Haslam pleased following Guiseley victory

Whitby Town made it maximum points from their opening two games with a 3-1 win at Guiseley on Tuesday, leaving boss Nathan Haslam delighted.

Goals from Connor Simpson, Jacob Gratton and Daniel Rowe - who made it two in two - saw Whitby cruise into a 3-0 lead, before Tom Denton netted the hosts’ consolation in the second half.

The win leaves the Seasiders as only one of four teams with a 100% record in the Pitching In Northern Premier League, and it left Nathan Haslam happy with how his side approached matters, especially with a number of changes on the night.

“We’re very happy,” Haslam said post-match.

“This is a place we normally come and struggle. We were beaten twice here last season, and they beat us at Whitby so it was a great result.

“We made five changes because we felt we had to and it really worked for us.”

From the outset both sides looked to make their mark on the game, Guiseley going close to opening the scoring within a minute, while Adam Gell drilled over the crossbar for the Seasiders moments later.

It was Whitby who would strike first and gain an early lead. Alfie Doherty’s perfectly weighted right-wing cross found Simpson, who guided his close-range header into the top corner, well beyond the reach of Brad Wade.

Just a minute later, the hosts could’ve been level. Denton got his head onto Liam Tongue’s right-wing cross, but heroics from Rowe saw him head the ball onto the bar, before Shane Bland collected.

Whitby’s lead was almost doubled somewhat fortuitously on the twenty minute mark, Wade spilling the ball through his legs, though the ball rolled wide for a corner.

Gratton was soon looking to get in on the goalscoring action, volleying over inside the box, while at the other end Harrison Beeden was on hand to clear off the line from Tom Pratt.

But despite a couple of Guiseley chances, it was Whitby making all the running on the evening. Priestley Griffiths forced Wade into tipping his looping effort wide, before Simpson forced another save from the resulting corner.

Whitby managed to find their second three minutes before the break. Doherty was again involved in the build-up with the Lions failing to clear his ball into the box. It fell to Gratton, who wasted no time smashing the ball into the net to double his side’s advantage.

And it could’ve been three on the stroke of half-time, with gloveman Wade clawing Rowe’s close-range effort off the line.

The hosts looked to find a route back in to the game early in the second period, Callum Chippendale having a sight of goal after cutting inside, though his effort was saved by Bland. Former Whitby man Jameel Ible looked to pull a goal back too, but could only fire over the crossbar on the volley.

Just a minute after Ible’s attempt though, the Seasiders extended their lead further. Guiseley again failed to clear their lines effectively, with the ball eventually dropping to Dan Rowe to prod home from the edge of the six yard box.

The goal spurred the hosts into action, and gave Whitby’s back line the busiest period of the evening. Shane Bland was forced into an acrobatic save, after Guiseley flooded the box just after the hour mark.

And the hosts soon had the goal they were looking for. The ball cannoned between Guiseley and Whitby players inside the penalty area, before finally dropping to Denton to fire home, giving his side a glimmer of hope.

If anyone thought the visiting side may have settled at three goals, they’d have been wrong. Rowe almost added a spectacular second for himself with a strike that just whistled past Wade’s right-hand upright, before Doherty drilled wide of the opposite post just moments later.

Aaron Haswell soon looked to get in on the action and give himself an early Birthday present, though saw his effort deflected wide. From the resulting corner, Denton’s blushes were spared by Wade, as he almost headed Whitby’s fourth in himself.

The hosts looked forlorn in their attempts to make it a nervy ending for the Blues. Jameel Ible saw an effort from range comfortably held by Bland, while Gabriel Johnson could only send his free-kick over the crossbar.

Bland still had to be alert midway through stoppage time, parrying a powerful effort from range away to ensure the scoreline remained 3-1.

The Seasiders are back in action at Marine on Saturday afternoon, before entertaining Worksop Town at the Towbar Express Stadium @ The Turnbull Ground on Tuesday night (22 Aug, 7:45pm).