Whitby Town twice pegged back in 2-2 draw by hosts FC United of Manchester

Bradley Fewster put Whitby Town 2-1 ahead at FC United of Manchester

The Seasiders led inside the opening 10 minutes through Lewis Hawkins before Charlie Ennis - who had just come off the bench - levelled the league clash with a powerful penalty in the second half, writes Liam Ryder.

Bradley Fewster - who scored in both meetings with FC United in the 2021/22 season - responded immediately, finishing virtually straight from the re-start to regain Whitby’s one-goal advantage.

However, Regan Linney’s strike, barely a minute later ensured a draw for FC United.

Lewis Hawkins opened the scoring for the Blues in their dramatic 2-2 draw at FC United of Manchester in the NPL Premier Division.

Nathan Haslam made three changes to the side which lost out 4-2 against against South Shields on Boxing Day as Andre Bennett, Coleby Shepherd and Priestley Griffiths came in for Aaron Cunningham, Malik Dijksteel and Jamie Bramwell, who had returned to his parent club Grimsby Town.

Linney created FC United’s opening goalscoring opportunity as the forward was played in on goal, only to be denied routinely by Shane Bland.

In the seventh minute, Whitby opened the scoring as midfielder Hawkins calmly passed the ball into the bottom corner of Dan Lavercombe’s net after great work from Fewster following Coleby Shepherd’s throw-in.

Fewster later combined with Griffiths midway through the first half before the latter saw a close-range shot saved by Lavercombe when he perhaps should have done better.

In the second half, Dijksteel, who has netted once so far this season, was unable to repeat his feat at Nantwich Town in September as he was denied by a combination of good goalkeeping and heroic last-ditch defending.

FC United, though, began to push as the second half developed and equalised through Ennis, who sent Bland the wrong way from twelve yards after Callum Gribbin had been brought down by Shepherd, bringing the hosts level.

A minute later, Whitby found themselves ahead for a second time as FC United’s defence were unable to pick up the runs from Dijksteel and Fewster before the latter found the corner from just inside the area.

Just like the Seasiders, FC United equalised in crazily quick fashion through Linney as the striker levelled the contest again after Whitby had failed to clear their lines.