Guiseley welcomed in the new year with an important 3-1 victory against Yorkshire rivals Stocksbridge Park Steels. Manager Ian Richards was pleased with his side’s work rate against a determined Stocksbridge side, writes Edward Robertson.
“From start to finish, the players worked incredibly hard for each other despite having some players missing. Obviously we left it quite late, but I think we really did control the game from start to finish today.”
The fiery clash between the two sides started as it meant to go on, as Luke Rawson’s reckless challenge on his former teammate Elliot Owen sidelined the defender for the early stages. Rawson avoided a booking and Owen limped back onto the field of play five minutes later.
The first attempt on goal would come from the Lions. Jordan Thewlis’ arrowed pass was pounced on by Joao Silva. The attacker’s effort could only glide over the crossbar.
Another Guiseley chance came with just over twenty minutes gone. John Lufudu’s clever interception saw him find Silva on the edge of the box, who accurately picked out Thewlis. The striker’s shot was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Ben Townsend.
The visitor’s chances finally came to fruition with half an hour gone. A free kick awarded following a reckless challenge on Thewlis was whipped in by Harrison Hopper. The midfielder’s ball swerved into the path of Owen who nodded home to give the Lions the lead over his former side.
Guiseley’s hard fought lead didn’t last long. A defensive mishap allowed for Daniel Deakin to find Rawson on the edge of the box. The striker’s impressive effort rifled into the bottom corner to level the game before the break.
Temperatures began to rise in the latter moments of the first half, as a scuffle between Hopper and Alexander O’Connor and the subsequent ruckus resulted in three Lions bookings.
The visitors emerged from the tunnel determined to recover their lead, which they did, with the second half only five minutes old. Hopper and Owen linked up again as the former swept a corner into the path of the ex-Stocksbridge man. Owen’s composed header tore into the net, sending him wheeling away in celebration.
A dogged Stocksbridge side immediately pushed for an equaliser. Substitute Thomas Marshall picked out Samuel Kay, who fired his effort over the goal and into the stands.
Guiseley could have wrapped up three points in style as the second half wore on. Townsend rushed off his line to make a clearance, which fell into the path of an alert Ollie Brown. His long range strike came agonisingly close to soaring into the top corner, before shaving the crossbar and going out of play.
Following another fiery clash between the two sets of players, haphazardly controlled by the referee, the Lions sealed the game with their third. Brown’s clearance fell into the path of Thewlis whose clever backheel found debutant Archie Christie-Cranie through on goal. The pacey attacker nutmegged the onrushing Townsend before speeding with the ball at his feet towards goal. The Sheffield United loanee coolly tapped it home much to the travelling fans’ jubilation, and the frustration of his outpaced marker.
It was a landmark victory for the Lions that saw them edge further up the table. After picking up maximum points over the festive period, Guiseley host mid-table Bamber Bridge at Nethermoor Park on Saturday the 10th January, looking to close the shrinking gap between them and the play off places.
“We’re focused on the next game now, being Bamber Bridge. We know anyone can beat anyone in this league and Bamber are doing well, they’re a good footballing team but if these players keep playing as they are they’ll be match ready.”
Stocksbridge Park Steels 1-3 Guiseley | Thursday 1st January 2026 | Bracken Moor
Attendance: 448
Team: 1. Joe Cracknell, 2. Lucas Odunston, 3. Connor Ferguson, 4. George Goodman, 5. Elliot Owen, 6. Jake Lawlor (C), 7. Harrison Hopper, 8. Ollie Brown, 9. Jordan Thewlis, 10. John Lufudu (72′ Moore) and 11. Joao Silva (72′ Christie-Crainie).
Subs: 12. Calum Hudson, 14. Bobby Moore, 15. Archie Christie-Crainie, 16. Zac Rushworth and 17. Derren Boyle.
