Jacob’s cracker earns late point for Whitby Town at Basford United

Jacob Gratton scored a late leveller for Whitby Town on the road at Basford United on Saturday afternoon.

Joshua Barnes had fired the home side ahead in the second half at Greenwich Avenue after Basford had caught the Seasiders out on the counter-attack, writes Liam Ryder.

But as Nathan Haslam's side looked defeated, top scorer Gratton popped up to a drill a low free-kick beyond Kieran Preston in the host's goal deep into second-half stoppage-time.

Whitby were quick out of the traps in Nottinghamshire. Bradley Fewster miscued a curling strike and the could also have put the visitors ahead once again when he chipped the ball wide of Preston's goal after a neat ball over the top from Lewis Hawkins.

It was then Basford's turn to threaten with the lively Barnes going for the spectacular and his flew just wide of the post.

Whitby piled some pressure on towards the end of the half, with Junior Mondal testing Preston, but on the whole Basford's defensive discipline was helping them go into the half-time break on level terms.

In the second half, Basford's Jordan Hallam went for goal but was foiled by Shane Bland, before Whitby had a chance of their own as the ball was slipped through to Gratton, however he could only find the side-netting.

With Basford having found their feet, they moved in front. Hallam's darting run took him onto the edge of the Whitby box and his ball across goal to Barnes who tapped in at the back post.

With 15 minutes to go, substitute Connor Simpson found himself in space on the edge of the area but he struck into the hands of Preston.

Fewster then used his instincts to fire towards goal with an effort on turn, but once again the Basford 'keeper prevented him from levelling.

Tyler Dacres went close to scoring next as he blasted a shot wide before Remaye Campbell also could have netted, only for Bland to make an acrobatic catch.

And in the third minute of stoppage time, Whitby were awarded a free-kick right on the edge of the Basford box. Gratton went for goal and he found it with a low, drilled strike that Preston was unable to keep a watch of as the ball travelled through a sea of bodies.