Guisborough Town 2-2 Heaton Stannington

Match Report

Guisborough Town and Heaton Stannington produced a highly entertaining see-saw tussle of a draw at the KGV Stadium on Saturday.

In a high-energy game that swung from end to end, there was absolutely no end-of-season type staleness as the Priorymen twice took the lead only to be pegged back by their Tyneside opponents. Another very healthy KGV crowd of 294 was treated to some high quality play from both sides, with ‘The Stan’ impressing with a lot of simple inter-passing play as they dominated possession for lengthy spells.

However, it took Guisborough only 10 minutes to take the lead with a superbly-placed goal by midfielder Jordan Fielding who seized onto a knock-down following a corner in an absolute flash and found the bottom left corner with an excellent first-time shot.

The Stan had a great chance to equalise just eight minutes later but Guisborough Captain Nick Hood got in a superb block. But on 25 minutes The Stan got the equaliser they had been threatening when
striker Richard Slaughter saw a shot parried by Guisborough ‘keeper Will Cowey but Bradley Hird pounced quickly to hit the ball into the net off the underside of the bar.

In the 37th minute this see-saw of a game tilted back in the Priorymen’s favour as Guisborough striker Mikey McGee fired home a low shot beautifully into the bottom corner from the edge of the area to put the home side 2-1 up. Agonisingly, it could have been 3-1 to Guisborough just four minutes later
when Liam Miller got in a superb lob over the visiting keeper but the ball bounced off the top of the bar and striker Cole Kiernan headed the rebound wide.

ALL SQUARE AGAIN!

After the interval it took The Stan only four minutes to draw level for the second time when a Jordan Lashley free kick towards the back post was slotted home neatly by Mark Turnbull to make the game all-square again at 2-2.

That goal sparked the Priorymen back on to the attack again with Shabs Mohammed volleying wide from the edge of the penalty area on 54 minutes then 10 minutes later Nick Hood headed over following a Liam O’Sullivan free kick.

In the 75 th minute The Stan went close to taking the lead with a header from a corner but Guisborough ‘keeper Will Cowey made a superb leap at full stretch to tip the ball over the bar. The Stan almost snatched victory in the 83 rd minute when substitute Leighton Hopper broke through but fortunately for the Priorymen he pulled his shot just wide of the far post and the game ended all square at 2-2.

After the game Guisborough Manager Steve Bell said he thought a draw was just about the right result.

They are a much-improved side and played some good football but all the best chances came our way in the first half. We should have gone in 3-1 up at half-time when Cole missed the rebound
off the bar.

I’d say we huffed and puffed in the second half shortly into which they got the equaliser and probably deserved it. We gave away two ridiculous goals away both of which were 100% our own doing once again. That’s something we definitely need to improve on.

FOOTNOTE: Guisborough fans in the crowd could be forgiven for scratching their heads in the second half as a group of fans behind the Swimming Baths end, complete with drummer, suddenly struck up some raucously noisy support for the Priorymen.

They were actually supporters from Manchester area side Stalybridge Celtic who made their way to the KGV Stadium to see a game after their own against Marske United was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. They decided to add their voices in vocal support of the Priorymen!

Report: Bill Perfitt
Photos: Bill Perfitt