Jack Mason’s stunning performance helped Guiseley Academy progress in the FA Youth Cup with a comfortable 7-0 victory over their Gainsborough Trinity counterparts, writes Cayden Sands.
The Young Lions arrived at the fixture following victories earlier in the competition over Worsborough Bridge Athletic and Tadcaster Albion, their reward for this latest triumph being a First Round tie against Hartlepool United at Nethermoor.
The game couldn’t have started better for the hosts, with Mason opening the scoring in just the second minute thanks to a blistering solo run that allowed him to make space before calmly slotting the ball past Ollie Sykes.
Guiseley’s pressure continued, with Danyaal Khan and Billy Housham both testing Sykes in the 27th and 28th minutes respectively, but the former of the two didn’t have to wait long to open his account, with a 32nd minute penalty easily being dispatched to double the Young Lions’ lead before doing the same in added time to ensure the hosts went in at the break with a comfortable advantage.
The hosts continued where they left off after the break, quickly testing Sykes with the likes of Housham coming close before Mason netted his brace on 52 minutes with an easy tap in.
From there the star forward really came into his element, soon gaining his hat trick on 54 minutes after an impressive team move from Guiseley allowed Mason all the time he needed to hit a composed shot that had the beating of Sykes to take the Young Lions’ lead to five.
Despite their clear superiority, the hosts refused to let up and this was rewarded with a sixth goal after Mason would dink the ball over Sykes before placing the ball safely into the back of the net on his second attempt after his initial effort was cleared off the line.
From this point Guiseley simply did their best to hold out, a job they did both easily and professionally before making time to score one last goal with the very last kick of the game, a good finish in the box from Robbie Murray.
This statement victory from the Young Lions will give them all the momentum they need going forward, particularly with their return to Nethermoor coming in the form of Hartlepool United in the next round of the Youth Cup, a test that Dave Currie’s side will relish and will approach with the determination to obtain another great victory in the competition.
Guiseley 7-0 Gainsborough Trinity | Friday 6th October 2023 | Nethermoor
Attendance: 210
Team: 1. Callum Bradbury (C), 2. Marley Spence, 3. Max Dickinson, 4. Sam Walters, 5. Lewin Storton, 6. Freddie Westfall, 7. Sam Macaulay (56′ Innes), 8. Max Palmer (56′ Murray), 9. Danyaal Khan (76′ Lorriman), 10. Oliver Storr and 11. Jack Mason.
Subs: 12. Ben Innes, 13. Ollie Jacques (GK), 14. Jack Lorriman, 15. Paddy Arnold, 16. Robbie Murray and 17. McKenzie Aylward.