If you are going to win a title you may as well clinch it in style and that is exactly what Guiseley Academy did, thrashing FC Halifax Town 7-0, writes Rachel O’Connor.
The Young Lions once again did their manager Dave Currie, the club and their supporters proud with another scintillating performance to bag the National League Under-19 Alliance North title.
After a couple of threatening crosses from K’Marni Miller presented early chances and George Sebine had a shot pushed for a corner by the ‘keeper the lads from The Shay knew they were in for a tough afternoon at Leeds Trinity University, Horsforth.
Guiseley’s leading scorer, winger Jack Mason, was not going to let his crown slip easily and he got off the mark with the opening goal in the seventh minute.
A long throw in by Miller then presented Sebine with a chance but he could not get a good contact.
Halifax were not going to go down with a whimper and at the other end of the pitch centre-back Lewin Storton made a great challenge to end an attack.
These Guiseley defenders though are as well known for scoring goals as stopping them and it was Storton who stretched Guiseley’s lead with a great header in the 22nd minute.
A wild strike by Mason went high and wide before Guiseley were on the scoresheet again in the 29th minute with Sebine netting from close range for 3-0.
Right-back Kyle Burrows put in a long shot just wide of the target before Halifax mustered another effort that Callum Bradbury easily took above his head.
Guiseley went 4-0 up when Mason notched his second, and his 19th of the season, after a great move involving Oliwier Grzelak and Burrows.
The Polish midfielder Grzelak put the icing on the cake with a 43rd minute goal putting Guiseley 5-0 up at the break.
The second-half was just two minutes old when another great header from Sebine made it 6-0.
Guiseley were putting everything into it as always and midfielder Max Dickinson did well to control the ball and get a shot in.
With a good lead manager Currie started to give some of the fringe players, who had also played a big part in this title win, a run out.
Marley Spence, Danyaal Khan, Oli Storr, Jack Lorriman and Robbie Murray all came on to seal their vital part in this triumph.
Guiseley continued to create chances and made it 7-0 when a great chip forward by Grzelak was met by the onrushing Burrows who took his season’s goal tally to 11 in fine style.
All in all a great finale to a wonderful season’s football from this squad.
Guiseley: Callum Bradbury (C); Kyle Burrows Lewin Storton, Jie Taylor, K’Marni Miller; Mason Donaldson, Sam Walters, Max Dickinson, Oliwier Grzelak, Jack Mason; George Sebine. Subs all used: Danyaal Khan, Marley Spence, Oli Storr, Robbie Murray, Jack Lorriman.
Having now been awarded the three points for Blyth failing to fulfil their game at Guiseley the Young Lions have finished the season well ahead of Farsley Celtic.
They remained unbeaten in their home games despite home quite often being away with games staged at Trinity University (4,) Frickley (1), Boddington Sports Hub (2) and Marley Stadium (1) with just three league games at Nethermoor.
Proud manager Dave Currie said:”Over the season the lads deserved this. We had a relatively poor start to the season with just four points won from the first 12 available.
“We were away a lot in those early games so when it came to having eight home games out of nine at home in the run in we knew we would be able to make up for it. We knew those home games would come in to play.”
Come in to play they certainly did with Guiseley scoring 35 goals and conceding just seven in those eight games, all of them wins.
A feature of Guiseley’s play has been that goals have come from all over the pitch with defenders scoring 33 of them. Right-back Kyle Burrows netted 11 of those and left-back K’Marni Miller 10.
Leading scorer was winger Jack Mason with 19 followed by strikers Danyaal Khan with 16 and George Sebine with 15.
Currie had praise for all the players in the Academy set up, first team and Development Squad, saying: “The lads have been outstanding, all the squad, both of the teams. They train together, work together and it has been an all round effort from players and staff.”
He added: “All the lads have stepped up, both in training and in matches. This is what has led to high standards all round. They are a great bunch to work with. They have got better and better, improving with every game.”
This togetherness showed as the players celebrated their title win after the final whistle.
Centre-back Freddie Westfall, who has played a big part in their success, joined them in celebrating from his holiday in Florida via a live link.
Currie spoke of the pride the players have in representing the club saying: “We have played against teams from much bigger clubs than ours but our spirit has been indomitable. Many of these lads are very local to the club and have been with us since they were 13 so they have real pride in wearing the shirt. If you cut them open they would bleed Guiseley.”
The downside of their season according to Currie?
“We should have done better in the cups but at least it allowed us to concentrate on winning the league,” said the club’s Head of Youth Development.
Currie has a proud record in player development since being in from the outset of establishing the Academy at Guiseley.
He can point to the success of Jacob Brown, now a full international with Scotland and a Premier League player with Luton Town.
He can point to two other full internationals in Joel Wilson (Cayman Islands) and Tabish Hussain (Pakistan).
He can point to players who have gone on to sign for Premier or EFL clubs in Tom Stewart (Morecambe), Ben Whitfield (Bournemouth), Jake Young (Sheffield United), Nathan Newall (Sunderland) and Ellis Farrar (Stockport).
He can point to Josh Stones who he turned from a midfielder to a striker and now plying his trade with Wigan.
Of the current team Currie saw similar attributes to those of Stones in George Sebine who he has changed from a defender to a striker who has scored 15 goals in 19 games.
