Guiseley Academy prepared for what will be a challenging FA Youth Cup tie at Harrogate on Tuesday night with another superb performance at AFC Fylde on Friday, writes Rachel O’Connor.
After watching his side go from being 2-0 down at Mill Farm at half-time to winning 5-2, to bag three valuable league points, Academy Head Coach Dave Currie looked forward to the cup game.
He said: “It will be a tough game against a side who are unbeaten in the EFL Youth League. However, as big a task as it is we are all looking forward to the experience.
“We will prepare as well as we can and I am sure this group of players will give everything they have.”
For their second successive game the Young Lions produced an explosive salvo of goals to ensure victory.
They took a 2-0 deficit at half-time to a 4-2 lead netting four goals in a nine minute spell.
George Sebine netted his third hat-trick of the season taking his tally to 11 goals.
Another player to reach the double figure mark was Lucas Alexander who notched his tenth goal of the season.
This goal came after the youngster had once again showed his prowess with a free-kick by getting Guiseley’s stunning goal in a 2-1 defeat by the Armthorpe men’s team in the West Riding County Cup.
The other goal against Fylde came from right winger Jack Lorriman, his fifth of the season.
Currie’s young charges had taken on the mantle of representing the club in the open age County Cup competition, with the assistance of young first team squad players Sam Walters and Sam Bentley, as Mark Bower rested his injury hit squad.
Walters was an Academy player last season and Bentley is a youngster looking to get his football career back on track after being released by Bradford City. Both are making steady progress with the first team.
The Academy team at Fylde was: Spencer Booth; Lawrence Ford, Freddie Westfall (C), Joe Taylor, Robbie Murray; Jack Lorriman, Marley Spence, Max Dickinson, Lucas Alexander; George Sebine, Zac Rushworth.
Subs (all used): McKenzie Aylward, Yasin Hayes, Oli Storr, Emre Can.
The Academy are starting pick up league points after a shaky start having opened their season with defeats by Chester and Solihull Moors.
This mirrors their start last season, season when they went on to become champions of the National League U-19 Alliance North.
FA Youth Cup games though have historically brought the best out of the Young Lions who approach the Harrogate challenge having already won their way through five rounds of the competition, scoring 22 goals and conceding just two.
Along the way they have disposed of Dronfield, Yorkshire Amateur, Brighouse Town, York City and Macclesfield.
With the game at Harrogate just down the road Guiseley will no doubt be backed by a big following having attracted almost 300 to their home tie with York.
Tickets for the game at Harrogate need to be purchased in advance and are priced at £4 adults, £3 concessions, £2 U-18s and £1 U-11s. They are available online here.
