With a re-vamped team from that that enjoyed so much success last season and with an under-18 FA Youth Cup due in a few days time Dave Currie sent a very young Guiseley Academy side out for their first match of the season.
On a sunny afternoon at Harrogate Town the young Lions handed out a lesson in first touch football and scoring as they notched up 12 goals without reply.
Leading the rout were two young players who have trained with the first team squad thoughout the summer and been rewarded by signing first team forms.
Tabish Hussain, 17, actually made his first team debut from the bench recently and he and Jake Young netted five goals apiece as they led the Harrogate defence a merry dance.
They opened the scoring in the 8th minute when Charlie Heath’s shot was palmed against the post and for a corner which was played in and Young bulged the net with a glorious volley.
Young and Hussain were a handful up front and Young produced another good run but his shot was forced for a corner.
Not to be outdone Hussain produced a great run and shot for 2-0 in the 13th minute.
Heath got in the action to make it 3-0 on 15 minutes when he fired home when set up well by Hussain, who had driven into the area.
Lewis Jackson saw a good shot turned over the bar and the ‘keeper made a good save from Lewis Waddington as Guiseley piled on the pressure.
Hussain made it 4-0 in the 18th minute when the ball was looped into the area and he beat a defender before side-footing home.
Hussain then used his pace to create a great chance for Young but he failed to make the best of it and put his shot wide.
It was 5-0 within 24 minutes when Hussain completed his hat-trick following a pass from Young, who then made it 6-0 looping the ball over the ‘keeper into the far corner of the net from a tight angle.
Young centre-back Nick Brayshaw left the field injured in the 25th minute but undaunted Guiseley re-shuffled with Waddington going into the back four and substitute Adam Haw moving into midfield.
The ‘keeper then made a good save from Young who had another chance before the ball was cleared off the line when Hussain got the final shot in a packed goalmouth. Young manufactured himself another chance but shot wide before running on to a ball played to the left of the ‘keeper to make it 7-0 at the break.
There was to be no rest for Harrogate in the second-half as Guiseley buckled down and kept their shape and determination.
Young netted twice more to take his tally to five before being substituted by Akram Aliyu in the 53rd minute. His second came when Hussain played a free-kick short to him and Young did the rest.
Haw made a good run into the penalty area and crossed for a shot to be handled and a penalty awarded.
Up stepped Hussain to notch his fourth goal of the afternoon making the score 10-0.
In the 71st minute Lewis Jackson made it 11-0 and a sublime goal from Hussain, showing great ball skills to juggle the ball into a shooting position and fire past the ‘keeper, took it to 12-0.
There was still time for Waddington to hit the bar, Haw to get free but fire over and Hussain to fire across the face of the goal with no takers.
Guiseley showed a great team ethic, work rate and first touch skill which overwhelmed their opponents.
This team has a lot to live up to after the success of the Academy last season but this was certainly a good start.
Guiseley Academy: Declan Lambton; Joe Straker, Craig Hall, Nick Brayshaw (Adam Haw), Nathan Newall: Aleks Starcenko, Charlie Heath, Lewis Jackson, Lewis Waddington; Tabish Hussain, Jake Young (Akram Aliyu)