Match Report

Guisborough gaffer Nathan Haslam praises ‘best first half performance’

GUISBOROUGH TOWN 1, MORPETH 2

(Northern Premier League East Division)

Guisborough Town Manager Nathan Haslam was “very disappointed” that his side lost at home to Morpeth on Wednesday – but he drew strong positives from the game despite the 2-1 defeat.

He thought the first half was one of the best performances of the season so far in which the Priorymen “knitted” their play together superbly from the back, through midfield and right up front into attack.

He praised new signing Finlay Rose for a fine debut in which he displayed some excellent link up play from midfield through to attack.

“This was the first time this season that we’ve knitted everything together particularly in the first half from the back, through midfield and into the forward line. We created chances and played very. very well.

“I thought only one goal would win it as it was that kind of tight game but ultimately we have shot ourselves in the foot with a sending off that could have been avoided and two uncharacteristic errors which gifted Morpeth their goals.

“But sometimes you’ve just got to accept it, take your medicine and move on.

“It probably seems strange for me to say that after a 2-1 home loss that as far as performance was concerned I was very, very happy until the sending off,” added Nathan.

The dismissal came in the 77th minute when Guisborough forward Matty Willshaw misjudged a tackle and he was shown the red card.

Nathan added: “I think the sending off was definitely a turning point of the game because up to that time the scores were level at 1-1 and we were looking to go on and win the game.

“But we’ve given the referee a decision to make and once Morpeth scored their second goal they started to pull us around and use the width of the pitch well. It was always going to be tough to get back into the game from then onwards.”

PRAISE FROM BOSS FOR ‘TOLU’

Nathan praised second half Guisborough substitute Toluwani Osiyemi for scoring a spectacular equaliser and said he had been carrying an ankle injury but always gave full commitment to Guisborough whenever he came off the bench.

But Nathan’s main words of praise were rightly focussed on new signing Finlay Rose.

Nathan added: “Fin started the game and almost immediately he began picking the pockets of the Morpeth players. He’s a true Number 10 and his link-up play was fantastic, his final balls were brilliant and he certainly opened some doors for us. So it was a great start for us by Fin – and he’s not even fully fit yet,” added Nathan.

The Guisborough boss also praised his other debutant on the night, Benji Shodeinde. “Benji acquitted himself well under difficult circumstances having to play in midfield when he’s not really a midfielder.

As far as the match action itself was concerned, Morpeth took the lead on 58 minutes when Guisborough keeper Ryan Catterick failed to hold on to the ball and it fell kindly to Jeff Henderson who hit home the rebound.

Guisborough hit back in scintillating style 10 minutes later as the Priorymen surged forward and the ball fell to Tolu who hooked the ball upwards and it arced perfectly from Guisborough’s point of view and over the Morpeth keeper.

But then followed Willshaw’s dismissal and after that Morpeth exploited Guisborough’s numerical disadvantage and Morpeth’s Mitch Hancox despatched a loose ball home from an extremely oblique angle to clinch victory.  The attendance was 337.

Guisborough have no game this weekend but their rearranged game against Ashington (which was abandoned after a floodlight failure) will be held at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium on Wednesday, 24 September (KO 7.45pm). Entry will be on a ‘Pay what you Want’ basis.

Report by Bill Perfitt.