Nahki Wells showed the class that is attracting attention from teams further up the food chain with two second-half goals. Alongside the further two contributed by the Jones boys, Richie and Gary that might convey that this was a one-sided contest, but nothing could be further from the truth.
In what was an entertaining and captivating game, the visitors showed their hosts the respect due to the top non-league team in Yorkshire as they tried to stifle the Lions’ usual free-flowing style by closing them down and harassing the man in possesion at every opportunity.
The Lions’ front line, ably led by Josh Wilson, got very little change out of Rory McArdle and the impressive Luke Oliver in the middle of City’s back four and it was no surprise when Richie Jones put the visitors ahead on 35 minutes, latching on to Wells’s pass and stroking the ball past Steve Drench. Two minutes later, his namesake Gary lobbed over the sprawling Drench for the second. At the other end, as Guiseley eventually found some momentum, Oliver made two telling interceptions to protect the Bantams’ lead.
Crowd favourite James Walshaw and new signing Wayne Brooksby replaced Danny Forrest and Nicky Boshell at half time and added the impetus that Lions had been lacking in the first period. Brooksby provides an instinctive awareness and the energy to create openings, while Walshaw is as ever the joker in the pack who provides the unexpected, soon firing is a rasping shot that Matt Duke was relieved to palm over. But for all the Lions’ efforts, the diminutive Wells wrapped it up for the Bantams late on, first planting a firm header from Will Atkinson’s cross after 62 minutes and then firing into the bottom corner from 25 yards on 77.
So it’s two wins and two defeats from the Lions’ pre-season games to date, but with tonight’s result somewhat flattering the vistors Guiseley can take plenty of positives from a perfomance against a well-prepared team who, after a lengthy period of underachievement, look as though they mean business this time.
Team:
1 – Steve Drench
2 – Jamie Clarke
3 – Andy McWilliams
4 – Rhys Meynell (D Boshell, 55)
5 – Danny Ellis
6 – Simon Ainge (Capt) (Bower, 70)
7 – Danny Forrest (Brooksby, 46)
8 – Andy Holdsworth
9 – Josh Wilson
10 – Nicky Boshell (Walshaw, 46)
11 – Gavin Rothery
12 – James Walshaw
14 – Mark Bower
15 – Danny Boshell
16 – Wayne Brooksby
17 – Chris Mason
18 – Jacob Giles
19 – Macaulay Parkinson