REPORT: UNITED 1-1 WHITBY TOWN

A late equaliser deep into stoppage time saw Whitby Town snatch an unlikely point on Saturday afternoon.

Josh Barnes' first of the season with 55 minutes played looked all the while to be the winner but Jacob Gratton - with 93 minutes on the clock - slammed home a contentious free-kick for a share of the spoils.

On a bitterly cold afternoon following the dramatic drop in temperatures, both sides threatened early on to warm those who braved the frost.

Firstly, Bradley Fewster benefited from a loose ball on the edge of the area, though his tame shot failed to worry Kieran Preston in the home goal.

Minutes later, Barnes’ flat free-kick skimmed the heads of those in the area and a flick goalwards by Toby Ritzema bounced inches wide of Shane Bland’s post.

Barnes then went alone with the next chance of note, this time on his favourable left foot, and whilst a shot was well-struck, it arrowed beyond the corner of the woodwork with Bland rooted.

The lively Junior Mondal – who was key in Town’s memorable FA Cup run this season – then got in behind and whilst favourite to score, Preston reacted well to smother in an unconventional way and the game settled.

With the last action of the half, Tyler Dacres dance around Aaron Haswell down the right to find half a yard, but his shot – angled inside the near post – was well held by Bland.

United continued where they left off after the restart, and Hallam stung the hands of Bland with a shot after a mix-up in the visiting defence before, on the hour, Barnes gave his side a deserved.

Down the right, Hallam’s deft touch – evading three – gave him ample time and space down the right and his low, pacey delivery was perfect for the onrushing midfielder who smashed home unmarked.

With a lead to hang on to, United looked assured under the high and direct threat and should have sealed the win in the final ten minutes with two fine chances.

First, Hallam's low cross was inches beyond the touch of Dacres who found himself through had the pass been right, before, from the recycled cross, Youngster Dacres fired just wide on a volley he did well to keep down.

Substitute Messiah McDonald mis-timed a header - lost in the floodlights from another dangerous delivery from Henri Wilder - before, at the other end, Whitby broke and a soft free-kick was awarded when Mondal theatrically went down.

And from the resultant set piece, Gratton took aim to fire low and beyond the grasp of Preston to see his side take a point back to North Yorkshire.

Next up, we host Ashton United at Greenwich Avenue next Saturday (3pm).

UNITED: Preston; Roma, Wilder, Ritzema, Fenton (c), Lewis, Dacres (McDonald 83'), Barnes (Wafula 90'), Thomas; Hallam, Campbell
SUBS (not used): Goddard, Wade, Betts,

ATT: 252