Guisborough Town 1-1 Redcar Athletic

Match Report

Guisborough Town ended neighbours Redcar Athletic’s 100% winning start to the new season by holding them to a 1-1 draw in an evenly fought match at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium on Saturday.

The Priorymen actually looked like inflicting a first defeat of the season on Redcar when defender James Frazer headed Guisborough in front on 64 minutes – but Redcar equalised 10 minutes from time through Oscar Fletcher.

So the first Teesside derby of the new Division One season ended all square at 1-1. After the game Guisborough Manager Steve Bell commented:

I thought a draw was a fair result overall but I still felt a twinge of regret that we did not press on and win the game outright. At 1-0 up midway through the second half, I thought we lacked any real sustained energy and sat back too much just waiting for something else to happen and in the end it did – Redcar equalised!

I thought the game generally lacked real quality with few decent chances for either side. In the end I think a draw was a fair result but I couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed at the final whistle.

After a deadlocked first half in which neither side got into sort of consistent rhythm, the second half started off much more promisingly for players and spectators alike.

First real chance of the half fell to Redcar who were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Guisborough penalty area in the 52nd minute – but the defensive wall did its job and blocked the ball.

Then on 64th minute Guisborough took a deserved 1-0 lead when skipper Cal Martin floated over a beauty of a free kick into the area and big defender James Frazer rose magnificently to head the ball home into the corner of the Redcar net.

The goal sparked the game into life and two minutes later Guisborough goalkeeper Robert Dean produced a brilliant save from Redcar’s former Prioryman James Risbrough.

But in the 80th minute Redcar hauled themselves level with probably the best move of the match when Oscar Fletcher weaved his way into the Guisborough penalty area and then took the ball round Dean to slot home into an empty net.

The goal sparked a frantic finish with both sides going close to snatching a winner. In the 90th minute a goal-bound Brad Mills free kick was pushed wide for a corner by Redcar ‘keeper Josh Mazfari. From the flag kick Guisborough had the ball in the Redcar net but it was ruled out for a foul on Mazfari.

Two minutes later it was Dean’s turn to deny Redcar a late winner when he turned an Adam Boyes strike behind for a corner.

As the Guisborough fans in a good crowd of 355 held their breath the corner kick was comfortably cleared by the home defence to leave the final score all-square at 1-1 – overall a fair reflection of play.

TOWER OF STRENGTH

He was a tower of strength in the Guisborough defence, particularly in the air where he was virtually invincible and his goal was great reward for an outstanding individual display.

Other notable performances in the Guisborough ranks came from Dylan McAvoy, who continued his fine form from the midweek game against Carlisle City. Joe Pickett, Jason Blackburn and Mills also deserve praise for the amount of running, endeavour and high work-rate they all showed.

Guisborough had a scare midway through the first half when defender Tommy Marron had to leave the field with what looked like a serious injury.

But fears that it was a recurrence of the cruciate knee injury that kept him out for much of last season were allayed when he revealed after the game that he suffered a back injury when he fell awkwardly after a challenge.

“It’s just a bit sore but I’ll be ok for the next game,” said Tommy afterwards in the clubhouse.

The Priorymen’s next game is at home again this coming Wednesday, 28 August against Birtley Town in the league (KO 7.45pm).

Report: Bill Perfitt
Photos: Dan Clark

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— Guisborough Town F.C. (@guistownfc) August 24, 2024

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— Guisborough Town F.C. (@guistownfc) August 24, 2024