Carlisle City 2-1 Guisborough Town

Match Report

Guisborough Town’s crunch Easter fixture programme got off to the worst possible start on Good Friday as they were narrowly beaten 2-1 by fellow play-off hopefuls Carlisle City.

Carlisle took all three points with a late 82nd minute goal from Keighran Kerr to haul themselves level on 57 points with the Priorymen, who at have the advantage of a game in hand on the Cumbrians.

But both sides are now a sizeable five points adrift of West Auckland, who currently occupy fifth position – the final end of season play-off place, but at least they have played the same number of games as Guisborough – 33.

Meanwhile, dark horses Heaton Stannington have leapt up to third place following their 4-2 win at Sunderland RCA in their Good Friday evening clashlast night.

Guisborough Manager Steve Bell was able to field a near full-strength side for the first time in several weeks with various injured and unavailable players returning.

After the game he commented ruefully:

We controlled most of the game but they hurt us twice on the break.

We are still in with a slim chance of reaching the play-offs but in truth we’ll need to win all of our last five games though and also get lucky with a few teams above and just below us slipping up.

This defeat, though, was a real tough one to take I have to admit.

Overall, the first 45 minutes was fairly even with Guisborough shading it on chances created but neither the Priorymen nor Carlisle could find any really decisive touches.

However, just six minutes into the second half, Carlisle took the lead when a cross by Jordan Irving fell kindly to the feet of Jordan Palmer who tapped home from close range.

But the plucky Priorymen prised their way back into the game on 67 minutes when, not for the first time this season, defender James Frazer scored an equaliser.

Town won a corner from which Callum Martin crossed to Jason Blackburn who in turn found the head of Frazer who nodded home for 1-1.

BRAVE EFFORTS

For the next 15 minutes Guisborough turned the pressure on Carlisle with Blackburn, Matty Tymon and Mason McNeill all featuring prominently in attack but alas once again that killer finishing touch just eluded the Priorymen.

And then as so often happens, Town were punished for their lack of incisive finishing as Carlisle grabbed a winner in the 82nd minute when Kerr – who had only come on as a sub a mere minute earlier – hit the back of the Guisborough net following a clever switch of play by Carlisle’s Atkinson.

In the last few minutes the Priorymen pressed hard in search of the equaliser and although they came close on more than one occasion the match ended in another disappointing defeat despite all their brave efforts.

The crowd was a sparse 165 with a sizeable contingent of loyal Guisborough fans once again swelling the ranks.

Guisborough’s next game is only two days away on Easter Monday, 1 April  at North Yorkshire rivals Northallerton Town (please note early kick-off at 1pm).

Then next weekend on Saturday, 6 April (KO 3pm) a corker of a match is in prospect when Guisborough entertain high-flying second-placed Shildon at the KGV which will be a special day to say a big ‘Thank You’ to our club sponsors for their tremendous support throughout the season.

Report: Bill Perfitt
Photos: Dan Clark