Lee Bullock and Jason Kennedy rang in two changes following the narrow defeat at Guiseley, with Adam Gell coming in for James Harrison and Elias Lenz handed a debut in place of Aaron Haswell. The alterations brought a renewed energy to the side, and Whitby started brightly.

Inside three minutes, Layton Watts showed early intent, picking out Harley Dawson in the box, though the midfielder couldn’t quite direct his header cleanly. Moments later, Whitby threatened again as Shane Bland’s free-kick from inside the Whitby half was nodded down by Frankie Whelan into the path of Jake Charles, who could only flash his effort over the bar.

Warrington responded with a spell of pressure. Alex Nelson was called into defensive action on 12 minutes, doing well to divert Kallan Murphy’s low strike behind, before Murphy struck the crossbar with an acrobatic effort four minutes later. It was a warning sign - but one Whitby heeded.

The visitors struck decisively in the 18th minute. Charles delivered a dangerous low cross that found Watts, whose initial effort was saved by Liam Isherwood. However, Dawson reacted quickest, tapping home the rebound to give Whitby a crucial lead.

Buoyed by the goal, Whitby continued to press. A clever low corner from Watts nearly created a second, only for Nathan McGinley’s flick to land safely in Isherwood’s hands. At the other end, Nelson and McGinley combined superbly to deny Warrington an equaliser, standing firm under pressure.

Whitby’s second goal came just before the break and owed much to their sharpness in transition. Charles capitalised on a loose defensive pass and slid a perfectly weighted ball through to Watts, who kept his composure to slot past Isherwood one-on-one. It was a clinical finish and a huge moment in the match.

Charles nearly added a third on the stroke of half-time, forcing a smart near-post save from Isherwood as Whitby went into the interval firmly in control.

The second half began at a slower tempo, with Whitby content to manage the game. Warrington looked for a route back in, and Bland was called into action on 65 minutes, producing a solid low save to deny James Melhado. A minute later, the hosts had the ball in the net, but Whitby were spared as a foul was given in the build-up.

From there, Whitby regained their composure. Dawson had a chance to extend the lead when he latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the area, but his effort drifted off target. Late on, Warrington’s Jay Harris headed over from a Melhado cross, summing up a frustrating afternoon for the home side.

For Whitby, this was a performance full of discipline, resilience, and cutting edge in key moments. With five points now separating them from the drop zone, this victory could prove pivotal as the season enters its final five matches.