Guisborough Town 1-1 Blyth Town

Guisborough Town 1-1 Blyth Town

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Details

Date Time Competition Season Attendance Captain
09/10/2024 19:45 Ebac Northern League Division 1 2024/25 212 Callum Martin

Guisborough Town F.C. Logo KO Blyth Town Football Club logo KO 14 63 69 73 74 80 82 90 FT

Match Report

Guisborough Town were indebted to goalkeeper Robert Dean for brilliantly keeping out a point blank last-ditch Blyth effort to ensure a well-deserved point from a fiercely competitive match on a wet and windswept night at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium on Wednesday.

Deano’s amazing block right at the end of second half stoppage time was almost in vain but a follow-up Blyth shot from the rebound was dramatically deflected over the bar and the match, fittingly, ended all square at 1-1.

High-flying Blyth arrived at the KGV on the back of a fine run of form with four wins and a draw in their last five matches so the Priorymen knew they would have their work cut out against their third-placed opponents.

But in truth there wasn’t much between the two sides as Guisborough matched their opponents stride for stride pretty much throughout the game and fully deserved to earn a very creditable draw.

Guisborough Town Manager Steve Connolly commented after the game:

I’m highly delighted with the performance tonight.

There were moments when we had to dig in and stay strong. We also created some very good chances, particularly in the second half.

Blyth Town are a very good side on a long, unbeaten run so a fair point gained is a good result for us.

And there was a bonus from the display of our new signing, Jacob Johnson who was made Man of the Match.

After a goalless but eventful first half, it was the Priorymen who took the lead on 69 minutes when a Blyth defender was penalised for hand-ball in the penalty area and the referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot.

It was one of those hand-ball incidents in which it was debatable whether it was deliberate or not, but regardless up stepped Guisborough winger to score emphatically from the spot for 1-0 to the Priorymen.

However, just when Guisborough looked like they were heading for a surprise victory, Blyth produced a moment of class in the 81st minute when they won a free kick just outside the Priorymen’s penalty area. Up stepped Liam Wotherspoon to hit a screamer into the far corner of the net to make it all-square at 1-1.

Then came that dramatic last-gasp incident with Deano emerging a hero once again with his world-class save.

Few in a very good crowd of 212 considering the awful weather would disagree that a draw overall was a fair result which reflected well on Guisborough.

Both sets of players deserved great credit for putting on a highly competitive and entertaining game in very challenging conditions.

Apart from the two goals that counted, either side hit the woodwork in the first half with Blyth hitting the post after just four minutes and then Guisborough rattled the inside of a post with a terrific spectacular overhead kick from Max Craggs in the 19th minute.

Young Jacob Johnson, Guisborough’s new signing from Stockton Town, impressed on his debut with an excellent, eye-catching performance throughout the game. He was presented with the Guisborough Brewery-sponsored pack of locally-brewed real ale by Guisborough Town Director Chris Wood.

Jacob Johnson presented with his man of the match award by Chris Wood
Jacob Johnson presented with his man of the match award by Chris Wood

Guisborough climbed up to eighth place in the table on the back of tonight’s draw and they have a good opportunity to climb higher this coming Saturday, 12 October when they entertain struggling Seaham Red Star at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium (KO 3pm).

Report: Bill Perfitt

Past Meetings

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Ground

Kevin Edward KGV Stadium
King George V Stadium Howlbeck Road, Guisborough TS14 6LE