Our dedicated media team covered every Guiseley match in 2015-16. Still sore-headed from celebrating on the final day of the season, Dave Kendra and the rest of the Guiseley AFC Radio team set about putting together their contenders for Goals of the Season.
After weeks of trawling the highlights, with commentary of varying quality, here are their suggestions…
Boyes v Kidderminster (h) –
Ah those early days. Boyes gets on the end of a pinpoint Ryan Toulson cross, looping his header satisfyingly beyond the keeper from almost the edge of the box. At that point, Guiseley had won two out of their first three. This National League lark was a breeze, right?
Norburn v Bromley (h) –
Norburn went viral with this belter from distance on a rainy Saturday at Nethermoor, appearing in the Guardians round up of goals of the week alongside Messi, Suarez et al. For the rest of the season whenever midfielder Norburn got the ball in midfield, the wags in the crowd would yell “Shoooot…”
There was another Norburn entry later in the season, a looping effort over the keepers head from the halfway line, but for some reason we were unable to find ANY VIDEO FOOTAGE of it. Ah well.
Dickinson v Southport (h) –
Liam Dickinson was one of the top scorers this season, the majority close range efforts. But the cult hero of Nethermoor surprised the Southport wall and if we’re honest quite a few Guiseley fans when he curled a free kick into the net with ‘The Sidefoot of Doom’.
N Boshell v Woking (H) –
Decent team goal, and part of a remarkable afternoon at Nethermoor, culminating in Jake Lawlor’s late late equaliser in a 4-4 draw. This got the Lions back level after going 2-0 down early on. A cool side footed finish after good work by Will Hatfield. We were first on on the BT Sport highlights show that week too.
Hatfield v Halifax (h) –
A chilly night at Nethermoor had started badly when Halifax took an early lead. But Will Hatfield wasn’t about to let that lie. Cutting in from the right, he one-twoed with Danny Bosh on the edge of the box, and slotted home a first time finish. The Lions went on to beat ‘Fax that night.
Boyes v Wrexham (a) –
The game at the Recreation Ground was a rollercoaster, and having been pegged back Wrexham were pushing hard for a winner. A cross was cleared and bounced out to Dicko, whose flick on freed Boyes on the halfway line who ran, swung a tired right foot at it and watched it fly in.
Boyes v Halifax (a, FA Cup) –
Kingsley James was clear and through but Drench swept up at the back, brought the ball down and hooked a long ball upfield. Baresi would’ve been proud. Boyes takes what felt like an age to judge it, but eventually looped the ball over the advancing Halifax keeper to secure a replay.
Norburn v Grimsby (a) –
The first game of 2016 and Ollie Norburn adds to his one-man goal of the season campaign. A corner is only partially cleared out to the midfielder whose first time volley clatters into the Grimsby net.
Hurst v Dulwich Hamlet (a, FA Trophy) –
We like Dulwich Hamlet. We almost felt bad about beating them in the Trophy. But they took it all in good spirits and for that they should be applauded. This was Guiseley’s opener, a first time curling effort from a loose ball on the edge of the box.
Hurst v Eastleigh (a) –
Three minutes into this game, Eastleigh’s cabbage patch of a penalty area had cost the Lions a goal. But try as they might the south coast team couldn’t add to it. In the second half, James Hurst’s right footed free kick powered through the wall and into the net. Hurst then threw himself into the celebrating Guiseley fans.
OJ v Wrexham (h) –
For quite a few weeks we’d been seeing Oli Johnson in cameos while he got back to full match fitness. So there was no little relief when a fierce Hatfield challenge broke the ball to Johnson who turned a defender before slotting home his first of the season. OJ’s back!
Boyes v Wrexham (h) –
With the Lions on top, anything could happen. Adam Boyes scored his first goal of 2016, quite literally getting the ball (after a one-two with Dudley on the edge of the box) and scoring a goal, a rising first time effort into the top corner.
OJ v Torquay (h) –
A nervy afternoon got off to a perfect start, as OJ latched onto a mishit Geohaghan clearance and after what felt like an age, lobbed the keeper to send Nethermoor into only slightly premature raptures.
Dudley v Torquay (h, his second goal) –
Nethermoor had deflated somewhat with the news Halifax were leading. Torquay had fought their way back from 3-0 down, and were threatening a leveller. Then suddenly news of an equaliser in Halifax filtered through the crowd, and anything was possible again. Torquay lost possession and Dudley got on the end of a bobbling through ball, finishing with the sort of calmness felt by precisely no one in the crowd. The sun shone, Macclesfield held on, and despite another Torquay goal and injury time at The Shay that lasted what felt like a millennia, Guiseley stayed up.
What do you think? Which was your pick for Goal of the Season? Think we missed one? Let us know on Twitter or head on over to the Fans’ Forum to have your say.
Cheers to Michael Tiller at Fantastic Media, BT Sport, and Wrexham Player for use of their videos. We’ll be back next season. Thanks to everyone who listened, watched or tweeted in 2015-16!
– Dave, Colin, Chris, Nik, Sandy and Tom: Guiseley AFC Radio