Guisborough Town 1-1 Marske United (4-3 pens)

Match Report

Guisborough Town retained the John Butterfield Memorial Trophy at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium on Saturday with a 4-3 penalty shootout victory after the game finished level at 1-1 in normal time.

After the game Guisborough Manager Nathan Haslam was delighted with his side’s display throughout the match.

I thought the performance from the lads was a very strong one – throughout the game we were very dominant with lots of possession, some great passages of play at times with excellent combinations right through from midfield and into the forward line.

I could see a huge step forward from our previous pre-season games which is great at this stage of our build-up and we’re moving forward nicely with what we’re trying to do.

Marske gave us an early jolt with a goal after just five minutes which was down to a mistake by us, but I’m not concerned about that at all. I’m looking at the bigger picture and we’re creating good chances and playing some nice attractive football which out on the pitch today Marske struggled to contain. For me the Marske game proved the final pre-season exercise of experimenting and shifting players around in different positions.

Moving forward to next Tuesday’s match at Redcar Town and particularly next Saturday against Whitby Town you’ll see players playing a lot more than 45 minutes. These final two pre-season games will be treated more as competitive games and hopefully we’ll be somewhere near where we want to be after the Whitby game.

So, overall, really pleased with things – the attitude of the players was fantastic and we had great support from a good crowd.

The match attendance was a terrific 272. As the game kicked off in intense heat, Marske took an early lead in the 5th minute when Jey Draper poked the ball home from close range.

The match was being played with typically keen derby rivalry by both sides and the Priorymen equalised with an incredible ‘bolt from the blue’ in the 33rd minute by Guisborough’s new signing Josh Macdonald – a spectacular 25 yard pile driver which must already rank as a candidate for ‘goal of the season.’

Guisborough gradually wrestled control and the initiative as the game progressed and in the last five minutes of the match they went close when once again Macdonald was prominent as he shot from the edge of the penalty area and somehow the Marske keeper contorted his body in mid-air to palm the ball against the bar.

Guisborough were awarded a penalty in the 87th minute but Joe Ferguson’s spot kick was well saved by Marske ‘keeper Matty Wilkinson diving to his left.

That was the last significant action of an intensively competitive match, which was a credit to both players in such energy-sapping humid conditions, so it was off to a penalty shoot-out.

With the spot kick tally at 3-3 up stepped Guisborough goalkeeper Robert Dean to take the final decisive penalty and he impudently sent a ‘Panenka’ dink down the middle to deceive Marske ‘keeper Wilkinson.

At the presentation afterwards Guisborough Director Chris Wood paid the richest of tributes to the late John Butterfield, who sadly passed away seven years ago.

‘HUGELY IMPORTANT PART’

Chris said you couldn’t underestimate the hugely important part played by John and other hard work officials and volunteers in helping Guisborough Town out of a crisis 15 years ago which could well have seen the extinction of the club.

“John and others in the Club worked so hard over many, many hours to help eventually ensure the survival of Guisborough Town,” added Chris.

Bill Perfitt, the Club’s Press Officer who worked with John for several years on the media side, was asked by the Butterfield family to make the presentation of the winner’s trophy to Guisborough team captain Callum Martin.

Normally John Butterfield’s daughter would have made the presentation but earlier in the day she had flown off for a holiday which was booked long before the date of the Guisborough v Marske game was known. It was only the first time in seven years that Leanne had not been available for the game.

She asked Bill to deputise for her as she thought that was very appropriate given how closely he had worked with her father in the Club Press Office.

Chris also presented the Guisborough Brewery Man of the Match award to Guisborough striker Josh Macdonald. Apart from the impressive Josh, there were really good performances in defence by new signing Ben Errington and the immaculate James Frazer with good performances also from Connor Gant at right back and Callum Martin – playing in the unfamiliar left back role, all the more praiseworthy with Callum having just come off nights at work.

Meanwhile, Guisborough Town Juniors have created a new award to recognise one player for outstanding individual achievement. The award went to Ben Connelly, who has been with Guisborough Juniors since way back in the Uner-7s.

Ben is now progressing into the Under-18s, having made a breakthrough into the Reserve team last season. Ben is a fantastic example of the ‘Player Pathway’ in practice. Well done Ben!

Guisborough’s next games in their pre-season schedule is at Redcar Town next Tuesday, 15 July (KO 7.45pm) and at home to Whitby Town in the annual Micky Skinner Memorial match on Saturday, 19 July (KO 3pm).

Report: Bill Perfitt
Photos: dan Clark

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— Guisborough Town F.C. (@guistownfc) July 12, 2025