Football: Leaders North Ferriby to test Whitby Town's renaissance (From Gazette & Herald)

Football: Leaders North Ferriby to test Whitby Town's renaissance

3:25pm Wednesday 6th March 2013 in Sport

RESURGENT Whitby Town’s play-off possibilities were to come under scrutiny tonight (Wednesday) as they host Evo-Stick League premier division leaders North Ferriby United (7.45pm).

The resurgent Blues are dreaming of a play-off place given their current form but they will need a result tonight and victory at home to Ilkeston Town, the team currently one place above them in midtable, on Saturday (3pm), if they are to maintain those outside chances.

Whitby picked up four points in the past week, following last Wednesday’s last-gasp 1-1 draw against Buxton with a 4-1 win at relegation-threatened Stocksbridge Park Steels on Saturday to move up into 14th in the table.

Whitby scored two goals in each half against Stocksbridge. Shane Henry put them ahead on 10 minutes and Tom Portas headed in following excellent work by Ashley Corker.

Henry scored his second with a 12-yard shot after 48 minutes and, although Stocksbridge pulled a goal back two minutes from time when Nathan Joynes set up Tom Thewlis to net from close range, Whitby regained their three-goal advantage within a minute when man-of-the-match Craig Farrell bagged a belter. The crowd was 154.

Buxton took the lead after 75 minutes last Wednesday with a Lee Morris penalty, but Whitby equalised in stoppage time through Graeme Armstrong in front of a crowd of 202.