Guisborough Town 2-1 Whickham

Match Report

Guisborough Town made it three wins in a row for Assistant Manager Paul Crager and more than 300 fans when they beat Whickham 2-1 in a tight game at the KGV on Saturday.

Goals in either half from Ty O’Neill and Kurt Howes proved just enough to beat a spirited Whickam side as Guisborough leapfrogged the Tyneside team to go two places above them into ninth position.

After the game a delighted Paul Crager commented:  “We had to hold on a bit at the end but overall I thought we totally deserved the victory ultimately.

“I thought we dominated large parts of the game and had some really good chances in the first half to have been more comfortable going into the second period against tough opposition as always.

“To a man the lads were outstanding including our subs – returning from long-term injuries – who came on and had a good impact on the game.

“It was a really pleasing three points and hopefully we can kick on further from here,” said Paul.

He added:  “With our players returning from injury coming through the game well, we now have a really strong and competitive squad which will now keep all the lads on their toes.  But for now, let’s enjoy the win and move on to our next game at Carlisle City next Saturday, 7 October,” added Paul.

Guisborough opened the game brightly and positively and after a couple of early promising moves, with Ben Cummins prominent, it was Cummins who fashioned the first goal on 10 minutes when he slid the ball through to Ty O’Neill who poked it home past the advancing Whickam ‘keeper for 1-0 to the Priorymen.

The lead, however, lasted just three minutes as Whickham equalised through Sam Johnson after Guisborough failed to clear a cross.

Guisborough striker Mikey McGee twice went close on 18 and 23 minutes before Guisborough ‘keeper Robert Dean had to be alert on 29 minutes to tip a free kick round the post for a corner to Whickham.

On the half-hour mark Whickham’s Assistant Manager Paul Wardle was sent off for speaking out of turn.

OH SO CLOSE!

In the 33rd minute the Priorymen went oh so close to re-taking the lead when defender James Frazer smashed the ball against the Whickham bar.

Then, after winning four corners in a row. Frazer once again joined the attack but agonisingly saw his header strike the post.

After the interval Guisborough continued on the offensive with that man Cummins again slipping McGee through in the 48th minute but his low shot was saved.

But five minutes later Guisborough regained the lead when a ball over the top found McGee who squared it to Howes who rifled it past the Whickham ‘keeper for 2-1 to the Priorymen.

In the 62nd minute Guisborough were indebted to their ‘keeper Dean, who did brilliantly to get down low to cut out a cross with two Whickham players waiting to pounce.

A minute later O’Neill was substituted with new signing Sonny Coleman coming on to the field for his second Guisborough debut.

On 70 minutes Guisborough had a let-off when Whickham hit the post from only two yards out.

In the 72nd minute Guisborough thought they had scored their third goal after a somewhat bizarre incident when the Whickham ‘keeper went down with a hand injury following what looked like a fair 50-50 challenge.  Guisborough managed to scramble the loose ball into the net but the referee blew his whistle for a foul on the Whickham ‘keeper, who subsequently left the field with the injured hand.

In the last 13 minutes Guisborough made three substitutions which delighted the Guisborough fans in another excellent crowd of 314 as all three had been long term injury absentees – midfielders Joe Pickett and club captain Jordan Fielding and winger Jack Blackford.

The fact that all three came through unscathed from their albeit fairly brief comebacks should prove a massive boost for the Priorymen in the coming weeks.

All in all it was an excellent afternoon’s work by Guisborough which delighted a large crowd boosted by the game being designated another of the club’s highly popular ‘Junior’s Day.”

Report: Bill Perfitt
Photos: Dan Clark