Adam Yates reports from the MTA as a lacklustre Marine lost the opportunity to build on their midweek FC united win and Whitby Town’s first half onslaught was enough to put the game to bed with a 3-1 victory.

On 24 minutes, Whitby Town ran a vicious counter attack and left back Coleby Shepherd ran into space before driving home the first goal into the bottom corner.

Marine forward Manasse Mampala entered the Town box on the 33rd minute neatly but was subsequently clattered and sent air bound. The referee however failed to see the intent and the hosts were apoplectic to be denied the pen and rightfully so after post match video left little to the imagination.

10 minutes later it was the turn of Junior Mondal as he unleashed a shot from distance past Felix Goddard and extended Whitby’s lead.

As half time neared, Connor Simpson found space in the penalty area and his launching header looped into Goddards net. As the whistle blew for the break, Marine manager Neil Young pleaded his case for the denied penalty with the ref but was cautioned for his efforts.

The wind played a major role in the second half and both teams had to adapt but quality was harder to come by. Marine changed their shape and it paid off in a 48th minute shot from outside the box, when Whitby keeper Shane Bland came out of his area and left the goal dangerously open for Finlay Sinclair Smith to find his second goal of the season.

There was a scary moment for Goddard near the end as a miscommunicated backpass nearly rolled into the net but Felix scrambled and stopped a fourth goal.

However barring half chances that was the final major event of the game. The wind played havoc with high balls and goal kicks but for Marine, the damage was already done and Whitby sit comfortably in the play off spots with three wins out of three.

Next up for Marine is a Tuesday night visit to Hyde United who have yet to register a win in the new campaign. Following Hyde is a double bank holiday weekend of home games as we play Matlock Town and Basford United on the 26th and 28th August respectively.

————-

Marine: 1 Felix Goddard, 2 Joseph Ferguson, 3 Nathan Woodthorpe (Michael Carberry 67′) 4 Liam Nolan, 5 Jonathan Spittle, 6 Josh Wardle, 7 Finlay Sinclair-Smith, 8 Louis White, 9 Will Russ, 10 Jordan Lussey, 11 Manasse Mampala (Darius Osei 46′)

Subs: 12 Owen Robinson, 13 Richard Cowderoy, 14 Darius Osei, 15 Michael Carberry, 16 Kyle Hayde

Whitby Town: 1 Shane Bland, 2 Soni Fergus, 3 Coleby Shepherd, 4 Adam Gell 5 Daniel Rowe, 6 Harrison Beeden, 7 Lewis Hawkins, 8 Alfie Doherty (Jerome Greaves 70′), 9 Connor Simpson, 10 Bradley Fewster (Jacob Gratton 54′), 11 Junior Mondal (Aaron Haswell 59′)

Subs: 12 Priestley Griffiths, 14 Jacob Gratton,

15 Jos Storr, 16 Aaron Haswell, 17 Jerome Greaves

Attendance: 1,005