Whitby Town boss Nathan Haslam was disappointed that his side "didn't lay a glove" on Guiseley on Tuesday, as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat.

The Seasiders found themselves behind inside the opening two minutes, when Leigh Whelan drove into the corner across Shane Bland, before Whelan added his and Guiseley's second on the stroke of half-time.

And the Blues boss wasn't happy with the way in which his side went about their game in an attacking sense, with his side barely getting out of their own half in the opening 45 minutes.

"It's a 50/50 game where it's all about playing the conditions," Haslam said.

"The lads have worked their socks off but Guiseley have played the conditions better.

"They scored in key moments, but on the balance of play and the chances we didn't really lay a glove on them.

"There's no doubt about the fact that both sets of players worked their socks off on that pitch which is a credit to them."

Whitby couldn't have gotten off to a worse start in the clash, going behind after ninety seconds. Whelan swiveled on the ball in the penalty area after the Seasiders failed to deal with a long throw, driving the ball across Bland.

From there, the first half was one-way traffic, with Whitby struggling to get out of their own half.

Andy Kellett's set pieces caused issues for the Seasiders, with Dan Rowe heading a corner just wide of his own goal, before Ross Daly couldn't quite convert from another set piece.

Lewis Whitham was another causing problems for the Seasiders, stinging the palms of Bland, before Kellett saw an attempt pushed wide by the Whitby gloveman.

It felt almost as though every player in a yellow shirt was lining up for a go at Whitby's goal across the early stages. Whelan looked to add his second with a blocked attempt, while Courtney Meppen-Walters fired over from the edge of the area.

Callum Chippendale also looked to get in on the action for the Lions, cutting inside, though his goalwards effort was easy for Bland to hold.

Such was the visitors' dominance, talk around the Towbar Express Stadium at the Turnbull Ground was that Whitby would've been happy to go in at the break only a goal behind. That wasn't to be, however, with Guiseley adding a second on the stroke of half-time.

Whitham saw his initial shot blocked by a Whitby defender before the ball fell to Whelan, who curled into the bottom corner.

With the wind behind them, the Seasiders looked to get back into the game and had an early second half chance - their first of the night - with Aaron Braithwaite firing at Cameron Mason from an angle.

As the second half wore on, a golden opportunity presented itself for Whitby to get themselves back into the game, though Jake Day tapped the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy inside the six-yard box.

Day again had a chance to get Whitby back in the game with ten minutes remaining, though the former Guiseley forward could only head wide from close range.

Substitute Connor Simpson also went close in the dying stages for Whitby with an acrobatic bicycle kick, though his effort could only strike the top of the crossbar from a tight angle.

The defeat sees Whitby remain just outside the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division drop zone, with Ashton United visiting the Towbar Express Stadium at the Turnbull Ground on Saturday afternoon [3pm kick-off].

Whitby Town: Bland, Bennett, Shepherd, Hawkins, Rowe (C), Beeden, Braithwaite (Bullock '70), Hackett (Green '63), Day, Fewster (Simpson '77), Haswell. Subs not used: Dijksteel, Griffiths.

Cautions: Bullock ('85); Hawkins ('89)

Guiseley: Mason, Boateng (Coker '64), Smith (C), Daly, Ible, Whelan, Whitham, Kellett (Haw '49), Murphy (Cassidy '90), Chippendale, Meppen-Walters. Subs not used: Chapman, Gardner.

Goals: Whelan ('2, '43)

Cautions: Daly ('30); Mason ('62); Whitham ('83)