​Skipper Daniel Rowe earns Whitby Town a home draw against Marine

Louis White had capitalised on Connor Smith's mistake to put the away side in command late in the first half, writes Liam Ryder.

But after plenty of second half pressure from the Seasiders, Daniel Rowe's leveller on the hour mark left Town with plenty of time to try and find a winner.

However, it wasn't to be as Nathan Haslam's men went into Christmas ninth in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division table, yet just three points behind fifth placed Ashton United, with two games in hand.

The visitors - who arrived in North Yorkshire on the back of a 5-0 thumping of Atherton Collieries in midweek - created the first opening, with Connor Evans hitting a strike at goal which was comfortable for Shane Bland.

After adapting to the conditions, Whitby looked the likelier of the sides to net the opener.

Junior Mondal should have tested Luke Hutchinson and Harrison Beeden rattled the crossbar from close range, but somehow Marine survived.

But just before half-time, the Mariners went ahead. It came thanks to both a fantastic strike from White, and Smith's failure to clear his lines when the ball was hanging in the air.

Marine's number eight profited clinically, finding the target with a powerful effort to silence the home fans.

With the wind behind their backs, Town looked even more of a threat in the second half, always looking dangerous in the final third. Mondal went for goal with a free-kick that could have gone anywhere in the swirling wind.

There got to a point where it felt like it wasn't going to be Whitby's afternoon up until the hour mark, when Rowe pounced on a loose ball inside the area to hook the ball goalwards.

Despite the best defensive efforts of Marine, the referee's assistant was well positioned to award Whitby a deserved equaliser.

Nathan Thomas was thrown on for a Town debut and he could have won it for his new club in second half stoppage time, half-volleying wide from distance, before fellow sub Bradley Fewster was unfortunate to see his effort on the turn cannon back off the post following the slightest of touches from Hutchinson.

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