Whitby Town 5 - New Marske 3
After two defeats previously against Bedale and Greatham in the cup we were looking too bounce back and get a win under our belt. Also a win would take us above Whitby in the league and leave us well placed for a third placed spot in the league, however there was no Frank today, and so Joe played up front on his own with five in midfield. It was a grey day and we started the game kicking down the hill.
Whitby had the best of the early exchanges and our first chance came from a corner floated to the back post that Jack managed to get his head on, but sent it wide off the post. We came even closer when Liam ran into the box and hit an early shot that caused the keeper a problem, before going once more narrowly wide of the post. It was a good physical battle with both sides getting fighting for the ball, trying to get the upper hand. A couple of corners to us built a little pressure, however we weren't able to take advantage.
The break through came after 17 minutes, when Danny sent Joe away up the right. He hit his shot early, with the ball striking a Whitby defender and taking a deflection past the outstretched arm of the Whitby keeper. 0-1 to New Marske.
Ben Leaper looked to have broken away for a one on one with the keeper, until the referee blew his whistle for a hand ball in the move. A free kick to Whitby followed, when Andy clattered a Whitby player 7 yards in our half. The ball was whipped in forcing a good clearing header from Jack.
The game was end to end as we broke up a Whitby attack, allowing a long ball played forward to Joe who had virtually an empty half to run into. He didn't realise quite how much space he had and when he hesitated Whitby won the b all back, racing up the field giving them a one on one with Dean. Dean made a block and won the ball at the second attempt. Whitby were mounting more of a challenge in our half, but we were defending pretty well, in not giving them a clear chance at goal.
It was our turn to have a good spell of pressure, but we also weren't able to create any real openings. A free kick to Whitby level with the 18 yard box was blocked initially, but fell to another Whitby player who hit is shot onto the bar and away. Both teams had a chance to get away from their opposition but neither side was able to manage it, in what was still a very tight game.
A good spell of pressure by us, soon turned into some heavy pressure from Whitby as they suddenly had us penned in our box. A shot came in and once more hit the bar and some really good defending was needed to clear the situation. The midfield was where Whitby were finding the space and this was causing us big problems in keeping hold of the ball as balls kept coming into the box, to be cleared comfortably overall by the defence.
Half-time: Whitby Town 0 - New Marske 1
A the start of the second half there was some nice play from Joe to send Ben Leaper away, but he wasn't able to take advantage off the break. Whitby came close next when from a corner the ball was whipped in to the far post where a Whitby player headed the ball onto the bar, with us eventually scrambling the ball clear. That was a bit of a let off and things got better after 43 minutes when a lovely passing move, started from the back, worked it's way up the pitch to finally get to Liam on the left. He hit a cross high into the box and over the keeper, to eventually nestle in the net. 0-2 to New Marske.
After riding our luck a bit in the game so far, we had suddenly found ourselves in a really good position with a two goal lead. We weren't allowed to dwell on it though, as Whitby straight from the kick off raced down the left wing and hit a shot at goal. Dean did really well to save it with his foot, but the Whitby player was first to react and put the ball past him to make the score 1-2 to New Marske.
Whitby kicking down the slope were slowly building the pressure on us, and on 48 minutes they equalised when a cross in was hit on the volley by a Whitby player. 2-2. We were having the odd sporadic attack, but things went from bad to worse when after 55 minutes Whitby scored again. We seemed in control of the ball in the centre, but wanted too long on the ball, when a Whitby player nipped in and won the ball. He hit it out wide on the right and the cross was hit into the box, where Andy failed to get a good contact on the ball and a Whitby player took his chance to score. 3-2 to Whitby.
Our midfield was finding it really tough ,and were struggling to pass the ball while conceding far too much space to the Whitby midfield. To try and change it Hubby was replaced by Josh. On 58 minutes the game turned again when Joe scored the equaliser, after breaking away from the defence and burying the chance past the keeper. 3-3.
Getting back into the game seemed to lift us as we started to compete for the ball better. However Whitby were finding so much space on their right, with Jack having to come out to try and close the attacker down, leaving space in the centre for Whitby to try and exploit. On 64 minutes Whitby regained the lead again, when the ball failed to get cleared and was played across the goalmouth for a simple tap in at the back post. 4-3 to Whitby.
We had a respite when we pushed Whitby back but Matty's final shot only managed to clear the bar. On 70 minutes Whitby made what was to be the telling break when a poor ball forward by Jack was intercepted by a Whitby player, allowing them to once more hit the ball quickly out to their right, and the shot ended up in the back of our net. 5-3 to Whitby.
The chance was taken to make a triple substitution as Tim, Bash and Dougy came on to replace Greg, Jack and David. Shortly after Conor came off and Robert came on to replace him. The substitutions didn't really make any impact on the game and Whitby saw the game out without any real incidents to take the three points. To be perfectly honest, on the second half performance Whitby totally deserved the points.
Final Score: Whitby Town 5 - New Marske 3
MOTM:- : Danny Latham
Other images from the game...
