Whitby Town survived a second-half scare to run out 3-2 winners over Bishop Auckland on Tuesday night, in a mid-season friendly.

A first-half brace from Brad Fewster, followed up by a Harry Green goal, saw the Seasiders lead 3-0 at the break, but two goals in three minutes from Marcus Giles and Dean Thexton saw the hosts fight back in the second.

Whitby started the game on the front foot, and led inside eight minutes. Lewis Hawkins capitalised on a loose pass, playing Fewster through before the forward rounded Ryan Catterick and tapped into an empty net.

Fewster was the double just ten minutes later, with another loose ball from the Bishops backline fell to Andre Bennett. His defence-splitting pass saw the striker through again, this time finishing with aplomb across Catterick.

A minute later it was almost a dream debut for local lad Jos Storr. Fewster played the 17-year-old through, though he was flagged offside as he finished neatly.

The third goal wasn't far behind, however, with Green getting in on the act. Aaron Braithwaite's played short to Green, who drilled a low effort through a sea of bodies and beyond Catterick.

The Seasiders were dominating the first half, and in truth could have gone in at the break with five or six. Hawkins' powerful drive from 25 yards forced Catterick into a save at full stretch, before Fewster volleyed just over from the resulting corner.

It took Chris Hardy's Bishops side until the final throes of the half to lay a glove on the Seasiders, with former Whitby man Giles forcing a save from Shane Bland in the dying seconds.

It was perhaps a sign of things to come from Giles and Bishop Auckland, with a massive swing in momentum after the break.

Early in the half, Bland was back in action with the hosts aiming to find a route back into the game, palming away Giles' fierce effort.

Aaron Haswell, introduced at the break by Nathan Haslam, went up the other end moments later and fired an effort goalwards, though a deflection saw it safely into the hands of Nick Liversedge.

Of the two glovemen who started the second half, it was Bland who was the busiest, called into action again on a few occasions, before the inevitable Two Blues goal arrived.

It was the former Blues man Giles, who'd threatened on a couple of occasions, to pull one back, firing into the bottom corner across Bland from the edge of the 18-yard box.

And just three minutes later, Bishops had narrowed the gap further. Matty Weirs' cross from the right was poorly dealt with by Braithwaite, dropping to Thexton who smashed home from close range beyond substitute goalkeeper Nick Cranston.

The second goal brought a slight reaction from Whitby, who looked to make their advantage more comfortable again. Harry Green tricked his way into the box before playing square to Daniel Rowe. The defender slid in to put the ball home, but the flag was once again up to disallow the goal.

Bishops went in search of a late equaliser, with Max Craggs firing a long-range drive wide, though it would prove to be the last meaningful chance of the evening for either side.

Bishop Auckland: Catterick (Liversedge '46), Burlace, Risbrough (Banks '46), McGoldrick, Gott (C) (Lay '46), Daley (Craggs '46), Whitfield, Weirs, Johnson (Patton '46).

Goals: Marcus Giles ('59); Dean Thexton ('62)

Whitby Town: Bland (Cranston '59), Bannett (Hackett '46), Shepherd, Hawkins (Storr '71), Rowe (C), Beeden, Braithwaite, Storr (Cunningham '46), Fewster (Bullock '59), Dijksteel (Haswell '46), Green.

Goals: Bradley Fewster ('8, '18); Harry Green ('25)