Guiseley were the architects of their own downfall as two second half defensive blunders saw visitors AFC Telford United return to Shropshire with all three points this afternoon and complete a clean sweep over The Lions in the process with three wins out of three for the season.
Yet it could all have been so different after Kennedy Digie had put the home side ahead on 34 minutes, lashing the ball into the roof of the net after Telford keeper Michael Luyambula had parried a Lee Shaw shot and Chris Sang’s effort had been blocked by Theo Streete.
After last Saturday’s rousing performance at Darlington the visitors should have been there for the taking but a succession of balls lofted up to the front men proved to be meat and drink to Streete and his defensive colleagues who had conceded five goals in a 5-2 defeat at Altrincham in midweek.
Kaine Felix fired one just past the upright shortly after and Brad Nicholson had a great chance to double the home sides lead but put his header from ten yards out the wrong side of the post on the strike of half-time.
If that had gone in then it might have been a completely different outcome but as it was Telford proved to be the more resilient in the second period with Marcus Dinanga and Brendon Daniels proving to be a handful for the Guiseley defence and it was no surprise that it was the former who turned the game on its head, albeit with assistance from the home defence.
Daniels fired just over the bar as and James McQuilkin saw his shot well saved by home debutant goalkeeper Brad Wade as United’s momentum gained some traction and putting the home defence on the back foot in the process.
Dinaga really should have squared matters when Andrai Jones’ clearance went straight to the tall striker but with the goal at his mercy with only Wade to beat he pulled his shot wide of the far post.
But when Hamza Bencherif and Wade hesitated to clear a cross he nipped in between them to head home the easiest of chances on 59 minutes.
Chris Sang was a whisker away from restoring The Lions lead but his shot hit the side netting and with five minutes remaining Nicholson headed an attempted clearance across his own penalty area which fell at the feet of Dinanga who gleefully buried it to give his side the points.
With three minutes of added time the Telford goal came under siege but Luyambula ensured his goal remained intact as he palmed away Felix’s looping header that was heading for the top corner.
Attendance: 613
Team:
- Brad Wade
- Reiss McNally
- Brad Nicholson
- Andrai Jones
- Hamza Bencherif
- Kennedy Digie (90’ Smith)
- Kaine Felix
- George Cantrill
- Lee Shaw (75′ Johnson)
- Aram Soleman
- Chris Sang
Substitutes:
- Gabriel Johnson
- Prince Ekpolo
- Paul Clayton
- Scott Smith
- Harrison Sheppeard
Images and Video of Some of the Penalty Shoot-Out From the Academy’s League Cup Win Over Chester