Despite taking an early lead, it was a resolute Warrington Town who took the spoils, in the end good value for their 2-1 win, writes Ivor Timmis.
The Lions started brightly and on four minutes a miscued bicycle kick by Ollie Brown fell kindly for Adam Lund who hit an excellent low drive into the left-hand corner from 25 yards.
The lively Jack Goodman was prominent for the visitors when they broke down the right wing and Reece Daly was also a threat.
On 13 minutes Cam Wilson made a brilliant run forward but couldn’t quite find Amir Berchil with the through ball as the Lions exerted consistent pressure on Warrington.
Lucas Odunston and Berchil combined well down the right several times, with Odunston sometimes in the more advanced position. Harrison Hopper gave the referee no choice but to give a yellow card when he halted a Warrington break with a clear trip.
The Lions came close to a second when Berchil, as ever leading the press, closed down the keeper after a back pass. The ball eventually fell to Aaron Martin, but under pressure he couldn’t find enough power in the shot.
The drinks break proved a watershed. Paul Carden was seen in animated discussion with the Warrington team, and they were a different proposition when the game resumed.
A fine shot from the edge of the area by Ewan Bange was deflected narrowly wide before a shot by Reece Daly was blocked for a corner. The ensuing corner, much to Ian Richards’ disappointment, was headed home by an unmarked Ewan Bange on the edge of the six-yard box on 42 minutes. It has been coming but it was a pity the Lions couldn’t hold out until half time.
Warrington were sharper out of the blocks in the second half and soon won what Ian Richards felt was an unnecessary free kick 10 yards inside the Guiseley half towards the touchline.
Daly lofted the free kick beyond the far post where Alex McNally sent a looping header, which looked harmless at first, across goal where it dropped in at the far post.
There followed a period of indecisive defending by the Lions who couldn’t clear their lines, and it took a brilliant block by Lebrun Mbeka from Daly’s close-range volley to keep the Lions in the game. Perhaps the closest the Lions came to a goal was an acrobatic overhead kick by Mbeka from a Martin knockdown.
Martin won several headers from long balls forward but there were rarely any takers. A surging run by Berchil was then stopped by Goodwin at the expense of a yellow card.
Over the last 30 minutes, Richards made a number of changes: Jordan Thewlis, Jay Rollins, Derren Boyle and new signing, Jack Tinker all entered the fray to replace Hopper, Wilson, Brown and Elliot Owen.
Richards expressed himself pleased with the contribution of the substitutes, but there was to be no way through with a resolute Warrington defence blocking shots and clearing crosses with reasonable comfort.
Richards was disappointed with the result and aspects of the performance, especially conceding two from set pieces, and going too long too soon in the second half. He was keen, however, to keep a sense of perspective: there are 41 games to go.
Guiseley 1-2 Warrington Town | Saturday 8th August 2026 | Nethermoor
Attendance: 545
Team: 1. Jack Hall, 2. Lucas Odunston, 3. Ollie Brown (82′ Tinker), 4. Adam Lund, 5. Elliot Owen (78′ Boyle), 6. Lebrun Mbeka (C), 7. Harrison Hopper (61′ Thewlis), 8. Charlie Staniland, 9. Aaron Martin, 10. Cam Wilson (61′ Rollins) and 11. Amir Berchil.
Subs: 12. Paul Iggulden, 14. Jack Tinker, 15. Jay Rollins, 16. Jordan Thewlis and 17. Derren Boyle.
