Redcar Athletic 1-2 Guisborough Town

Match Report

Howes about that then – Kurt’s stunner clinches deserved derby win at Redcar!

Guisborough Town scored two goals in the last 15 minutes in an incident-packed and bruising encounter to emerge victorious in their Friday night Teesside derby at neighbours Redcar Athletic.

The Steelmen led 1-0 for 75 minutes courtesy of a 37th minute goal from former KGV favourite Mason McNeill.

But then after having Anthony Bell sent off in the 58th minute Redcar finally buckled under the Priorymen’s strong late pressure and goals from James Frazer (75 minutes) and Kurt Howes (83 minutes) sealed a deserved 2-1 derby victory for Guisborough.

After the game a delighted Guisborough Manager Steve Bell reflected:

This felt like a big win for us.

We needed to find a way to win these types of tough games and I’m over the moon to say we did.

I’ve been sick lately of being the better team but not winning but I have to say tonight the lads were outstanding.

Up front our new signing Matty Tymon and Sonni Coleman proved a right handful at times and when we really got down to play we were very good.

A 2-1 win felt about right – not many teams will go to Redcar Athletic and win so I’m more than happy.

The win was a hugely welcome boost for the Priorymen after losing their last three wins on the spin and the sizeable contingent of Guisborough fans in an excellent crowd of 401 went home thoroughly happy.

Guisborough had gone in a goal down at the interval with many of their fans left wonder how after seeing their team dominate the first 45 minutes and producing many more goal attempts than their opponents.

But as has often frustratingly happened this season, they didn’t make the most of their opportunities and it was Redcar who snatched the lead on 37 minutes when Guisborough failed to deal with a breakaway attack and Mason McNeill – one of several former KGV players in the home side’s line-up – took advantage to lash home a low, diagonal shot from just inside the box.

TOUCHLINE MELEE

In the second half the Priorymen continued to press to no real avail and then the game turned in the 58th minute when a touchline melee ensued after a Guisborough player was fouled and the referee eventually showed a straight red card to Redcar’s Anthony Bell.

For a ten minute spell after that Redcar seemed to cope well with their one-man disadvantage but gradually Guisborough began to make their extra man count and following a spell of concerted pressure central defender James Frazer joined the attack and equalised with a great header in the 75thminute.

That goal spurred on Guisborough further and in the 83rd minute they got the deciding goal when Redcar goalkeeper Jack Norton was deceived by a cross-cum-shot by Kurt Howes way out on the left wing and the ball looped beautifully into the far corner of the net.

Overall, it was eventually a convincing team performance by Guisborough with some excellent individual displays by the likes of James Frazer and Alex Nelson in defence, Jack Bailey and Jordan Fielding in midfield and Sonni Coleman and debutant Matty Tyman who were lively up front.

The welcome victory and more importantly the three points lifted the Priorymen several places up the Northern League Division One table to 11th place and what perhaps was even more pleasing was that they leapfrogged two places above Redcar into the bargain!

Meanwhile, Guisborough’s next scheduled game is another Teesside derby at Boro Rangers’ Phoenix Park pitch in Middlesbrough next Friday, 22 December (KO 7.45pm).  Also, the League Cup match scheduled against Crook Town next Wednesday, 20 December has had to be postponed for a second time because Crook are involved in a County Cup replay.

Report: Bill Perfitt