Guisborough Town 0-0 Heaton Stannington

Match Report

Guisborough Town’s brave and battling players can to a man hold their heads high following a huge effort to force a victory over fellow play-off contenders Heaton Stannington in front of a bumper crowd at the KGV on Saturday.

Needing a victory to definitely maintain their interest in reaching the play-offs, the Priorymen made a massive attempt to beat a strong Stannington side but despite stretching every sinew of their bodies they just came up a whisker short.

However, while the hard-fought point gained by Stannington clinched their place in the play-offs, Guisborough players who trudged off the field thinking their hopes had disappeared were actually mistaken.

For with close rivals for the final play-off place Birtley losing at home 2-0 to title chasers Shildon that left Guisborough still in with a slither of a mathematical chance to sneak into the play-offs themselves.

The bottom line is that if Birtley lose at home to Tyneside rivals North Shields this coming Monday, and Guisborough win at Northallerton two days later, then it will all come down to Birtley’s final game of the season next Thursday at home to Seaham Red Star.

This possibly, although faint, even caught Guisborough Manager Steve Bell unawares when after they game he thought his side’s hopes had evaporated with the incredibly fiercely-contested draw with Stannington.

Immediately after the game against Stannington a disappointed Steve – unaware at the point of Birtley’s home defeat against Shildon – commented: “This was a proper tough Northern League clash today between regard as two very good sides at our level.

“Honestly, I didn’t think either side deserved to win today but we had a right go at them and I can’t fault that at all.

“I’m not sure if that means were out of the play-off race now which I must admit does hurt after all the efforts the lads have made.

“So it’s one more final game to go at Northallerton on Wednesday then a big push on player recruitment for next season,” added Steve.

The match against Stannington kicked off in front of a raucous bumper crowd of 559 – the second biggest of the day after the 602 who attended Whitley Bay’s home match against West Auckland Town.

CHEERING LOUDLY

It was great to see a group of Guisborough young junior players cheering loudly and enthusiastically in the covered standing opposite the main stand, drowning out chants from Stannington supporters at the other end of the shed. The young Guisborough fans did get a little over-excited with their enthusiastic chanting but they did scale things down after a ‘pep talk’ from three Guisborough Town officials.

The first half ended in a stalemate with both sides cancelling each other out with some stout defending and close-quarter marking.

The second half followed pretty much the same pattern but there were more good chances carved out by both sides which came close to breaking the deadlock.

Jordan Fielding was prominent on several occasions, linking well in particular with Guisborough’s central striker Matty Tymon but they were thwarted by some close Stannington man-marking. Joey Smith also caught the eye with some strong penetrating runs from midfield.

With time running out for both side’s Guisborough’s tremendously talented and consistent goalkeeper Robert Dean pulled off an absolutely awesome save in the 86th minute from a 20-yard Stannington pile-driver, contorting and twisting his body seemingly in mid-air to keep out the shot which also took a wicked deflection.

Then just a couple of minutes later defender James Frazer – thrown into attack in a desperate bid to break the deadlock – burst through on the Stannington goal but his shot was smothered by the Stannington keeper and went behind for a corner which was cleared and the final result remained goalless. As the final whistle blew Heaton Stannington’s players went over to their fans to celebrate their confirmed place in the end-of-season play-offs – so congratulations to them on that achievement.

Report: Bill Perfitt