Seaham Red Star 0-3 Guisborough Town

Match Report

For the superstitious, the number 13 usually instils a fear that bad luck is about to happen…and therefore many connected with Guisborough Town FC must have felt some apprehension that Seaham might be the team to end the Priorymen’s glorious 12-match unbeaten run on Saturday.

But those fears proved totally unfounded as the confident Guisborough Town marched on convincingly to rack up their 13 game on the bounce undefeated, a run that now stretches all the way back to mid-December when they beat fierce Teesside rivals Redcar Athletic 1-2 away.

In atrocious weather and on a heavily soaked pitch, the conditions virtually cancelled out any hopes either side had to taking the initiative as the teams went in deadlocked at 0-0 at half-time.

Guisborough’s delighted Manager Steve Bell takes up the story of the game of two halves:

The conditions were really harsh for all the lads out there on a difficult Seaham pitch and 0-0 at half-time was just about a fair reflection of the play.

But then a really good second half performance in which we completely dominated proceedings won us the game. In fact, we really should have scored more than three goals but I know it sounds boring to say we deserved the three points and we now move on to our next game, a trip to Tow Law on Tuesday on next week.

Guisborough dominated most of the play in the first half without creating any really good chances until the 35th minute when striker Matty Tymon stretched in vain to get on the end of a good Callum Martin Cross. And that was just about that in terms of any meaningful opportunities for either side.

However, it took just eight minutes into the second half for the Priorymen to forge ahead when Tymon scored from close range following a passage of good possession play by Guisborough.

Just after the hour mark Seaham had a rare chance when Guisborough defender Nick Hood was uncharacteristically caught in possession but yet again ‘keeper Robert Dean sprang to his side’s rescue saving with his feet to preserve his team’s one-goal lead.

Then in the 63rd minute Guisborough doubled their lead when winger Joe Pickett crowned another all-action display when he was played through the Seaham defence and slotted home beautifully past the home ‘keeper.

CONVINVING VICTORY

Seaham were then reduced to 10 men after 68 minutes when James was sent off.

And on 76 minutes Guisborough made absolutely sure of another convincing victory when Hood tapped home from close range after the home ‘keeper spilled a free kick.

So yet another win for the Priorymen makes it a fantastic 11 victories, two draws and no defeats out of the last 13 matches – an amazing unbeaten run by any standards.

The win at Seaham – watched by a crowd of 160 with a large contingent of Guisborough supporters – has lifted Guisborough up into fourth place – an amazing achievement to say they were languishing in the bottom half of the table before last Christmas.

And but for the three point deduction the League imposed on the Priorymen they would actually now be in third place – above West Auckland Town and behind only two of the season-long front-runners, Bishop Auckland and Shildon.

Guisborough have a golden opportunity to stretch their brilliant run still further when they travel to rock bottom club Tow Law next Tuesday, 5 March (KO 7.30pm), although the Lawyers earned a bit of a shock 3-1 win at Northallerton on Saturday so nothing is a foregone conclusion in this league!

Report: Bill Perfitt
Photos: Dan Clark