Match Report

When the going got tough…gritty Guisborough got going to grind out vital victory over Blue Star

GUISBOROUGH TOWN 2, NEWCASTLE BLUE STAR 1

“Good teams win games even when the going gets tough – and that’s exactly what we’ve done today.”

These were the words of Guisborough Town Manager Nathan Haslam after seeing his side pull of a narrow but vital victory over Newcastle Blue Star at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium on Saturday to keep the pressure on current league leaders Shildon.

Nathan was the first to admit that too many of his players “weren’t at the races” against Blue Star – but he praised them for doing what they had to do to grind out the 2-1 crucial win.

In the end, it was a disputed 80th minute penalty – Guisborough’s second of the match – which substitute and Man of the Match Matty Willshaw smashed home gleefully to clinch their 17th home win out of 18 league games at the fortress KGV so far this season.

TOLU AND ELLIOTT COMBINED SUPERBLY

Earlier in the first half against Blue Star, the Priorymen edged ahead 1-0 in the 39th minute when winger Toluwani Osiyemi and Elliott Beddow combined superbly before the latter rifled home a pinpoint shot into the far-left corner of the Blue Star goal for Guisborough to go in 1-0 ahead at half-time.

In the second half, the Priorymen missed a golden opportunity to double their lead when they were awarded the first of their penalties on the hour mark when Tolu went down under a risky Blue Star challenge.

Up stepped Guisborough skipper Callum Martin, normally an extremely reliable penalty-taker, but he dragged his spot kick just wide of the left hand post. Big-hearted Callum’s annoyance with himself was plain for everyone to see as he held his head in his hands in sheer frustration.

Worse was to follow for Guisborough in the 64th minute when Blue Star equalised with a move which looked suspiciously offside – but the unmarked substitute Collins Unuareokpa swept the ball home at the far right hand post for 1-1.

The game then ebbed and flowed from end to end and the pendulum finally swung back in Guisborough’s favour 10 minutes from time. Tolu was again upended in the box and although it looked a little harsh on Blue Star, the referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot again.

BRILLIANT INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE

Matty Willshaw, who had run his socks off since coming on as a first half substitute for the unlucky Kurtis Howes, made no mistake from the spot to cap off a brilliant individual performance.  He must have just pipped Elliott Beddow for Man of the Match because Elliott had a superb game too and like Matty also never stopped running.

Manager Nathan continued: “Overall, we did what we had to do and got the win. Were we at our best? No, we were no-where near what we are capable of and we knew we just had to grind it out.

“We knew by half-time that it was one of those days when too many of our lads just weren’t at the races. There’s no better way of putting it but we wanted a reaction after half-time and to a point we got it.

“We had the perfect opportunity to kill the game off and make it 2-0 when we were awarded a penalty on 60 minutes, but we missed it and the match then turned into a game of basketball.

“Then just four minutes after the missed penalty, Blue Star have equalised against the run of play with a questionably offside goal, but the referee has given it.

‘THE CHALLENGE TO.OUR LADS!’

“The challenge then to our lads is ‘can you go and win the game’ because at this stage of the season we just don’t want to be drawing games – especially at home.

“So we’ve switched our formation to three at the back to give us a bit more width and the longer the game went on we looked a bit fitter than Blue Star and luckily we got another penalty which was put away.

“Credit to Blue Star – they’ve put in a good performance and tested us all the way. They have a decent football IQ and I’ve got to be honest it was better than ours on the day today, said Nathan.

Reflecting on the reverse fixture at Blue Star last October which ended in a 3-3 draw with a highly controversial 90th minute penalty equaliser by the home side, Nathan commented: “That’s football for you, it’s swings and roundabouts all the time.

“You could argue that both penalty decisions today were 50-50 which fortunately went in our favour. We’ve missed one and we’ve  scored one. I know Blue Star will feel hard done by. But things like this have a habit of coming round again and we’ve won the game and we now move on looking forward to the next game as we always do,” added Nathan.

