Whitby Town vs. Marine

 

Blues manager Chris Hardy made one change from the side that drew 1-1 with Workington, in midweek, as big centre half Jamie Poole returned from a temporary spell at Guisborough Town and Luke Bythway moved into midfield, replacing Adam Gell who served a one-match suspension.

 

The visitors pushed Hardy’s men back from the start, playing high up the field as Liam Willis powered a low 25-yard drive narrowly wide, inside seven minutes. Moments later, skipper Craig Lindfield turned onto the roof of the net, after being found unmarked, at the near post, by overlapping right-back Lewis Field. The mid-table Mariners came even closer, on 12 minutes, after some frantic head tennis finally ended with the ball being scrambled clear.

 

The Blues took their time getting into the game, but Dale Hopson, at the heart of much of Whitby’s best work, lobbed wide from 18 yards. Willis nodded straight at Bland, before, at the other end, Luke Bythway saw an edge-of-the-box effort deflected narrowly wide and Mikey Roberts scuffed a 20-yard half volley that Dean Porter just about held, at the second attempt, after attempting to smother, awkwardly, low to his right. The visitors’ debutant goalkeeper then kept out Tymon’s more testing low effort, before Whitby led seconds before half-time. Hopson drilled an angled drive goalwards, from the left-edge of the penalty area. It was too hot for Porter to hold and he could only parry into the path of Roberts, following up, who found the roof of the net.

 

The Blues carried on from where they left off, five minutes into the second half. Tymon controlled on the right-edge of the box, taking a touch to beat the last defender, before calmly slotting low past Porter. Former FC United of Manchester man Joe Mwasile then dragged wide from similar range, after a good move from the away side, before Kieran Weledji sped down the right for Whitby, cut in field and went down in the box, but referee Mr Johnson of Wakefield, was unimpressed. Weledji, again playing on the right in place of the injured Callum Martin, then found a great position, in off the right byline, but chose to cut back for Roberts, and Marine were able to clear.  

 

Only the recalled Poole then denied Marine a reply on the hour mark. The big ex-Blyth defender slid in on the lively Michael Monaghan, six yards out, as the Mariners’ number seven prepared to pull the trigger. The Seasiders then put the result beyond doubt, six minutes later, as Tymon finished in identical fashion to his previous effort. Roberts’ goalbound left-edge snapshot shot was again pushed into his path, by the underfire Porter, and Tymon was the picture of composure as he sidestepped one man, then stroked home from the opposite side of the area.

 

The away side desperately tried to rally and player-boss Sean Hessey introduced Ryan O’Hare in the aftermath. Seconds later, Danny Mitchley sent a cross turned short across goal and wide from a 20 yard right wing position.

 

Tymon received loud applause as he made way for Anthony Hume, eleven minutes from time, in Town’s first change, while Hessey himself replaced Liam Willis for Marine. As the Merseysiders searched desperately for a way back in, Andy May got an important touch on O’Hare’s effort from distance, sending it high and wide, with Mwasile’s shot flying in a similar direction, minus a Whitby touch, soon after.

 

Mwasile did eventually grab a heavily deflected consolation, low from 18 yards, with six minutes left, wrong-footing Shane Bland and moments later, forced the keeper to catch a flighted effort. Marine drove forward but despite some good possession for the Crosby club, Whitby defended stoutly and saw out the game as Hardy gave run outs to Cameron Park and Curtis Round at the end, allowing Hopson and Roberts to take the crowd’s applause.