A double from Stephen Walker saw Whitby cruising early, before Ash Chambers and Jordan Hallam scored one each in five minutes to bring it level before half time.

Nathan Thomas put the Seasiders in the lead again before a Hallam stunner once again made it equal, and despite plenty of chances and penalty shouts, Walker’s hattrick goal was the last of the game and the visitors left with all the points.

The opening of the game couldn’t have gone worse for the Ambers as the Seasiders forced a corner in the second minute of the game. Nathan Thomas whipped the ball in and Walker rose above every amber shirt and put Whitby in the lead straight away in the 3rd minute.

Whitby continued to cause problems for Basford and looked the more dangerous team as the Ambers struggled to feel comfortable. Eventually after riding a wave of pressure from the visitors Basford were able to counter with threat, with Jordan Hallam whipping in a beautiful cross for Josh Barnes who found himself unmarked at the back stick, and only a brilliant close range save from Shane Bland stopped the equaliser.

Despite Basford beginning to show threat it was the Seasiders who found the net next to double their lead, this time in spectacular fashion as Walker ran onto a long ball with Saul Deeney in two minds whether to come off his line, and Walker responded by chipping the Basford keeper from 25 yards to put them up by two in the 25th minute.

The Ambers responded almost immediately through a long-range effort from Prince Mancinelli, but Bland was equal to it with another superb save. As the intensity of the game started to lower as the interval loomed, the Ambers saw the ball fly in and out of the box multiple times as they desperately tried to make a connection, before it eventually fell to Ash Chambers outside the area. He took a touch before curling the ball with force towards goal, and then watched as it bounced off the crossbar and in, giving the Ambers a marvellous goal back and lifeline in the 38th minute.

Suddenly the atmosphere in the game was electric as the Ambers believed they could get another before the whistle. Kane Richards tried to wriggle through blue shirts in the box and they could only bring him down, and the ref pointed to the spot in added time to give Basford the chance to level things. Hallam stepped up and calmly slotted the ball past bland, and the game was unbelievably level again.

As the second half began the Ambers experienced another early setback as the Seasiders came out strong again. Walker continued to cause problems and danced past several amber shirts in the box, allowing him to shoot straight at Deeney who could only parry the shot into the path of Nathan Thomas who tapped Whitby back in front in the 54th minute.

The drama in the game was far from over as both teams looked likely to score again. Eventually Basford were awarded a dangerous free kick just outside the box, which Hallam stepped up for. The attempt was dangerous indeed as the ball flew above the wall and into the top corner, giving the Ambers another spectacular goal and another equaliser in the 64th minute.

It seemed as if Basford would be given another spot kick as Hallam was pulled down to the ground inside the box shortly after, but to the confusion of almost everyone in the ground, nothing was given. In an incredible sequence not long after that, there was a scramble in the box that saw the ball smash the woodwork and cleared off the line, and as Whitby cleared it was clear that only a miracle had stopped Basford from getting their fourth.

Despite the Ambers looking the most likely to snatch a winner, it was Walker again who had been causing a nightmare for Basford for the whole game, who stepped up, bending a shot into the top corner from outside the box to give the Seasiders the lead for the third time in the 85th minute.

It went from bad to worse for the Ambers as miscommunication with Taylor Anderson saw Deeney handle the ball outside the box, which resulted in him seeing red. With no keeper on the bench, Josh Barnes had to put the gloves on. Despite having 10 men Basford continued to push for yet another leveller, but there wasn’t enough time, and the Ambers came out empty handed.

ATT: 346

STARTING XI: Saul Deeney, Harvey Ridgley, Louis Nicholson, Prince Mancinelli, Taylor Anderson, Henri Wilder © (Tyler Dacres, 46’), Josh Barnes, Kacy Milan Butterfield, Kane Richards (Dameer Rose, 89’), Jordan Hallam, Ash Chambers (McKeal Abdullah, 83’)

SUBS (not used): Kye Wade, Luca Burton