Whitby Town take positives despite friendly loss to Hartlepool United

Gary Liddle's side had started with a commanding 3-0 win at Billingham Town the previous weekend, but the challenge in hand against full-time opposition this time around was perhaps a step too far, writes Liam Ryder.

It wasn't for the want of trying, though, as an initial Whitby Town XI gave as good as they got for the first hour of the contest before the professional side made their quality tell against what became a youthful Town side with Trialists and Under-18 players involved.

In the second minute, Jarrett Rivers picked out James Harrison at the first post but his difficult header went wide. Then, at the other end, Shane Bland had to be alert to deny Danny Johnson with a fantastic double save.

Bland would prevent Johnson from scoring again in the ninth minute, collecting the ball at the second attempt after the experienced forward's stinging effort.

Lewis Hawkins, formerly of Pools, whistled an effort narrowly side of the post from distance as the 20-minute mark approached before the friendly fixture settled down after a frantic early spell.

Other than Bland and Connor Smith being on hand to deal with a low effort following Jermaine Francis' mazy run, the first half was left without much else to report on.

Early in the second half, half-time substitute Matthew Tymon somewhat fortuitously picked up possession on the edge of the Hartlepool area, before taking a touch and forcing Pools' second half goalkeeper into a strong right-handed save.

The second half on the whole didn't quite deliver the excitement of the first 45 minutes, largely due to the high volume of substitutes being made, particularly from the Seasiders who didn't quite have the luxury of fielding two entirely different elevens.

In the 75th minute, the visitors had the ball in the Whitby net - a Trialist calmly tapping home from another Trialist's left-wing cross.

The game was put out of Whitby's sight seven minutes later when Tom Parkes rose highest to commandingly head home a corner, hitting the ball into the ground before it nestled high in replacement goalkeeper Nick Cranston's net.