West Allotment Celtic 3-2 Guisborough Town
(Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup 2nd Round)

Match Report

Guisborough Town crashed out of the Northern League Cup at West Allotment Celtic on Tuesday – with two late goals scant consolation for what was a convincing defeat.

The rearranged match went ahead despite the best efforts of a large gaggle of geese who had previously caused the postponement of West’s scheduled league match against Seaham Red Star the previous Friday by doing what comes naturally and depositing a large amount of excrement on the Celtic pitch!

By half-time on Tuesday, the tie was effectively over as lowly Celtic – some 12 places below Guisborough in the league table – had taken a 2-0 lead with goals from Alfie Livermore (10th minute) and Sean McRoberts (39th minute).

Then in the 68th minute Celtic put the tie virtually beyond doubt when Guisborough left back Danny McWilliams scored an own goal.

To the Priorymen’s credit, they pluckily battled on and made the scoreline more respectable with goals from debutants Jack Spears (81st minute) and Jaedon Faulkner (90th minute penalty) to give Guisborough a slim opportunity of producing an unlikely draw at the end of normal time.

But Celtic held out during a nervy final four added on minutes but, in truth, the game had been won and lost by midway through the second half.

Guisborough now turn their attention back to league matters as they host Tynesiders Newcastle Blue Star at the Kevin Edward KGV Stadium on Saturday, 25 January in a match kindly sponsored by NPC Training.

Report: Bill Perfitt