Liam Ryder's Whitby Town half-season review - Blues battle back after sluggish start

AUGUST

Town began the campaign with a trip to Matlock Town, writes Liam Ryder.

Played in scorching hot conditions, Whitby lost 1-0 thanks to Jerome Slew's early strike.

And in the first home match, newly-promoted Liversedge were triumphant against Whitby, who would lose again the following Saturday against FC United of Manchester.

Despite a much improved performance in the second half at least, Daniel Rowe's strike was not enough to save the Blues from another defeat at Guiseley next time out.

Stafford claimed victory in the first of two Bank Holiday weekend fixtures, before the first point was picked up at Marske with a 0-0 draw.

SEPTEMBER

Whitby began September with a welcome break from the league, as Bishop Auckland visited in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round.

The Seasiders showed the gulf between themselves and their Northern League Division One counterparts, winning 5-0.

However, their next outing saw them on the end of a 6-0 home hammering by Gainsborough, after this, change was made at the top with Lee Bullock resigning.

Nathan Haslam's first solo outing as manager saw Town bow out of the FA Cup 1-0 against Marske.

That crucial first league victory came a week later at Nantwich, the first of three unbeaten matches with a draw at Radcliffe and then a 1-0 win at Ashton a week later.

OCTOBER

An early exit from the FA Trophy followed in Town's second trip of the season to Guiseley, before they were then beaten on the road at Marine.

A win at Morpeth was next before they disappointingly went down 1-0 to Stalybridge in their first home outing in over a month.

The month ended with a routine 2-0 home win against York City in the North Riding Senior Cup, with Bradley Fewster at the double.

NOVEMBER

A theme of Whitby's season to this point has been inconsistency, and this was shown in November, which started promisingly with that elusive first home league win - 3-0 against Bamber Bridge.

Warrington Rylands claimed a 2-0 victory on Bonfire Night Saturday, before Warrington Town visited the Towbar Express Stadium, only to lose 2-1 as Whitby made it three home wins in a row in all competitions.

There was late heartbreak as Lancaster snatched a 90th minute winner, before a four-match unbeaten run started on the road at bottom of the table Belper with a 2-2 draw.

November ended as is started with the Seasiders grabbing three points, this time against Atherton thanks to Fewster's second half goal.

DECEMBER

Successive wins came for the first time in the season as Whitby gained sweet revenge at Liversedge as they won 3-0.

There was then an impressive showing and point against high-flying Hyde on a cold, wet Tuesday night at the Turnbull Ground.

Despite being much fancied, Haslam's men then exited the North Riding Senior Cup on penalties at Northern League Division Two outfit Boro Rangers.

2022 was then capped off with a 4-2 Boxing Day loss at full-time outfit South Shields.