The match was understandably played at a slow tempo, something to be expected on the hottest day of the year so far and this resulted in a real lack of chances for both sides.

Town's Northern League opponents did create the better of the chances, albeit with them being few and far between but it was Whitby who started brighter.

Marcus Giles made some intelligent runs and put some dangerous balls into the box but the ball just wouldn't find the foot of a Whitby man.

Adam Gell saw an effort well-blocked on eleven minutes, before Coleby Shepherd went close from a free-kick which was well saved five minutes later.

But two minutes after that, the home side squandered the best chance of the game as an attacker somehow failed to score from six-yards out. His effort was high and wide.

On 38 minutes, Giles was at the heart of the attack again and he would no doubt have been kicking himself as he dragged an effort wide from inside the area with the Whitley Bay defence lagging behind.

The first half did end with something of a flourish, contradicting the general pattern of play throughout the 90 minutes and following on from Giles' scuffed effort, the home side went close but a shot from the edge of the 18-yard box fizzed just wide of Shane Bland's post.

Lee Bullock and Nathan Haslam introduced three of just four substitutes available to them at the break and one of those players, Lewis Hawkins, went close to an opener for the Blues nine minutes after the re-start when Whitby caught the Seahorse's defence napping from a corner. In the end, they responded well to block Hawkins' goal bound effort.

On 65 minutes, one of two Whitby trialists saw his long-range effort go just wide of the upright, but just four minutes later Whitley Bay messed up another glorious opportunity.

Bland was surely beaten in the Town goal, but he was a relieved man to see the incoming shot fire off his crossbar and behind for a goal-kick.

Chances were a rarity in the final stages of the game with the only real chance falling the way of Bradley Fewster, but having done the hard work by making a run into the area, he hit a tame effort towards goal which was comfortable for the Whitley Bay shot-stopper.

Whitby Town FC

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