Guisborough Town 2-2 Northallerton Town

Match Report

Guisborough Town atoned for a poor performance in the first 45 minutes of their match against rock bottom club Northallerton Town at the KGV on Saturday to show significant improvement in the second half and earn a deserved point.

With several key players still missing through injury or unavailability, it was a fairly makeshift Guisborough team which took the field and they struggled for fully 40 minutes of the first half to make any headway against the visitors, who looked much better than their lowly league position would suggest.

Northallerton made most of the running in that first period, going close on no fewer than four occasions but a combination of off-target finishing and the customary excellent goalkeeping by Guisborough ‘keeper Robert Dean

It wasn’t until the 39th minute that the Priorymen made an impression on the Northallerton defence with recent new signing from Jarrow Jason Blackburn firing over the bar when well placed.

Then two minutes later Guisborough won a free kick 25 yards out but Sam Webster’s effort sailed well over the Northallerton bar as it remained goalless at half-time.

But two minutes after the re-start Guisborough took the lead when a Sam Webster corner was skilfully glanced home just inside the nearside post by Louis Johnson for 1-0 to the Priorymen.

The unexpected lead was short-lived, however when Northallerton attacked down the left flank and a perfect cross was floated over to the far post and Gary Mitchell headed home a 51st minute equaliser.

The game had developed into an enthralling and fast-moving end-to-end battle and Northallerton regained the lead on 72 minutes when Nathan Stephenson fired home a real pile-driver from 30 yards which fairly rocketed into the back of the Guisborough net for 2-1 to the visitors.

In the 77th minute Guisborough substitute Paul Young, making a welcome return after a long-term injury nearly grabbed an equaliser but his shot just cleared the Northallerton bar.

HOTLY-DISPUTED

But three minutes later on 80 minutes Guisborough were awarded a penalty hotly disputed by Northallerton when James Rowe was felled in the penalty area. Up stepped Jason Blackburn to calmly hammer home the spot kick for 2-2.

That’s how the scored stayed to the end and a share of the spoils between both teams was just about a fair result overall.

After the game Guisborough Manager Steve Bell frustratingly lamented the fact that the Priorymen yet again had three or four key players unavailable for the game.

“It’s a recurring theme to be honest,” conceded Steve. “That said, we had enough out on the pitch to win today but in the end we pinched a point.

“There are loads of things we need to sort out with the team long term and one of those things is definitely getting the same team on the pitch more often than not. We have some outstanding players at the club but how many games have some of them managed to play?” he asked.

But he added: “On a positive note, we got half an hour’s play into midfielder Paul Young today after his long term injury and we also managed to get 20 minutes out of winger Steve Roberts who we have definitely missed during his recent spell out injured.”

The match attendance against Northallerton was a creditable 204 on a damp and fairly miserable afternoon.

Guisborough’s next game is another league match at the improving West Allotment Celtic next Saturday, 11 December (KO 3pm).

FOOTNOTE

Guisborough Town would like to acknowledge and thank Middlesbrough Football Club for very generously donating their share of the gate receipts to their Priorymen from their recent North Riding Senior Cup tie at the KGV to Guisborough.

Report: Bill Perfitt