Redcar Athletic 3-1 Guisborough Town

Match Report

Guisborough Town suffered a shock 3-1 defeat at Teesside derby rivals Redcar Athletic with winger Isaac Walker netting a hat-trick as the Priorymen failed to take advantage of being a goal and a man to the good at half-time.

Redcar played almost an hour of normal time with 10 men after former Guisborough defender Nathan Guru was sent off in the 31st minute after elbowing Guisborough substitute McKenzie Diciccio. Diciccio, who came on after only eight minutes when Guisborough skipper JJ Bartliff was injured, then gave his side a 1-0 lead just two minutes after the Guru red card incident.

The goal came when a Mohammed Shaaban free kick cannoned off the Redcar bar and fell kindly into the path of former Redcar Athletic winger Diciccio who rolled the ball into the corner of the net for 1-0 to the Priorymen. That’s how the score stayed until half-time but after the break, with Guisborough no doubt fancying their chances being a goal up and Redcar a man down, Athletic shocked the Priorymen rigid when striker Isaac Walker scored an 11-minute hat-trick with goals in the 55th, 60th and 66th minutes.

After the game Guisborough Manager Steve Bell, who had to name himself as the fifth sub due to a player shortage, commented.

It’s difficult to put into words really in terms of the manner of what was another disappointing defeat. We aren’t in a good place at the moment that’s for sure and we really need a few new bodies into the football club.

I’m really pleased that we have no midweek game next week. It will give us the opportunity and time to re-set and go again next Saturday when we’re at home to Crook Town.

This latest defeat means Guisborough have lost more ground in the table, slipping to tenth while Redcar leapfrogged them into ninth as a result of their derby victory.

Things had looked so positive following a first half which saw Redcar reduced to 10 men following that Guru red card and Guisborough take the lead through that Diciccio goal after 33 minutes.
Prior to the goal, Guisborough had pressed strongly but winger Ben Jackson had a shot deflected into the Redcar ‘keeper’s hands on 26 minutes and then Mohammed capped a spell of pressure by the Priorymen with a shot that went just wide of the Redcar post in the 30th minute.

After the half-time interval Redcar equalised in the 55th minute when Redcar winger Walker got the first of his three quick-fire goals as he fired home following a clever back-heel by Donny Holdsworth. Guisborough had a strong shout for a penalty on 56 minutes when Jackson appeared to be brought down in the box but nothing was given. Walker grabbed his second goal just five minutes later when he took advantage of a mis-placed pass to charge upfield on goal before chipping the ball over Guisborough ‘keeper Robert Dean and into the net to put Redcar 2-1 ahead.

Then in the 66th minute Walker completed his hat-trick with a fine individual goal, cutting inside past two Guisborough players before shooting home inside the bottom right-hand corner.
Guisborough striker Jason Blackburn tired his luck on 72 minutes, but his shot was saved, and the match fizzled out from the Priorymen’s point of view as 10-man Redcar hung on to their 3-1 lead.

Report: Bill Perfitt