Match Report

Priorymen hold their own against higher league Whitby Town team

Whitby Town 0, Guisborough Town 0

Mickey Skinner Memorial Trophy

(Whitby win 5-4 on penalties)

Guisborough Town completed their final pre-season match of the season on Saturday when they held Whitby Town to a hard-fought 0-0 draw at the Seasider’s ground.

The outcome of the match was decided on penalties with Whitby narrowly winning 5-4 to regain the Mickey Skinner Memorial Trophy back from the Priorymen who won it last season at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium.

A very competitive game which finished goalless on 90 minutes was essentially a game of two halves with Whitby marginally the better side in the first 45 but Guisborough the more impressive team in the second half.

But real goalscoring chances were few and far between and whenever either side broke through the two ‘keepers were equal to anything that was thrown at them.

Guisborough came closest in a first 45 of few real chances when Matty Willshaw was played in by Soni Fergus in the 6th minute but Willshaw’s shot was comfortably saved by Jack Norton in the Whitby goal.

As Whitby came more into the game Guisborough ‘keeper Ryan Catterick was equal to several Whitby attempts as the matched finished 0-0 at half-time.

In the second half, Guisborough brought on Jack Bailey and Leo Robinson and the changes proved positive, with Bailey adding his usual calm authority and Robinson linking up really well with Alfie Doherty in midfield.

Again, though, real chances were few and far between for both sides although when Toluwani Osiyemi came off the bench on the hour mark he made an almost immediate impact when he let fly from 20 yards but the ball curled just a foot wide of the far post.

That was the closest either side came in the second half and it finished 0-0.at the final whistle to set up a penalty shoot-out which at last provided some real goalmouth drama.

Whitby dispatched all their five spot kicks while Norton in the Whitby goal saved well from one of Guisborough’s efforts from Jack Bailey to seal the narrowest of spot kick victories by 5-4.

For Guisborough, James Frazer was immaculate in defence and Harvey Coates at left back caught the eye. Joe Ferguson was his usual industrious self in both midfield and defence and Matty Willshaw was lively in attack.

After the game Guisborough Town Coach Gary Forster expressed some satisfaction at the performance of his side.

He commented: “It was a really good work-out for us. We tried out a few different things some of which worked out while others didn’t so we’ll park them for now.

‘Second half I thought we played better, everybody getting a run-out so overall a reasonably good way to finish a pre-season.”

Looking ahead to next Saturday, 8 August when the season ‘proper’ opens for the Priorymen with an FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie against local rivals Thornaby at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium (KO 3pm), Gary added: “We’re really looking forward to this one.

“It’s a local derby and Thornaby have made a good start to their season so no doubt it’ll be a typically tight game.

“Last season everyone commented about the great atmosphere inside the KGV Stadium and the excellent match day experience – including the warm welcome inside the Clubhouse, so we’re hoping to recreate that again in the new season, starting with the Thornaby game next Saturday,” added Gary.

Report by Bill Perfitt.