Guiseley will be in the hat for Monday’s draw for the First Round Proper courtesy of an opportunist strike from Joe O’Neill, who benefited from the persistence of Luke Parry and James Walshaw, when the latter played the ball into the channel the Lions striker to instinctively drift across the box and evade the outstretched arms of home keeperDean Porter to slip the ball in at the far post for a trademark poachers goal on 72 minutes.
That this was only the visitors second shot on target made no odds as they subdued a team that had scored fifty four goals in all competitions this season to such an extent that Steven Drench had a relatively quiet afternoon between the sticks. It is perhaps a measure of how far the club has progressed over the last two and a half seasons that in the period prior to this, the team would have conceded a late goal late or settled for a replay back at Nethermoor.
Superbly led by Simon Ainge – christened the Angel of the North by the Fieldmeister this afternoon – this win was built on a rock solid defensive performance as the midfield and forward line – for once – looked a little out of sorts.
O’Neill almost broke the deadlock early on but his header was just a coat of paint the wrong side of the pots and Walshaw also went close in the first half, and nearly got on the scoresheet in the second forcing a good save from Porter. Danny Boshell summed up the afternoon though when his shot from eighteen yards flew high over the bar and into the covered terrace behind the goal.
All-in-all not a memorable cup tie but Steve Kittricks men have again ground out a result and avoided a replay to prove that in addition to the first team squad’s undoubted skill and quality they can also get down and dirty when the need arises.
- Steven Drench
- Ryan Toulson
- Dave Merris
- Warren Peyton (James 72)
- Danny Ellis
- Simon Ainge
- Gavin Rothery
- Danny Boshell
- Joe O’Neill 72 (Stamp 87)
- James Walshaw
- Liam Needham (Sharry 33)
- Jez Fitzgerald
- Matty James
- Luke Sharry
- Darryn Stamp
- David Scarsella
Cautions: Ainge, Ellis and Walshaw
Att:809