WHITBY TOWN v MARINE

FA Trophy 1^st Qualifying Round

Visits to Whitby’s Turnbull Ground need to be carefully timed. Too early in the season risks getting snarled up in tripper traffic; too late and the dark drive over the moor top road can often involve rain, fog or snow. The end of October is ideal, bright and breezy today and the only trippers in town (other than Marine) are the Goths for one of their regular weekends.

Marine are no strangers, playing in the same Northern Premier League Premier Division; and having lost 3-2 here a month ago another tight game is expected. For Northern League regulars there are familiar faces in the Whitby team as manager Chris Hardy is keeping faith with the core of  his ex-Guisborough team he brought with him a year ago; also here now is John Campbell who has scored for a few, and against most, clubs in the North East.

The wind is getting up as the teams line up, Whitby in blue and Marine in amber and black. And the conditions may have played a part in an early error by Whitby centre half Niall McGoldrick, whose headed attempt to deal with a simple long ball is neither a decisive clearance nor a glance back to the keeper. Marine centre forward Danny Mitchley latches onto the loose ball, easily rounds the exposed keeper and slots the ball home for a three minute lead.

Whitby are unsettled by the poor start and for a while Marine look like adding more. But eventually the home team settles as midfield general Steve Snaith takes control. There are signs of hope for the home fans as John Campbell battles through two tackles but then fails to test visiting keeper Martin Fearon ; then a corner from the right sees Fearon flap ineffectively but escape punishment.

As half time nears, Whitby right back Connor Smith, not for the first time, makes good progress down the right and this time his angled pull back from the bye line finds left back Danny McWilliams lurking on the edge of the box. His right foot sweeping shot is goal bound and a slight deflection ensures Fearon has no chance of preventing the net bulging.

Other than the two goals it’s been competitive rather than entertaining, though one throw-in caused some merriment. Awarded to Whitby, one player retrieved the ball over the touchline and lobbed it underarm to a team mate still on the pitch who, instead of catching it and taking a legitimate throw, cushioned it on the thigh, turned and sprayed a pass forward to the indignation of the Marine players and bench. Where the referee and assistants were looking is a mystery.

From the start of the second half it is clear the breeze has freshened into a bit of a gale, and it is into Whitby’s face. The home team struggle to get the ball forward and most play settles in their own half. A Marine free kick from the left curls into the box and home keeper Daniel Dixon comes to collect, but is beaten to the ball by one of the attacking Mariners. He does connect with one or another of them but penalty shouts are waved aside and the header goes wide for a double escape.

Ten minutes later the Marine put in another free kick, this one from the right, and this time Dixon’s collision with George Lomax is harder to excuse and the referee, after waiting in vain for any advantage to accrue, awards the spot kick. Mitchley steps up and converts with ease.

Whitby try to increase the tempo but fail to create any rhythm or penetration, and soon are pinned back again. From nothing Marine right back Peter Wylie makes a darting run through a static defence and hits a shot that beats Dixon and rolls into the goal off the far post.

Still fifteen minutes left, and now 3-1 down, Whitby substitute the two strikers who’ve had no joy with the Marine defence. One of the newcomers, James Risborough gets an early chance but side foots a shot straight at the keeper’s legs from six yards out.

After that, other than a Whitby header from a corner that is blocked on the line, the game drifts to its natural conclusion – Marine progressing and Whitby Town out of the Trophy for this year.