Whitby Town kick off pre-season programme with 3-0 victory at Billingham Town

Jake Charles - making his first appearance since October 2024 due to injury - opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark, with a finish under Billingham’s trialist goalkeeper, writes Liam Ryder.

An own goal added Whitby’s second of the afternoon, with Matthew Tymon completing the scoring two minutes from time.

It was the hosts who had the earliest chance at Bedford Terrace, with a trialist seeing a low, angled shot pushed away by Shane Bland.

At the other end, Whitby new boy James Harrison found space just outside the Billingham Town penalty area, but could only curl his effort high and wide.

It was a patient, measured first half from Whitby, as they retained the ball well while in search of an opening. That opening would eventually come, courtesy of Charles on 31 minutes.

Alex Nelson - signed from Newton Aycliffe in June - perfectly measured a ball over the top to find Charles in behind. The returning striker’s low effort inside the 18-yard box squirmed under the hosts’ trialist goalkeeper and found its way into the net.

The Seasiders made ten changes at the break, with only Alex Nelson retaining his place from the first half.

Despite the changes it was the Northern League Division One side who would go closest in the early stages of the second period, in their search for a leveller.

Former Whitby man Dale Hopson was the one causing problems for Liddle’s side. An audacious attempt from 35 yards bounced wide seven minutes into the half, with the midfielder shaving the outside of the post with a curling effort four minutes later from 20 yards.

Matty Tymon looked to get in on the action at the other end, seeing a header from Connor Smith’s cross pushed away, before poking an effort inches wide moments later, inside the box.

The Seasiders’ lead was doubled on 72 minutes. Smith got hold of the ball on the right-hand edge of the Billingham box, with his low cross being headed home with precision by Josh Hodgkinson. Unfortunately for the defender, it was into his own net.

Under-18s winger Adam Thomas - who impressed for the Seasiders’ juniors with his goals last season - was sent down the left ten minutes from time by Sam Collins, before cutting inside to shoot on the edge of the box. His tame effort, however, was held.

The young wide man should have added Whitby’s third on 86 minutes too. Tymon slipped him through one-on-one, but Thomas seemingly had a little too much time on his hands, eventually putting the effort wide of the keeper’s near post.

It was Tymon who wrapped up the scoring, two minutes later. A trialist playing at centre-half broke out from the back with the ball, playing a beautifully-weighted ball to Michael Woods. Woods’ effort was stopped by the legs of the Billingham goalkeeper, with Tymon on hand to side-foot the loose ball home.

Whitby Town First Half: Bland, Wilson, Trialist, Whelan, Nelson, Gell, Trialist, Haswell, Charles, Watts, Harrison.

Whitby Town Second Half: Cranston, Smith, Collins, Liddle, Nelson (Kennedy ‘73), Trialist, Rivers, Hawkins, Tymon, Woods, Thomas.