A stirring late comeback secured a deserved point for the Lions at Redcar, writes Ivor Timmis.
There was one change from the team that won at Warrington Rylands, Jack Emmett missing out through illness and being replaced by Amer Berchil. There was also a welcome return to the squad for Kyle White.
Both teams started brightly but the first chance fell to the Lions after five minutes. A defensive mistake sent Kallan Murphy through one v one with goalkeeper Joshua Mazfari. The keeper saved Murphy’s initial effort with an outstretched leg, but the ball rebounded directly to the Lions’ striker. However, with the goal gaping, Kallan side footed his shot over the bar. He looked crestfallen for a moment.
Redcar, with Curtis Round prominent in their best moves, had their share of play, but it was the Lions who looked more dangerous.
Another of those trademark mazy dribble through the centre by Cam Wilson almost brought a goal on 12 minutes, but Mazfari saved well at his feet.
There was a moment of real danger when a Jack Hall miskick fell to Bradley Fewster. His lob was goal bound, but Hall scrambled back to the claw the ball away.
A series of dangerous crosses had the Lions at full stretch and culminated in Owen Burns heading a decent chance wide.
The Steelmen had grown into the game and the Guiseley coaching staff later acknowledged that the 15 minutes before half-time were the weakest phase of the game.
Nevertheless, it came as a surprise when Redcar scored two in three minutes just before the break.
The first was a stunning volley by Bradley Fewster from a half clearance by the Lions defence. The second came when Fewster intercepted a poor Jack Hall clearance and sent the lively Luke Spalding in to finish easily.
2-0 was no reflection of the balance of play, but games are not won on balance of play.
With the cushion of a two-goal lead, the Steelmen began to show why they are top with some confident spells of possession. The Lions, however, continued to fight and a fine low cross by Berchil led to a sequence of corners which were well defended by the Redcar back line.
A surging run on the break by the lively Spalding ended in a test low cross which the Lions scrambled away.
Spalding was a danger and it took a superb Ollie Brown sliding tackle to halt another break. It was a tackle that sent a message: we’re not done yet.
When Berchil was brought down while bearing down a goal, the Redcar fans around me said, ‘penalty’. Mystifyingly, the referee did not agree.
At the other end, Lebrun Mbeka had to be very sharp to head away a right wing cross with the predatory Adam Boyes lurking behind him.
Wilson had another delightful run at goal, but opted for the side foot finish he had used against Cleethorpes. Mazfari, however, was not fooled and saved easily.
Not a man to die wondering, Ian Richards made a raft of changes (Longbottom for Thewlis, White for Hopper, Tinker for Odunston, Sinfield for Staniland and Iggulden for Murphy). There were also positional changes: Kyle White came on at left back but pushed forward to midfield when Jack Tinker came on. Lebrun Mbeka was thrown up front, a move Ian Richards felt disconcerted the Redcar defence.
It looked, however, as if the Lions would leave empty-handed until Cam Wilson threw the team a lifeline on 87 minutes when he capitalised on some hesitant Redcar defending to volley home from the edge of the box.
Ian Richards shouted ‘BELIEVE’ from the dugout and it is clear that the team did.
In the 92nd minute, Redcar only partially cleared a right wing inswinging cross and Cam Wilson sweetly volleyed the loose ball at goal. It was blocked but rebounded directly to him; his second shot, ironically, wasn’t quite as well struck, but took a deflection which wrong footed Mazfari and went into the net. There was jubilation and disbelief among the Lions’ faithful in equal measure.
The drama was not quite over. From the resulting kick off the Lions rather clumsily conceded a corner. The stage seemed set for our former striker, Adam Boyes, to wipe the smile off our faces, but Ollie Brown headed emphatically clear and the drama was now, indeed, over.
Draws can be funny: a draw at Workington from 2-0 up seemed like a defeat. A draw at Redcar from 2-0 down seemed like a win. It was certainly a real tribute to the spirit of the team and coaching staff and much appreciated by the supporters.
Redcar Athletic 2-2 Guiseley | Saturday 31st October 2026 | Green Lane
Attendance: 437
Team: 1. Jack Hall, 2. Lucas Odunston (72′ Tinker), 3. Ollie Brown, 4. Harrison Hopper (66′ White), 5. Elliot Owen, 6. Lebrun Mbeka (C), 7. Jordan Thewlis (66′ Longbottom), 8. Charlie Staniland (80′ Sinfield), 9. Kallan Murphy (88′ Iggulden), 10. Cam Wilson and 11. Amir Berchil.
Subs: 12. Paul Iggulden, 14. Jack Tinker, 15. Kyle White, 16. Frankie Sinfield and 17. Will Longbottom.
