Guisborough Town 2-1 Penrith

Match Report

Guisborough Town continued their near-meteoric rise up the table with a 2-1 win over Penrith at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium on Wednesday night – but the Cumbrian side made the Priorymen work had for their victory despite being reduced to 10 men in the 77th minute.

Before the game, Guisborough were in seventh position – one place behind their opponents Penrith – but this narrow victory saw them leapfrog Penrith and go fifth in the table while the Cumbrians slid to ninth – such is the big difference just one win can make.

After the game Guisborough Town Manager Steve Bell described the win as “a very good three points.”

Overall this was a classic game of two halves. Although we went a goal up early on in the first half a defensive mistake allowed them to equalise and if I’m honest the rest of the half wasn’t great from our point of view. But in the second half I thought we were by far the better team and we could and should have ended up with more than the two goals we actually scored.

In the end it was two of our substitutes, Kurtis Howes and Mustapha Abdullahi, who won us the game with a brilliant move between the two of them. I thought we struggled when they went down to 10 men, which can often the case, and I told the lads after the game that we need to adapt better to that kind of scenario.

But in the end it was a really good three points and I’m very happy. It’s now on to our next game at home in the league this coming Saturday to West Auckland, who sit just one place behind us in the table to always provide us with a stiff challenge.

The Priorymen got off to a great start again Penrith by taking the lead after just 10 minutes with a penalty hotly disputed by the visitors. Guisborough midfielder Brad Mills stormed into the Penrith penalty area and as he headed towards the by-line he was bundled over. Whether or not it was a penalty was the subject of differing views in the Priory Suite at half-time.

One thing for sure is that Mills used all his guile and experience to draw the challenge on him and there looked to be definite contact by a Penrith defender. Regardless, the referee awarded the penalty and up stepped Guisborough’s trusty spot kick taker and captain Cal Martin to send the Penrith ‘keeper the wrong way and put the Priorymen 1-0 up.

Hopes that the early lead would spur Guisborough on proved fruitless, however, and Penrith came more into the game and deservedly drew level in the 19th minute when a defensive mistake let in Andrew Murry-Jones and he rifled the ball home for 1-1 and that’s how it stayed until half-time.

After the break Guisborough were the first to feature in the 56th minute when left back Robbie Cuthbert laid the ball off to midfielder Jack Bailey whose dipping shot crashed against the Penrith crossbar. Guisborough made two important substitutions in the 52nd and 68th minutes when Muzzy Abdullahi and Kurt Howes came on to the field and the changes paid off handsomely in the 72nd minute as the Priorymen regained the lead.

Defender Matty Crust played a nice ball over the top to ‘Muzzy’ who showed his pace and played a great ball in to Howes who slotted home beautifully into the far corner for 2-1. It was great to see Kurt back after missing three games following an injury at Carlisle and the winger showed just why he is such a key player for his side.

RECKLESS CHALLENGE!

Five minutes later in the 77th minute Penrith’s Jonathan Murray – who had only been on the field for two minutes – was sent off for a late and reckless challenge on Guisborough ‘keeper Robert Dean.

A couple more chances fell to either side after the sending-off with Joe Pickett drawing a save from the Penrith ‘keeper with a shot from a tight angle in the 80th minute and then on 88 minutes Penrith struck wide of the Guisborough goal. Overall a deserved win for Guisborough although Penrith pushed the Priorymen all the way.

After the game 17-year-old defender Robbie Cuthbert was made the Guisborough Brewery Man of the Match and Guisborough Director Chris Wood presented him with a gift pack of beers. It prompted one wag in the audience to joke “He’s not old enough to drink!” No doubt Robbie’s dad would have had the deciding word on that!

The crowd was another very healthy 309, which was excellent given the rain-swept night and Guisborough will be anticipating an even bigger crowd this coming Saturday, 7 September when they are home again to old foes West Auckland Town, who are just one place adrift of the Priorymen in the table.

SAD FOOTNOTE

Just before kick-off Guisborough’s former goalkeeper and now key club volunteer Dennis Wheeler announced the sad passing of 1970’s Guisborough legend George Morris at the age of 70. Dennis paid rich tribute to combative midfielder George, who he said fully lived up to his nickname of ‘Tonka Man’ because of his strong, rugged style of play. A minute’s applause was enthusiastically observed for George.

Report: Bill Perfitt
Photos: Dan Clark

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— Guisborough Town F.C. (@guistownfc) September 4, 2024