it was Whitby who had the best chance to break the deadlock just after the hour mark. A through-ball to Watts beat the FC defence, but some excellent closing down from Rudy Misambo and Atherton saw it come to nought.

They quickly came to rue that missed opportunity, as two minutes later, FC were ahead again. A deep free-kick from Fitzmartin was headed back into the danger area by Misambo. Ennis cleverly nodded the ball onto Le Fondre on the edge of the six-yard-box, who brought it down on his chest before turning and placing a shot beyond Bland.

Ten minutes later, Le Fondre played Fitzmartin in behind the Whitby defence, but a heavy first touch saw the ball go behind for a goalkick. With 15 minutes to go, Le Fondre tried a cheeky lob from 25 yards, which came off the top of the crossbar.

The Reds eventually put the game out of reach on 81 minutes. Some quick link-up play between Le Fondre and Matty Grivosti saw a perfectly-weighted ball through to Andre Wisdom who had surged into the box – sliding it underneath the onrushing Bland with his first touch to record his first goal for the club.

There was little further action, with the Reds comfortably seeing the game out to remain at the top of the NPL Premier Division.