Last time out, the Blues achieved an incredible cupset, againt Step 2 Scarborough Athletic who reside in the division above. The match was highly competitive over 90 minutes, however Leek seemed to have taken control of the game after the initial 20 minutes, which saw repeated high intensity attacks from the Seadogs.

In the 61st minute Leek were able to break through the Scarborough defence as Potts was set up in the box and finished his chance with a composed shot, beating goalkeeper Ryan Whitley giving Leek in the lead.

Following the goal, Boro looked out of ideas in attack and were unable to fashion any chances of value leading the game to a comfortable 1-0 finish for the underdogs.

This makes it two wins in a row for Leek in all competitions hopefully turning over a new leaf for the Blues, which we can take into this upcoming fixture.

Whitby are also coming in from the back of a 1-0 win away against league leaders Warrington Rylands placing them 5thon 26 points, 12 places and 9 points clear of The Blues.

The True-Blue Army Will Assemble At?
Any Blues Fans travelling from Leek up to Whitby Town FC’s Turnbull Ground is a straightforward three-hour run: you head out of Leek on the A523, link up with the A53, then work your way north-east into Yorkshire before taking roads like the A169 or A171 toward Whitby. Once you hit town, you follow local roads to Upgang Lane and roll straight into the ground.

How much to get in?

Adults: £13
Concessions (65+ & students): £9
Under-18s: £5

The Opposition?

Whitby Town– The Seasiders
Formed – 1880 (originally as Streaneshalch F.C.)
Ground – Turnbull Ground (capacity ~ 3,500)
Gaffer – Gary Liddle

Their website?
Whitby Town

How are they doing?
So far, the Seasiders have made their way to 5th in the league this season and have only lost 1 of their previous 5 matches while winning two and drawing two. Their most recent result had them see of league leaders Warrington Rylands away from home as summer signing Harley Dawson grabbed his first goal of the season with a 25-yard lob over the Warrington goalkeeper.

Overall this season, they have earned 26 points from 18 games, winning 7, drawing 5, and losing 6, however their home form is significantly worse than their away as they sit 10th in the league based on results at the Turnbull Ground compared to 4th in the away table.

Despite the poor results at home, Whitby Town are performing to a much higher standard compared to last season where they finished 16th, one place behind Leek Town. Signs of that poorer form have still reappeared this campaign as the Seasiders have already crashed out of both the FA Cup and Trophy and have suffered some heavy defeats already including a 4-1 loss to 20th placed Stocksbridge.

Their Main Man?
Matthew Tymon is a leading goal scorer for the Seasiders and is certainly a threat for the Leek defence to watch out for.He’s a player with an extensive experience across non league football. Beginning his career with Hartlepool United and has played for several clubs since including Redcar Athletic, Stockton Town, Marske United, Workington, and West Auckland Town before joining Whitby.

Tymon initially signed for Whitby in an earlier stint back in 2011 and then he later rejoined the club in December 2024 from Bishop Auckland. Since then, he has quickly established himself as a crucial player, signing a new deal to remain with the club for the 2025/26 season where he has reached 4 goals so far.

His impact on the pitch has been especially noticeable this season against Warrington Town; he scored a brace in a 4–0 win earlier in the season. He has also shown great ability in multiple losses for Whitby, where despite the inferior performance of the squad, he has been on the scoresheet multiple times. His incredible experience means that he’s learnt to never drop his head even when the side is struggling.

Their Gaffer?
Gary Liddle is the current manager of Whitby Town FC and a highly experienced former professional footballer. Coming through the youth system at Middlesbrough FC and went on to have a long playing career, making over 800 appearancesin total. He is best known for his time at Hartlepool United, where he had three spells and made 364 appearances making him the club’s 10th highest appearance maker, however he also played for Notts County, Bradford City, Chesterfield, Carlisle United, and Walsall.

Liddle joined the Seasiders in May 2024 initially as a player and assistant manager. However, in October 2024, he was promoted to first-team manager and has since signed a contract to remain in charge through the 2025/26 season. Then, in February 2025, he announced his retirement from playing to focus entirely on his managerial duties at Whitby.

Liddle also holds a coaching role at his former club Hartlepool United, where he works as the Lead Professional Development Phase Coach for their academy. His extensive playing experience in the English Football League has brought credibility and professionalism to Whitby Town, and under his guidance, the club avoided relegation in his first partial season in charge, and now currently sit in the playoffs, 18 games into the 25/26 season.

Liddle is regarded as a steady and capable leader, combining tactical knowledge with the experience of a lengthy career in competitive football. His leadership has been a key factor in stabilising Whitby Town and developing both experienced and younger players within the squad.

Whitby Town – have we met before?
The blues and The Seasiders have met 14 times in total. Out of these Leek have won and drawn 4 but lost 6. Despite losing more games, Leek have managed to score one more goal (21) than Whitby (20). In total 41 goals have been scoredin 14 games, meaning that just over 2.9 goals are scored per game. The first meeting recorded between these two sides occurred in 1999, where Paul Killy and Aidan Callan both scored in a 2-1 victory for Leek Town. Most recently this result was reversed as we conceded a goal in the 83rd minute to lose 2-1 Whitby.