Guiseley began the New Year 2022 in much the same way as they finished the old one, creating several openings but failing to apply the finishing touch to put the ball in the back of the net. Read how this local derby draw panned out in our match report sponsored by BuildADrive.com.
The Lions had a setback prior to kick off when bot Hamza Bencherif and Jamie Spencer had to drop out with COVID symptoms so George Cantrill and Brad Nicholson returned to first team duty as did Jordan Thewlis after completing his three match suspension.
And it was he who linked up with Lebrun Mbeka to create the first opportunity with the latter’s shot flashing just wide.
Several shots followed from Mbeka, Thewlis, Josh Stones and Prince Ekpolo but all were straight at Kyle Trenerry in the Farsley goal without really causing and undue consternation and the teams went in level at the break.
Ekpolo smashed a shot into the side netting early in the second half as the Lions dominated possession and even after pegging Celtic back with three successive corners they still couldn’t convert their dominance into goals.
The nearest they came to breaking the deadlock was when man-of-the-match Andy Hollins shot from close in came back off the bar.
Former Guiseley striker James Hanson had a couple of efforts saved by Owen Mason but despite some enterprising build up play the Celts offered little in the way of a threat in front of goal.
The game finally kicked into gear for all the wrong reasons in the 77th minute when Tyler Watson was booked for a cynical foul on Ekpolo and the not having learned his lesson went in for another meaty challenge and received a second yellow for his troubles, followed by the mandatory red card with nine minutes left on the clock.
The home side tried to perk things up for the last quarter as Adam Haw and Lewis Hey came on for Thewlis and Stones. Haw did have one chance and steered the ball wide of Trenerry only to see his shot rolled agonisingly wide of the target, and so the game remained goalless at the final whistle.
Attendance: 1017
1.Owen Mason, 20. George Cantrill (C), 3. Brad Nicholson, 4. Prince Ekpolo, 5. Jake Hull, 6. Lebrun Mbeka (87’ Gratton), 7. Andy Hollins, 18. Ollie Brown, 9. Josh Stones (73’ Hey), 10. Jordan Thewlis (73’ Haw), and 11. Regan Hutchinson.
Subs: 12. Lewis Hey, 13. Dec Lambton (GK), 14. Jacob Gratton, 15. Adam Haw and 16. Oli Metcalfe.