ELLIOT’S ENERGY LEVELS ‘PHENOMENAL’

He praised the form of Elliott Beddow, who scored Guisborough’s first goal. “It’s what Elliott does – his energy levels over the last few weeks have been phenomenal, just brilliant. He was outstanding today and took his goal clinically well. His work rate was exceptional today – he’s one of those players that you often just have to have out on the pitch.”

Nathan said his philosophy of the importance of having a squad of around 18 or 19 players – including several very young players – was incredibly important and was paying dividends as his side approaches the title-chasing run-in with just seven games to go.

“This just emphasises the importance of having a decent squad to play with and rotate and they’re all fit and raring to go and do their best in the final run-in to the end of the season.

“This continues starting with the short trip to our neighbours Thornaby this coming Tuesday, 17 March which is always a tough place to go to regardless of their position in the league.”

HEART-WARMING COMMUNITY EXAMPLES

Leaving football to one side for a moment, Nathan was questioned by Guisborough Town Director and our post-match video presenter. Chris Wood about the fantastic community spirit of the Club, and Nathan said this aspect was a source of great personal pride to him as the Manager of Guisborough

His comments were against a background of three really heart-warming examples of Guisborough’s community commitment which were evident in just one game yesterday (and there have been many throughout the season).

Firstly, the Club made a special effort to mark the passing earlier in the week of a true giant from Guisborough Town’s glorious past – former team captain Jimmy Dilworth, who skippered the Priorymen during their glorious 1979/80 FA Vase run, culminating in their appearance in the final at Wembley in 1980.

The Club invited Jimmy’s close family to the game against Blue Star yesterday and they turned up in numbers – three generations of them including a recently born baby!

JIMMY DILWORTH TRIBUTES

Jimmy’s wife Ellen commented: “Guisborough Town have been marvellous the way they have rallied around us so wonderfully, including inviting us to the game today. On behalf of Jimmy’s family, we can’t thank the Club enough and it has been a great comfort during what has been a difficult time for us all.”

(NB: See separate article here on Jimmy’s historic time with Guisborough Town, in which the Club’s Assistant Manager during that FA Vase run, Dennis Wheeler remembers what a terrific person and footballer Jimmy was).

Guisborough Town were also delighted that yesterday’s Man of the Match award was sponsored by one of the club’s amazing team of kitchen volunteers Julie Bennett.

Her husband Ged, who was also a valued club volunteer, passed away several years ago and Julie wanted to honour his memory by sponsoring one of the match awards and chose the Blue Star game because it was close to the anniversary of his passing.

This clearly was a delightful touch by Julie, who has become the toast of the Priory Suite regulars at half-time because of her incredible baking skills and the delicious cakes she provides. A huge thank-you to Julie 🙏 and also to so many others who give their time and hard work in support of the Club.

Prior to the kick-off players, match officials and fans gave a touching minute of applause to the memory of Jimmy and Ged.

Meanwhile, before kick-off supporters in the ground cheered on an amazing young eight-year-old boy called Bohdi, who was running laps around the perimeter of the KGV pitch.

This was part of a very tough challenge local boy Bohdi has set himself – running a mile around each of 100 football grounds. His aim is to raise money for the families of children with a debilitating condition called ‘Cockayne Syndrome’ which sadly both his brothers Cohen and Indie suffer from.

AMAZING THINGS LIKE THIS ‘FILL ME WITH PRIDE’ – NATHAN HASLAM

His terrific efforts have so far raised over £3,000 and anyone can still donate via the following website, which has more background to Bohdi’s highly praiseworthy initiative: https://givewheel.com/fundraising/12236/100-miles-100-clubs/

Chris Wood asked Nathan how important it is that as much as we look forward as a Club to what we hope to achieve in the future as far as football is concerned, that we remember those who have been involved with the club both in the past and the present day.

Guisborough team boss Nathan responded: “It’s gestures and initiatives like we’ve seen in just one day today which make our amazing Club what it is – and that makes me so proud to be the Manager of Guisborough Town.

“It just fills me with pride that we do these kinds of things. They are fitting tributes to the ones we have remembered today and many others too and it fills me with pride that we help make our community come together like this and I’m sure it will continue well into the future,” Nathan added.

Report by Bill Perfitt.