Guiseley reserved their worst performance of the season for this bottom of the table clash with Hereford United as the visitors plundered all three points with goals in each half from Ryan Lloyd and Ryan McLean to give them a 2-0 victory. Read more in our match report sponsored by BuildADrive.com.
The Lions came into this game on the back of a fine performance at AFC Wimbledon in the Emirates FA Cup First Round but any hopes of a repeat were quickly dispelled as both sides showed why they are struggling at the wrong end of the table.
Hamza Bencherif was missing from the Lions line up due to injury but they opened brightly with Shaun Tuton’s header going close.
There was then a long delay as Myles Storey received lengthy treatment on the field following a clash of heads with Jake Hull before the Hereford player was helped off the pitch to be replaced by Zeli Ismail.
Lebrun Mbeka put a header just over the bar from a Lewis Heys corner but all too often Guiseley resorted to playing the ball across the back line as the front three struggled to find any space against a packed defence.
Having created little themselves, when their first real opportunity occurred on 45 minutes Hereford took full advantage as Ryan Lloyd fired home from the edge of the area.
An early second half chance for the Lions saw Brad Nicholson’s header across the area collected by Brandon Hall.
Tom Owen-Evans and Ryan McLean wasted openings for the visitors but a mix up between Hull and Regan Hutchinson let in McLean who made amends for his earlier miss to double the Bull’s lead with a shot into the bottom corner on 65 minutes.
Hutchinson then had a great chance at the other end after being set up by Lewis Hey but his shot was high and wide of the mark.
That was the last action for Hey as he made way for Luke Hall and Josh Stones came on for Tuton with twenty minutes to go and the effect was almost immediate as Hall fired just wide of Hall’s left hand post.
With ten minutes left the Lions had a glorious chance to reduce the deficit as a home corner was cleared but struck Ben Pollock’s hand and concede a penalty in the process. As the referee dealt with the visitors protests they proceeded to scuff the grass around the penalty spot right under the nose of the officials. The result being that when Spencer ran in to take the kick he slipped and hit the ball with his standing foot before sending it over the bar and the referee pulled play back for a double strike.
Even then Stones created some space for himself and powered in a shot which Hall parried into the path of Spencer but he could only play the ball back into the visiting custodian’s arms to leave the home side frustrated once again.
This was very much a case of after the ‘Lord Mayors Show’ and in front of a bumper crowd of 966 Guiseley had the chance to impress some of the neutrals but it was only with the introduction of Stones and Hall with twenty minutes to go that the Lions carried any threat up front. Had these two had been on from the restart then it might have been a different story as the lack of any penetration up front ultimately proved to be the Lions undoing.
The news regarding Miles Storey is that he was taken to hospital but Hereford tweeted late on Saturday that he is being monitored but feeling better and hopes to be released later.
Attendance: 966
Team: 1. Brad Wade, 2. George Cantrill, 3. Brad Nicholson, 4. Prince Ekpolo, 5. Jake Hull, 6. Lebrun Mbeka, 7. Jacob Gratton, 8. Jamie Spencer, 9. Shaun Tuton, (Stones 79) 10. Lewis Hey (Hall 79) and 11. Regan Hutchinson (Brown 88).
Subs: 12. Ollie Brown, 13. Dec Lambton (GK), 14. Luke Hall, 15. Andy Hollins and 16. Josh Stones
Russ O’Neill post match
Hamza Bencherif post match
