Guisborough Town 1-1 Seaham Red Star

Match Report

A below-par performance from Guisborough Town – no doubt still recovering from their heroic energy-sapping midweek efforts against Whitby – saw them have to settle for a point after a 1-1 draw against Seaham Red Star at the KGV on Saturday.

The Priorymen were indebted to a dramatic 96th minute equaliser from their versatile defender James Fraser which earned Guisborough a priceless point in their quest for an end of season play-off place.

After the game Guisborough Manager Steve Bell summed up the situation when he said:

It was very clear to me that the Whitby game on Tuesday took a hell of a lot out of us today. This was a really tired display from the lads today and right from the very first minute we were at half our normal pace.

So overall, it’s a valuable point earned today and on a positive note it means we’ve only lost only one league game in the last 17 league matches – so there’s clearly not too much wrong with our form at the moment.

Despite dropping the point Guisborough stay fourth in the table and therefore in the thick of a top five position to clinch a play-off place at the end of the season.

In the match itself, Guisborough started well enough with efforts from striker Matty Tymon and winger Joe Pickett going close but after that promising start the Priorymen allowed Red Star to get back into the game and pose a real threat.

In the 39th minute Guisborough had to thank goalkeeper Robert Dean had to be alert to get down to push a Seaham effort round the post. Then in the 39th minute Seaham had the ball in the Guisborough net but the Priorymen were saved by a linesman’s flag for offside to ensure the score remained goalless at half-time.

After the interval, Guisborough had a great chance to take the lead on the hour mark when substitute Jason Blackburn was tripped in the penalty area and the referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot.

DIVED BRILLIANTLY

However, Blackburn himself took the penalty and although he struck it fairly well and towards the right corner of the net the shot lacked real pace and the Seaham ‘keeper dived brilliantly to push the ball round the post.

It was a surprise when Blackburn stepped up to take the penalty having only been on the pitch for 15 minutes following a recent injury lay-off. Many in the crowd thought a better option would have been to let someone like Matty Tymon, who scored the best penalty against Whitby four days earlier, take the kick. But Guisborough were left to rue a great chance to take the lead.

Despite that penalty miss disappointment, Guisborough started to assert themselves as the second half wore on and in the 69th minute the Priorymen went so close to taking the lead when they won a corner but Jack Bailey’s goal-bound effort was brilliantly saved by the Seaham ‘keeper.

But against the run of play Seaham took a shock lead in the 76th minute when a breakaway though the middle of the field ended in Mark Robinson outpacing and outsmarting the Guisborough defence and scoring into the bottom right hand corner.

After that unexpected setback, Guisborough looked like they were staring defeat in the face but thankfully with 96 minutes gone the Priorymen launched a last-ditch attack and defender James Fraser hit a shot which seemed to take a slight deflection and looped into the Seaham net for 1-1.

Guisborough’s next match is a tough league encounter at rival play-off contenders Heaton Stannington on Wednesday, 20 March (KO 7.30).

Report: Bill Perfitt
Photos: Dan Clark