This vital relegation battle started with both sides needing three points but with Whitby looking like they wanted to win more and Witton content to simply play for a draw.
With under a minute gone, Whitby could have scored when Sean Ross was unmarked in the six-yard box and his free header at goal resembled more of a back pass than a scoring opportunity.
But Whitby certainly had the bit between their teeth as the first 20 minutes saw the ball almost constantly in the visitors' half.
However, the Blues were unable to create any clear-cut chances against a solid Witton defence.
Neither keeper had much to do and it was in the 35th minute that the next opportunity arose, again for Ross, who struck a powerful shot from 25 yards out into the keeper, Greg Smith's, midriff.
Five minutes later, Whitby came close when from a corner, a low cross into the visitors' box was met by Whitby captain, Richard Forster, whose effort went narrowly wide.
After a fairly stagnant first half, the game needed something in the way of scoring efforts to lift it and again, it was Ross who came close early on with a half volley just past the left hand post.
But within minutes, Witton pushed forward and Dunn took a shot which was saved by Nick Liversedge in the Whitby goal. He threw the ball out to Ross, but Kieran Lugsden stole it and luckily for Whitby, failed to steer his side-footed shot into the empty net from a tight angle.
Whitby then introduced Steve Huggins, returning from injury, for Ross in the midfield and Huggins was needed as Witton drove forward in search of a goal.
At times, the visitors looked quite dangerous on the break and midway through the half, realised the game was there for the taking.
But Whitby had other ideas and Karl Charlton – who replaced Tom Raw – created chances for Tony Hackworth, with the best falling to Steve Huggins whose header glanced off the Witton crossbar, raising the expectations of the home supporters.
With 74 minutes on the clock, a neat move by Whitby saw a lovely cross from Huggins again narrowly headed over by Michael Rae.
But Witton responded with a long, ball over the top ball, which saw Neil Black put through one-on-one with Liversedge. Instead of rounding the keeper, Black shot early and Liversedge made a crucial save with his legs, much to the relief of the Whitby defence and home fans.
With nine minutes to go, Whitby's much-needed lifeline emerged as defender Bishop scored his first goal for the club when, after a number of blocked efforts from Rae and Hackworth, he struck a 20-yard shot past Witton keeper Greg Smith into the corner of the net.
Having kept up the pressure and another chance coming from Karl Charlton, being deflected wide, referee Richard Hewitt signalled the end of the game.
Whitby were applauded off the pitch and on balance, justified their win against a Witton side who looked for a great deal of this game as an already relegated team.
Whitby Town: Liversedge, Burgess, Bishop, Lyth, Forster, Beadle, Ross (Huggins 57), Hackworth, Rae, Raw (Charlton 67), Scott. Subs not used: Thompson, Brunskill, Campbell.
Attendance: 333. Man of the match: Leon Scott.

Whitby Town 1 Witton Albion 0