Middlesbrough U21/Reserves 3-1 Guisborough Town

Match Report

Guisborough Town were convincingly eliminated from the North Riding Senior Cup by Middlesbrough’s talented young U-21 side in a match played at their ‘home’ ground, Bishop Auckland.

The match started positively enough for the Priorymen when Mason McNeill scored on just 7 minutes when the Boro ‘keeper spilled Mason’s initial shot but McNeill followed up to make no mistake from the rebound for 1-0 to Guisborough.

However, the Boro ‘Young Guns’ responded well and grew more and more into the game as play progressed towards half-time.

And they deservedly drew level three minutes before the break with a well-worked goal from the right and as the ball came over it found Rio Patterson-Powell who lashed the ball into the top left corner for 1-1.

In the second half the Boro youngsters continued to call the shots and they went ahead just after the hour mark when Patterson=Powell hit a quick-fire shot which beat Guisborough ‘keeper Robert Dean just inside his left hand post.

Guisborough tried to get back in the game and Matty Crust joined the attack and hit a great shot towards the top corner but it curled away behind for a goal kick.

Then the Priorymen thought they had equalised when they had the ball in the net on 81minutes through Kurtis Howes but the linesman’s flag was already up for offside.

Then a minute from time Boro made sure of an impressive victory when Hazeem Bakre scored to put the result beyond any doubt with an excellent shot into the far right hand corner.

The attendance was 112, at least 50 per cent of which must have been Guisborough’s loyal supporters.

On this showing, the future for Middlesbrough looks bright with the current crop of young Under-21 players. Although he didn’t score, the Man of the Match for Boro was Number 10 Bailey Palmer, who incredibly is only 16 and still at school. Plus, he has a twin brother too who is similarly talented and also on Boro’s books.

FAST-MOVING

Despite losing, the Priorymen fought well in a fast-moving, highly competitive game but ultimately Middlesbrough’s fitness and speed proved just too much for Guisborough as the dominated possession, particularly in the second half.

After the game Guisborough Manager Steve Connolly commented: “I thought we competed well throughout the game but, overall, the opposition’s superior fitness and speed of movement and play just became too much of a problem for us as the game progressed.

“The first goal was avoidable from ourselves but errors happen when players spend a long time without the ball

“But I’m pleased with the effort levels of everyone at the end of what has been a gruelling 12 days for us,” added Steve.

Guisborough now have a welcome break with no game this coming weekend and their next fixture is not until 8 February at home in the league against Easington Colliery (KO 3pm).

Report: Bill Perfitt