Dave Currie’s Young Lions came from behind to win on the road at Hartlepool on Wednesday afternoon.
The hosts took the lead in the first half thanks to an early goal from Jay Gibson, and this should’ve been the cue for Pools to go and take the game by the scruff of the neck. but instead they wasted good opportunities to further extend their lead.
This only seemed to motivate the away side as they battled to find an equaliser, and they did so midway through the first half as a cross directed back into the box which found Rafael Ferreira, who headed in from close range.
Aaron Willoughby almost restored Pools’ lead in spectacular fashion before half-time when he let fly with a drive from thirty yards, but it cannoned back off the bar with the keeper beaten.
Guiseley grew more confident as the second half went on and the decisive goal arrived on 68 minutes when the Pools only partially cleared a ball across goal and when it was flung back in to the area, it was met by Haroon Bostan whose header found the bottom corner.
The hosts pressed to find a second goal and they nearly got it, with substitute Joe Grey’s shot directed straight at the goalkeeper and Aaron Webster doing well to wriggle through the defense to fire on goal right at the death only to also be denied by the Guiseley shot-stopper.
This result puts Guiseley 2nd in the table and only 3 points behind AFC Fylde who top the group, while Hartlepool remain 7th having only won one game in 3 matches in the division.
“We’re obviously disappointed,” said Pools boss Ian McGuckin. “I thought it was quite evenly fought in terms of possession and neither side really carved out that many blatant chances. Fair play to Guiseley, they ground it out. I thought we were winning the battle in the second half but once again we’ve conceded a goal and that left us with too much to do.”
Hartlepool’s next game is away to 5th placed Solihull Moors while Guiseley are at home to 3rd placed York City. Both games on 27th Nov 2019, K.O at 14:00.
Report courtesy of UCFB Student Tyla Crandon.
