Match Report

Rousing second half performance puts Priorymen through in FA Trophy

Guisborough Town 3, Ossett United 2

(FA Trophy First Qualifying Round)

A pulsating late second half display gave Guisborough Town a dramatic morale-boosting 3-2 victory over Ossett United in the FA Trophy at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium on Saturday.

The Priorymen had trailed to a shock fourth minute Ossett goal right up until the 74th minute when Matty Willshaw finished off a brilliant three-man move, heading home a superb Soni Fergus cross following a great pass out to the right wing by Connor Simpson.

However two minutes later Ossett restored their lead from the penalty spot.

But what had become an exciting see-saw cup tie swung back towards Guisborough when the much-improved Connor Simpson saw his header strike the Ossett bar and bounce down over the line to make the game all-square again at 2-2.

JUBILANT SCENES!

With the game deep into time added on and looking set for a penalty shoot-out, another of Guisborough’s subs Toluwani Osiyemi dribbled along the Ossett goal-line and squared into the middle where it took a defender’s deflection into his pwn net – sparking jubilant scenes among the Guisborough fans.

After the game Guisborough Town’s Manager Nathan Haslam said: “Delighted with the win and the circumstances of a last-ditch goal to win it, but I think anything but a win for us today would have been unjust.

“We’ve dominated the game and from a footballing point of view we’ve created good chances and pulled Ossett all over the place.

“But in the first half we’ve followed on from the first half of the midweek match at Liversedge when it was all falling apart for us in the final third and once again today it just wasn’t working for us in the first 45.

“In the second half we changed it around a little bit and we created a lot more chances and showed more fluidity in the final third.

CATASTROPHIC MISTAKES

“Barring Ossett’s keeper having one of those brilliant days in goal it would have been a comfortable win for us. But we’ve been our own worst enemy in the sense that both their goals were the result of catastrophic mistakes at the back.

“I said I don’t want this to become a pattern but it has become a pattern. We know that we have to deal with some things better than we are. That said, what a delight to watch some unbelievable football from our team and a win at the end of the day is all that matters,” added Nathan.

Looking ahead to Monday’s quick turnaround with the home league game against Consett (KO 3pm), Nathan said: “I think we’ll be fine – we’ve given the whole squad a run out today.  I think Connor Simpson has come in and done well for us today after being patient on the bench.

“So it’s a Bank Holiday Monday and Consett is about as close as we can get to a derby in this league – so we’re looking forward to it and hoping we can continue where we’ve left off from today.”

Guisborough Town skipper James (“Fraze’) Frazer was also interviewed after the game and said the squad were delighted to get through to the next round of the Trophy.

“We shot ourselves in the foot a little bit to be honest with one or two individual mistakes.

“DOMINATED GAME OVERALL” – FRAZE

” But apart from that I thought we played quite well and dominated the game overall.

“Tolu coming on and then celebrating an own goal as if it was his own is something we’ll have to put down as a case of Batman saving the day,” quipped James.

He admitted the start of the new season had been tough after the glorious promotion campaign last season.

“But we’ve just got to keep trying to win games and playing in the right way.”

James said he was proud and delighted to have been named captain this season, especially following in the footsteps of the likes of Callum Martin.

“I’m coming up to four years here and I love playing for this Club. My priority for this season is for us to be competitive in every game we play.

“We have a lot of character in the squad and I think that shone through in the game today. It’s been a great day for us,” added James.

Report by Bill Perfitt.

You can download our Official Matchday Programme from the game here.