Match Report

Impressive Priorymen climb up to fourth – with games in hand on most teams around them…

 Guisborough Town 3, Kendal Town 1

(Northern League – Division One)

Guisborough Town climbed up to fourth in the table – with plenty of games in hand on teams above and below them – following an impressive 3-1 victory over Kendal Town at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium on Saturday.

The really pleasing aspect of this win were the blanket minimum 8 out of 10 performances throughout the Guisborough team – with three or four players topping even that high standard.

And the best of the best was defender Mason McNeill who produced his best display of the season so far to win the Guisborough Brewery-sponsored Man of the Match Award.

Other Guisborough players who must have run Mason close for the top accolade were defenders James Frazer and Dylan McAvoy and striker Kurtis Howes.

But overall. it was an almost completely emphatic performance throughout the Guisborough team who at times played some delightful football.

Guisborough Manager Nathan Haslam commented:  “It was a good game and a good win for us against a strong team.  You could see it was two good teams playing against each other but we made it harder than what it should have been.

“We had the chances to kill the game off in the first half and it turned into a bit of a battle in the second half but we still created chances and I think we were well worthy of a 3-1 win on the back of another very strong performance overall,” said Nathan.

“PASSED WITH FLYING COLOURS”

He added:  “Listen, Kendal are a good team so it was a bit of a marker for us today to see where we’re at and our lads passed with flying colours today.”

The Priorymen attracted another really excellent crowd of 415 to the game and Nathan commented that this was so nice to see, adding:  “Credit is due to the boys for putting on performances that the fans enjoy coming to see their team produce.

“Long may that continue because this kind of superb support is so important to us.”

Nathan was particularly pleased that the goals were shared by three different players – defender James Frazer, midfielder Tom Birtles and forward Kurtis Howes and he singled out all three for special praise.

In particular he commented on the great job being done by Kurtis who is having to play in an unfamiliar central striker role and deserved his goal near the end after all the effort he put in.

Guisborough opened the scoring in the 13^th minute with a beautifully crafted goal down the right flank when Joe Ferguson and Josh MacDonald combined beautifully before ‘Fergie’ cross to the far post where Frazer came seemingly from nowhere to bundle the ball home from close in.

The Priorymen had ample opportunities to add to their first half tally but found Kendal ‘keeper Chris Cheetham in fine form and the first half ended with Guisborough just 1-0 up when it could and should have been two or three goals to the good.

After the interval Birtles capped an excellent display in the 58^th minute when Howes unselfishly set up the young midfielder to smash the ball home.

Kendal gave Guisborough a real jolt in the 76^th minute when Jason Walker headed home a Kendal cross brilliantly for 2-1.

But it was Howes who crowned his own impressive performance a minute from time when McNeill produced a great assist for Kurt to hammer home and put the game beyond any doubt whatsoever at 3-1.

Guisborough are back in action next midweek when they take on Teesside derby rivals Thornaby at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium on Wednesday, 10 September (KO 7.45).  Although Thornaby are languishing in 17^th place, Manager Nathan cautioned against any complacency when he commented:  “Look it’s a local derby and they’re always tough games so we need to be at our best again.”

Report by Bill Perfitt