West Auckland Town 2-0 Guisborough Town

Match Report

“Rubbish!” was the cry from Guisborough Town Manager Steve Bell after he’d seen his side slip to a disappointing 2-0 defeat in their first league match at West Auckland on Saturday.

We lacked energy and desire. We played a kind of five-a-side football that will get you nowhere. I didn’t see this coming, to be fair. I didn’t go mad at full-time because to a man they all knew they hadn’t played well.

But I’ve seriously let the players know that they need to turn up next Tuesday night for the match at Birtley with fire in their bellies and some steel in their eyes. So, overall I’m very disappointed at today’s result but it’s only Game 1 so let’s see where we get to after 10 games.

The Priorymen actually started well against West and things could have been so different had former Guisborough goalkeeper Nick Liversedge not saved brilliantly from recent signing Kurt Howes in the very first minute of the match.

Apart from a great save by Guisborough goalkeeper Robert Dean in the 10th minute to keep West at Bay, overall the Priorymen just about had the best of the first half with two great efforts by Cole Kiernan going mightily close.

The first one was a terrific shot by Kiernan from outside the penalty area which whistled just wide of the post then virtually on the stroke of half-time the Guisborough striker got in a great position in the corner of the six yard box but once again Liversedge was equal to the shot with another outstanding save.

Although Guisborough had shaded the first half that was anything but the case after the interval as West got off to a flyer with a blistering opening goal in the 48th minute. West right back Lee Hume was the scorer with a scorching shot from out on the right which curled into the far left corner of the net.
The goal spurred West on and they proceeded to dominate the game with Guisborough lacking any sort of sharpness or cohesion.

No Surprise!

And it was no surprise when West doubled their lead on 69 minutes when Joshua Scott latched on to a high through ball and lobbed deftly over the head of the advancing Guisborough ‘keeper Dean and the ball nestled perfectly in the back of the net.

Despite the introduction of fresh legs from the substitutes bench Guisborough just couldn’t get to grips with the game and it petered out tamely from the Priorymen’s point of view to a hugely second-rate 2-0 defeat – to the delight of West supporters in a crowd of 233.

Guisborough’s next game is in the league next Tuesday, 1 August (KO 7.30pm) at newly promoted Birtley Town, surprise 4-1 victors at Guisborough’s Teesside neighbours Redcar Athletic on Saturday.

Report: Bill Perfitt