Guiseley returned to action tonight after an enforced three week layoff due to COVID 19 restrictions and it showed as visitors Darlington ran out 4-1 winners so read our match report sponsored by sponsored by BuildADrive.com to find out how the evening unfolded.
Darlington started the stronger and were straight into their stride but it was George Cantrill who provided the first threat but his effort was cleared.
The visitors went close to opening their account when ex-Lion Will Hatfield hit the bar with a sweet half volley before the Lions suffered a major blow as Jonathan Wafula limped off to be replaced by Jack Ryan on 24 minutes.
A minute later and Darlo were ahead as Omar Holness went down over Hamzza Bencherif’s outstretched foot and Adam Campbell converted the resultant spot kick.
Ten minutes later Wade made a really good stop from the same player while Matty Gillam’s half volley flew just over at the other end.
But the Quakers doubled their lead three minutes before the break when Wade had again pulled off a point blank save to deny Joe Wheatley, and as the ball flew across the six yard box Maguire put in a shot which Brad Nicholson looked to have cleared off the line. However, after consulting his assistant, the referee ruled that that ball had indeed crossed the goaline before the Guiseley defender had cleared it.
Kian Harratt replaced Matty Gillam (hamstring) on the restart as the Lions looked to claw back the two goal deficit, but once again it was the visitors who took advantage as Erico Sousa waltzed passed three home defender before crossing for Dan Maguire to slide in on Dan Cowan’s blind side and put the game beyond Guiseley on 46 minutes.
Jarrett Rivers rattled the home crossbar with a shot from range and the Quakers went on to score a fourth when a short corner eventually found Sousa who beat Prince Ekpolo and beat Wade with a peach of a shot into the top corner with fifteen minutes remaining.
Immediately after Andy Kellett finally made his Lions debut and set about providing the impetus that the midfield had been lacking. With his promptings the home side finally started stringing their passes together.
Mbeka was fouled in one of these attacks and Nicholson stepped up to strike a superb free kick into the far corner for the best goal of the night ,but it was far too little, far too late for a lackluster lethargic Lions side who were well beaten on the night by a slick Darlington side.
Russ O’Neill post-match:
Team:
1-Brad Wade
2-George Cantrill
3-Brad Nicholson
4-Mark Howarth (Kellett 76′)
5-Hamza Bencherif (C)
6-Dan Cowan
7-Matty Gillam (Harratt 45′)
8-Prince Ekpolo
9-Jonathan Wafula (Ryan 24′)
10-Lebrun Mbeka
11-Gabriel Johnson
Subs:
12-Isaac Currie
14-Kian Harratt
15-Jack Ryan
16-Nathan Newall
17-Andy Kellett
