Boss Nathan Haslam hails battling effort from 10-man Blues to earn 2-2 draw at Warrington Town

Despite very early pressure from the hosts, it was Whitby who looked in control of proceedings in the first half hour, going about their game in a well-organised but stylish manner, writes Paul Connolly.

That culminated in Lewis Hawkins opening the scoring with a lob from the edge of the box, though the course of the game would change dramatically when Malik Dijksteel saw red for two yellow cards in three minutes.

The Yellows equalised immediately after the young attacker’s dismissal, Matty McDonald heading home after a neat chip into the box from deep by Williams.

From there Whitby we’re very much reliant on heroics from Shane Bland, who pulled off a string of outstanding saves to frustrate the hosts in the first half, though they would get their noses back in front when the Blues dealt with a Warrington attack poorly and McDonald stabbed home for his second.

Whitby always looked dangerous on the counter, however, and levelled with minutes remaining, Aaron Braithwaite drilling a thunderbolt home from twenty yards that left Thompson rooted.

Blues boss Haslam was pleased with the battling spirit that his side showed in the North West

“I thought we started off very well,” Haslam said post-match.

“The first half an hour, the game was a bit nip and tuck but I was happy with how we were performing.

“The sending off changed everything really but to a man, with ten men for three quarters of a game, to get a draw it feels like a win and we’re absolutely delighted with it.”

There was an early look at goal for the Yellows, as trickery from Luke Duffy got him away from Shepherd and into a crossing position.

Jordan Buckley couldn’t get a telling touch in the middle, though the ball fell to McDonald who drew a good stop by Bland.

Warrington skipper Bohan Dixon then looked to try his luck from range five minutes later, though could only fire wide of the Whitby upright, with his effort always curling away from goal.

Both sides were creating chances in the opening exchanges, though Whitby looked the team in control of things.

Some good defending by Evan Gumbs snuffed out a well-worked attack, getting back in between Dijksteel and the ball to prevent the young Whitby from going one-on-one, instead seeing it out for a goal kick.

It was skipper Dixon who was then in defensive action for the Yellows, blocking Harry Green’s low cross to prevent Shaun Tuton from turning home.

Gumbs was soon in action at the other end for Warrington, heading Williams' deep free-kick towards goal, though Bland tipped over the crossbar.

Green was the man to come closest for either side two minutes later though, creating space and firing at goal from a tight angle, with the ball crashing back off the crossbar, much to the Yellows’ relief.

A nice turn on the edge of the box by Isaac Buckley-Ricketts created space for a left-footed shot soon after, though it was it comfortably saved low to Bland's left.

On the half hour mark though, the deadlock was broken.

Priestley Griffiths’ twenty-yard free-kick was palmed away by Tony Thompson, with Tuton recycling the loose ball. He laid off to Hawkins, who spotted the Yellows’ gloveman off his line, sending a stunning first time lob over his head.

The course of the game would change minutes later, however. Dijksteel saw two yellows in just three minutes - the first for dissent, and the second for catching a Yellows man on the ankle, leading to him being given his marching orders.

And Haslam believes it was more a case of naivety from the young attacker, when it comes to the manner in which the card was shown.

“The first one I didn’t think was a yellow, but he’s got it,” Haslam added.

“It was a little bit naive by Malik, he was a little over-zealous.

“Up to that point he was having a good game, but the second one he’s caught the lad and it was a booking. That’s changed the game.

“He’ll learn from that, and the lads have probably dug him out of a bit of a hole with it.”

From there, you felt it was to cause a shift in momentum - and almost immediately after Whitby went down to ten men, Warrington levelled matters.

The Yellows took the resulting free-kick quickly, giving the ball into Williams, who weighted a ball from deep into the box onto the head of McDonald, who guided beyond Bland, despite calls of offside from the Seasiders’ back line.

Whitby got themselves in level at the break, though the second 45 minutes would prove to be a whole lot tougher with Warrington’s man advantage.

Five minutes in, Buckley-Ricketts' run in to the box was halted by Gell, with the ball breaking to Dixon. The Yellows’ captain had plenty of time, though could only fire just over the bar.

And just ahead of the hour mark, the hosts’ sustained possession paid off as they turned the game around and got their noses in front.

Mitch Duggan played into the box for Duffy. His first cross was blocked though Whitby failed to clear and gifted possession back to Duffy, who squared for McDonald to turn home for his second goal of the night.

As the game continued to wear on, Warrington continued to press to extend their advantage. Buckley got in behind the Whitby defence, saw his initial shot saved by an onrushing Bland, and could only find the side netting from the rebound under pressure from Harrison Beeden, before McDonald narrowly missed out on his hat-trick minutes later when he clipped the crossbar.

Daniel Rowe was next to halt a Yellows onslaught, clearing off the line from Duffy’s header, while Williams’ looping cross almost caught Bland out, though he tipped over the bar.

Bland was the hero of the night for Whitby again, with a one-handed tip over the bar from Duffy’s shot.

McDonald was then denied a hat-trick by the hand of Bland, tipping his shot on to the crossbar after a superb touch and pass by Mols.

With eight minutes remaining, Lewis Ritson entered proceedings for Whitby, returning from 500 days out injured, at the ground where the injury occurred in October 2021.

“I’m delighted for Lewis,” Haslam said.

“He’s waited and waited. Whatever happened here he was coming on the pitch.

“He’s been through a real mental for the best part of 15/16 months and this was the place it happened, so for him to come on was great for him.

“He won his fair share of headers, closed down when he had to and was brave.”

And two minutes after his introduction, Whitby were level. The Yellows failed to clear their lines on the edge of the box and the loose ball was drilled in to the bottom corner by Braithwaite.

Warrington searched to no avail for a late leveller. Cole's low ball in to the box sat up for Hannigan, who saw his shot well blocked by Rowe, before Mols struck the post in the dying seconds from close range, before the ref blew his whistle.