Guiseley Vixens 5  Morecambe 3

Another win for the ladies, but they made harder work than necessary in overcoming the visitors from Lancashire.

Both sides looked lively early on, with chances being created at either end. With ten minutes on the clock the ball was knocked through to Tanya Rich who shot across the keeper to put Guiseley ahead. Morecambe looked to knock the ball over the top for their centre forward who was quick and strong, and who caused a number of problems for the Guiseley defence, and it was no surprise when a long ball out was well finished to level the scores.

Within two minutes Guiseley were back in front. Katie Welham’s header out from defence was deflected in to the path of Caroline Hulme who made no mistake with only the keeper to beat. Morecambe quickly responded with a goal from a corner. A game of ping pong in the Guiseley box followed a corner, and though Danni Maslin made a good save on to the bar she could not do anything with a strong follow up shot.

Guiseley went in 3-2 up, after Tanya Rich took advantage of a weak defensive keeper and wrong footed the goalkeeper with her shot, but in truth Guiseley had wasted a number of chances, whereas Morecambe had made the most of theirs. The normally reliable Rich and Hulme both missed when they had time with headers, and Louise Stringer could not take advantage of a good cross, sending the ball wide off her knee.

After the flurry of first half goals the second half was a much more tame affair for long periods. Guiseley stepped their game up and had the better of the possession and territory, but the one goal cushion was uneasy with Morecambe very good going forward. Nerves were settled on 75 minutes. Charlie Blyth brought the ball out of defence, played a one two with Tanya Rich, and lobbed home a rare goal. Two minutes later all doubt was removed, as fellow full back Louise Hunt went down the right and put in a cross which the Morecambe defence failed to deal with, leaving Caroline Hulme in plenty of space to easily finish.

Morecambe pulled a goal back in time added on, with another smart finish after working the ball down the Guiseley left.

The result moves the Vixens to third in the league, four points off top but with a game in hand on the teams above them. The first team play Leeds Ladies on Thursday night, the game being at Yorkshire Amateurs. They then host Chester Le Street on Sunday, while the reserves play a Newcastle United side who have scored 19 goals in two games.