Battling Lions Topple Leaders

Battling Guiseley provided the major shock of the afternoon as Will Hatfield’s goal brought to an end the seventeen-game unbeaten run of League leaders Lincoln City before a record crowd of 2446 at a cold and windy Nethermoor this afternoon.

Having taken the lead through Hatfield the Lions were pegged back by Luke Waterfalls glancing header just before the half hour but in a frantic finale that saw each have a man dismissed it was Hatfield who grabbed his second goal of the game to extend the Lions unbeaten run to six games.

The game kicked of as a battle of bottom against top as York’s 1-0 win at North Ferriby in the early kick at Chapel Lane sent the Lions back to bottom of the table.

The opening exchanges saw the two sides trading blows with Terry Hawkridge forcing Jonathan Maxted in to a good save early on before Waterfall put a header just over.

The home side replied in decisive fashion as James Wesolowski fed Michael Rankine down the channel for the striker to put in a teasing cross that Jordan Preston intelligently stepped over allowing Hatfield to beat Paul Farman from the edge of the area on thirteen minutes. Cassidy was then denied by Farman before Theo Robinson brought a good save from Maxted.

Just before the half hour Lincoln were awarded a corner on the left and as it was floated in the unmarked Waterfall got the deftest of touches to equalise.

Maxted made a good stop from Sam Habergham and Cassidy wasted a good opportunity when Farman saved at his feet on the restart.

Ellliot Whitehouse tried his luck as he looped a shot over with Maxted grounded.

Oli Johnson and Adam Boyes replaces Cassidy and Preston as the game entered a frantic finale that saw the home side suffer a major setback when Rankine was penalised for allegedly blocking a Farman clearance, a decision that looked rather contentious at the time.

Referee Andrew Miller was then presented with a more clear-cut decision minutes later when Whitehouse pulled Hatfield back and was shown a mandatory red for his second caution of the game.

The resulting free kick saw Hatfield’s effort fumbled by Farman who dropped the ball behind the line and end his sides unbeaten run in the process, giving the ios a precious three points hat takes them back up above Ferriby and York into 22nd place, just two points from safety.

Team:

26  Maxted

20  Williams

2    Brown

24  Walton

15  Palmer

3    Lowe

8    Hatfield (Purver 90+4)

31  Wesolowski

11  Rankine

19  Preston (Johnson 71)

29  Cassidy (Boyes 72)

Substitutes

9    Boyes

10  Johnson

17  Atkinson

22  Purver

33  Green

Post match reaction:
Adam Lockwood

Will Hatfield

Jonathan Maxted

 

 

 

Next Up:

3:00 pm
Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division

Mickleover vs Guiseley