The first game in four months ended with an unlucky defeat at Bedford Terrace.

Billingham Town 2-1 Marske United

Carl Jarrett opted with a familiar line-up to that which played many games over the course of the curtailed 20/21 season, with the exception of a trialist. Marske started the game brightly, regularly looking to get Round and Smith on the ball to use their pace to get at the Billingham full backs. The game started scrappily with both sides trying to garner possession to create something. Marske had the first real chance of the half after a Billingham foul. Craig Gott stepped up, looking for the head of club captain Adam Wheatley, the cross was a little high and the resulting shot bounced out for a goal kick. After this, Marske turned on some style, trying to force the Billingham back line into mistakes with a high press. A succession of throw ins ended when Adam Boyes managed to find some space in the area and shoot, unfortunately the shot was straight at Huddersfield Town loanee Michael Roxburgh who caught it with ease. The Marske pressure carried on when right back Connor Smith played a lovely one-two with a trialist on the wing to find himself in a dangerous crossing position. However, the ball sliced off Smith’s boot and sailed out for a goal kick. Billingham’s first foray into the Marske half ended with a wayward long ball over the top, looking for the dangerous Harry Close in attack. Catterick gratefully collected. A huge chance to break the deadlock was squandered minutes later, as O’Sullivan played Round through on goal, Boyes was square for a tap in, but Round couldn’t sort his feet in time and scuffed the pass to the Billingham defender who cleared for a corner. The corner resulted in another tame Marske shot, Roxburgh collected Butterworth’s effort. Five minutes later, the deadlock was finally broken after 15 minutes, the attack coming via a classic O’Sullivan long throw. The throw somehow found it’s way through the masses of bodies in the box and fell to Round. Round played the ball back to Butterworth who slotted home for 1-0. Marske’s dominance had paid off. The Seasiders showed no intention of slowing down, with A Trialist immediately finding the pockets of space between the Billingham back line and midfield. He played a great ball through to Round who forced an excellent save from Roxburgh. Round took the corner short to Smith and a flurry of balls into the box followed. The Billingham defence held firm with the aerial bombardment and managed to scamper the ball clear. From this, Marske were left short at the back, and Billingham tried to counter, the subsequent cross was gathered with ease by Catterick in the Marske goal. Roxburgh had the woodwork to thank on 20 minutes when Smith played a throw short to A Trialist who whipped an inviting ball into the unmarked Butterworth. The Marske midfielder hit the ball on the volley, beating Roxburgh but cannoning off the post. The rebound fell to Boyes who had the ball in the back of the net, only for the linesman’s flag to be held aloft for offside. Billingham continued to look for the long ball down the wing and in behind and nearly got rewarded for their efforts when a cross found Close in the middle, whose shot was blocked by Wheatley. The referee decided that the ball cannoned ball off Close and signaled for a goal kick. Moments later, Boyes chased down a loose ball at the other end of the pitch, doing brilliantly to keep it in. The Billingham defenders cleared for a corner. A dangerous corner from Round was floated in, and the ball fell nicely for Boyes who could only direct his shot into the back of Butterworth, his own player. The game showed no signs of slowing down when, on 28 minutes, Close brought a fantastic block from Wheatley. A period of scrappiness followed and was broken with a fantastic ball over the top from A Trialist, looking for the overlapping Smith. The Marske full back couldn’t quite set himself for the volley in time and the chance went missing with a Billingham goal kick. Relentless pressing from the whole Marske XI created a huge chance from the goal kick, with Round’s shot eventually blocked for a corner. A halfhearted penalty appeal was waved away after O’Sullivan went down during the scramble from the corner. The referee had none of it though and waved play on. Close again looked dangerous, as he skipped past the challenges of May and Wheatley before striking from the edge of the area. Catterick caught the shot but was furious with his defenders for letting Close advance so easily. He rolled the ball short, leading to Maloney finding Boyes over the top and behind the Billingham defence. Boyes spotted Roxburgh off his line and cheekily went for the chip, narrowly looping the ball wide. Billingham’s Close was a menace to the Marske defence yet again when he found himself unmarked in the area. His shot was parried into the path of Billingham’s number 7 who forced Catterick into a stunning reaction save. They should’ve really pulled level if not for Catterick’s intervention. The rest of the half was played out in the middle of the park, with neither side really managing to challenge the others’ defenders, and so the teams went in at the interval with the score poised at Billingham Town 0-1 Marske United.

Half time brought changes from both sides, with both managers clearly wanting to experiment and use the depth of their squads. 2 minutes into the second half, Marske were made to rue not capitalising on their sustained dominance in the first half as the ever-dangerous Close found himself in space 25 yards out and managed to rifle the ball past Catterick into the top corner. 1-1. The next following minutes carried on in largely the same fashion. Billingham again threated through Close after a stray Wheatley pass was intercepted. Craig Gott chased back and recovered in time to force the Billingham attacker into shooting straight at Catterick. Half time substitute Jack Blackford and A Trialist combined early into the second half to force a corner. The resulting inswinger found A Trialist unmarked. His shot was blocked and a scramble ensued. The ball somehow found itself in the back of the net, but the linesman had adjudged someone to be offside. The second of two goals chalked off for The Seasiders. Roxburgh was forced into action again shortly after, when Smith delivered an inviting ball onto the head of Tymon in the box, but he could only direct his header into the Billingham ‘keepers arms. Smith and Tymon again combined minutes later when a ball was played over the top of the Billingham defence. Unfortunately, Roxburgh got out well to close the angle and Tymon’s effort was well saved by the Huddersfield loanee. Marske’s forward Tymon again found himself with two golden opportunities soon afterward. The first came after Louie Johnson played him through on goal, only for him to scuff his shot into Roxburgh’s arms. The next came after O’Sullivan and Blackford played a lovely one-two on the left-hand side, with Blackford’s cross finding Tymon who could only direct his shot at a Billingham defender. A period of both sides losing possession followed which was ended when Blackford tried his luck from range, forcing Roxburgh to tip the effort round the post. Round delivered the corner, which fell to the feet of Maloney lurking on the edge. Maloney’s volley flew miles wide of the mark, but Marske looked most likely to steal a late winner. Blackford was The Seasiders’ main threat during the second half, and he again showed some exceptional dribbling to draw a foul in a dangerous position. Maloney and Round stood over the ball. It was to be Maloney to take but his effort was easily gathered by Roxburgh who immediately launched a counter. The Billingham attack played a fantastic one-two, which resulted in their winger before one-on-one with Catterick. A deft dummy left Catterick flailing and led to him bringing down the attacker. Billingham substitute Alex Brunton dispatched the penalty emphatically to give the home team a somewhat undeserving lead. Town threatened again as Marske went in search of an equaliser. A cross-cum-shot was inches away from Close in the middle, leaving him still hunting for his second of the game. Marske’s final opportunity of the half came as Blackford was brought down by a vicious foul from Billingham’s full back, but the free kick came to nothing. The match ended with a cynical foul from Adam Wheatley to prevent Billingham getting through on goal. He was consequently booked, and the referee blew the whistle for full time.
Marske:
Catterick, Smith, May, Wheatley, O’Sullivan, Butterworth (McTiernan), Gott, Maloney (Johnson), A Trialist (Clarke), Round (Blackford), Boyes (Tymon)