Whitby duo sent off as Blues win seven-goal Boxing Day thriller at Blyth Spartans

Layton Watts' tap in, the attacker's second goal since joining from West Auckland Town in November, fired the Seasiders into a deserved lead at Croft Park before Watts netted his second of the match ten minutes later to double Town's advantage, writes Liam Ryder.

Lewis Hawkins' glancing header extended Whitby's lead before half-time, however Blyth responded in the second half with a headed goal from Connor Pani.

Despite Thomas emphatically restoring Town's three-goal advantage, Whitby's game management came into question as they were pegged back to 4-2 via Mitchell Curry, before Adam Gell was dismissed after picking up his second yellow card.

Ben Milburn then made it 4-3 following a goal-mouth scrap and matters became even more nervy for Gary Liddle's side when Town were reduced to nine players following a second bookable offence from Hawkins.

The visitors began the contest in strong fashion as, straight from Blyth's kick-off, Layton Watts charged down Milburn's clearance before slipping the ball into the path of Stephen Walker before the forward put the ball wide.

Blyth goalkeeper Adam Richardson gifted possession straight to Watts, however he made up for his mistake by diving on the ball at the feet of the pacey Town man.

In the 10th minute, Watts broke the deadlock after capitalising on a goalkeeping error, collecting the ball from Richardson's spill before firing into an empty net to give his side a lead they were well worthy of.

Connor Smith, venturing forwards from defence, gave the hosts another scare as he raced on to a ball forwards before drilling a low cross into the box which the defence just about dealt with.

Walker missed a chance to double Whitby's advantage with 19 minutes played as the ex-Middlesbrough striker's curling effort went wide.

Just a minute later, however, Whitby's lead was increased as Watts dashed in behind, applying too much pressure for the home defence to handle, before lifting the ball emphatically past Richardson's out-stretched right arm.

Whitby, always looking dangerous in attack, survived their first real defensive scare as half-time loomed as Dean Briggs rose highest to head towards goal following a right-wing cross but he couldn't hit the target.

Whitby thought they had extended their lead minutes later as Thomas' deep free-kick was kept alive at the back post and somehow didn't find the net despite rolling along the entirety of the goal-line.

In the 43rd minute, Hawkins did fire Whitby further ahead as the ex-Hartlepool United midfielder drifted into free space inside the area to meet Watts' corner ball delivery with his head.

In the second half, Town's lead was reduced as Pani took advantage of Whitby's Achilles Heel - defending corners. He towered above the visiting defence to power a header past the despairing Shane Bland.

The Blyth defence did do well to crucially deny Aaron Haswell after a cross from Watts found the midfielder who drilled a low effort towards goal which was cleared behind for a corner.

But the home crowd were deflated again from the resulting set-piece as Thomas netted Whitby's fourth, collecting Walker's recycled cross before directing his effort into the bottom left-hand corner.

Thomas went close to adding a fifth after cutting inside from the left, though he could only steer his left-footed effort into the hands of Greg Halford, an outfielder who had come on the replace the injured Richardson.

Curry had better luck from range at the other end as his strike appeared to have taken a deflection on the way past Whitby gloveman Bland.

Gell, booked earlier in the second half, was sent off in the 79th minute following the slightest trip to halt a Blyth attack, meaning Whitby had to defend their advantage a player light.

Spartans went in search of a third goal and were rewarded as Milburn got the score to 4-3 when he was most alert to cannon the ball over the line via the bar as Whitby once again failed to clear their lines following a corner routine.

In the final moments, Whitby lost another player to a sending off as Hawkins fell victim to two yellow cards in quick succession.

Having been cautioned for delaying the restart after Blyth's third goal, he was then shown a second yellow two minutes later following a trip.

But it mattered not as Town held on to pick up the three points in a Boxing Day thriller at Croft Park.