Guiseley delivered a below par performance against a youthful FC Halifax Town side and it took two second half spot kicks from James Walshaw to put them in to the West Riding County Cup Final at Valley Parade on Wednesday 13 April against old rivals Thackley, who are managed by former Lions defender and crowd favourite Dave Morgan.
Halifax opened the scoring through Scott Phelan’s twentieth minute spot kick for what looked like a dubious handball decision. Darryn Stamp then latched on to Luke Sharry’s ball behind the back four to slip the ball wide of Phil Senior and Simon Ainge put a free kick just over just before the break.
James Coates replaced Steve Drench between the sticks ahead of the formers suspension kicking in and he had to be at his best to deny Town who also hit the bar. Stamp’s shot from close in also came back of the upright before Walshaw converted the first of his brace of penalties firing his shot under Senior. Jordan Coduri cleared off the visitors line as Joe O’Neill’s shot looked to be going in and Walshaw sent Senior the wrong way with his second spot kick to wrap the game up on 89 minutes.
Given the decisions that went against them the Halifax players can feel justifiably proud of a job so nearly well done; as for the Lions, it’s business as usual against Worcester City at Nethermoor on Saturday.
Team:
- Drench (Coates 45)
- Toulson
- Merris
- Peyton (McEneaney 80)
- Ellis
- Ainge
- O’Neill
- Boshell
- Stamp 29 (Rothery 61)
- Walshaw 69 pen, 89 pen
- Sharry
- Rothery
- McEneaney
- Roberts
- Coates