After a first-half at Macclesfield which had looked as if the game could go either way Guiseley Academy emerged for the second-half to produce a scintillating three goals in a five minute spell to seal their passage into the First Round Proper of the FA Youth Cup, writes Rachel O’Connor.
Wearing the club’s purple strip the Young Lions emerged from the tunnel to face a team posing as Galaticos in a white strip with gold numbers but on this occasion Guiseley became the ‘Real’ deal.
The Guiseley lads left their opponents reeling with how they reacted to going in at the break without a goal to show. Not something Dave Currie’s young charges are used to in this competition where they have now played five games scoring 22 goals and conceding just two.
The game was played at a fast pace and there was little between the sides in a first-half in which there were plenty of corners but few real attempts on goal.
Guiseley lined up with newcomer Spencer Booth in goal, the only change to the side that beat York City in the last round.
An early attempt by the in-form Lucas Alexander curled just wide of the far post after taking a slight deflection and Guiseley were awarded the first of many corners in the game. There was little between the teams at this stage as the swirling wind gathered pace and the game was end-to-end as the sides battled for supremacy.
Macclesfield’s right winger Jamie Walker was proving troublesome and he looked to be away but Marley Spence stopped him in his tracks with a trademark all in tackle. Despite all his efforts to set the home team up for an effort on goal Walker found the Guiseley defence on top form with centre-back Joe Taylor the next to stop him in his tracks.
In this cat and mouse battle Zac Rushworth was next to have an attempt on goal with his long range header parried by Tyler Clarke in the Macclesfield goal.
Taylor and captain Freddie Westfall were as usual the proverbial rock at the heart of the Guiseley defence and it was the unflappable Taylor who ended another Macclesfield attack, clearing the ball before then making a great tackle to win the ball in the penalty area.
Walker fired a shot from the edge of the box that went wide before Rushworth saw his curling ball taken by the ‘keeper. Westfall was shown a yellow card for handball in the 32nd minute but this did not blunt the skipper’s efforts.
The game was end-to-end and exciting for the spectators and as it approached the break Macclesfield applied a little pressure but the Guiseley lads were up to it. A highlight was Spence’s superb tackle on Walker when a good through ball had left Robbie Murray with little chance of winning the foot race with the flying winger.
George Sebine, back after injury, found Jack Lorriman but his shot was blocked by the ‘keeper’s feet.
So the sides went in level at the break with little expectation of what was to come. The half-time talk must have been interesting as Guiseley came out to really show what they are made of in the second-half.
In the 53rd minute Rushworth put Sebine in and the big striker netted his eighth goal of the season, all coming in the FA Youth Cup with the tally including two hat-tricks.
As a sign of things to come Rushworth had a shot palmed away before Guiseley were awarded a free-kick just outside the box for handball and Lucas Alexander stepped up to make it 2-0 on 55 minutes with a sublime kick.
Just to prove it was no fluke two minutes later he placed another fine free-kick from the edge of the box into the goal to take his tally for the season to nine.
Guiseley had turned on the burners and blown the opposition away and the gold numbers on the Macc kit appeared to lose their lustre. However, they did not lie down and picked up a couple of yellow cards but they found a Guiseley side now oozing in confidence.
Substitutes Mason Donaldson and Sam Macaulay replaced the hard-working Rushworth and Lorriman in the 68th minute and then Mackenzie Aylward replaced Max Dickinson on 80 minutes after another good performance from the midfielder.
Left-back Robbie Murray put a free-kick just wide before Emre Can was introduced for Taylor in the 84th minute to play out the game in style.
Guiseley now visit Harrogate Town in the First Round Proper.
After the game Head Coach Dave Currie was full of praise for both his boys and those who went to support them. He said: “We are delighted that the boys have been able to reach the First Round Proper of this illustrious competition. They deserved this after having to navigate five rounds to get here.
“Credit to Macclesfield who for 45 minutes made it difficult for us. The wind made it pretty difficult for the players and it wasn’t pretty at times but in the second-half we looked to try and play more and when we did we looked a better side and deserved to win.”
Of the support his side had Currie said: “On behalf of the players can I thank the parents and family members who came to support the players and of course Guiseley AFC supporters, many of whom made the long journey on a busy M62 on a Friday night to cheer the boys on.
“The next round will be very tough at Harrogate but it is not far to go so hopefully we will get a good number over there to cheer on the Young Lions.”
Guiseley: Spencer Booth; Lawrence Ford, Freddie Westfall, Joe Taylor, Robbie Murray; Jack Lorriman, Marley Spence, Max Dickinson, Lucas Alexander; Zac Rushworth, George Sebine. Subs: Mackenzie Aylward (Dickinson 80), Emre Can (Taylor 84), Sam Macaulay (Rushworth 68), Mason Donaldson (Lorriman 68), Ollie Jacques (GK).
