GUISBOROUGH TOWN v ASHTON UNITED

FA Cup First Qualifying Round Replay

It is a clear, cool, dry and still night at the King George V Stadium at Guisborough, perfect conditions for the home team to take on Ashton United in a replay earned with a nil nil draw on Saturday. It was a good result against opposition from two leagues higher, but the test will be no easier tonight.

It is a lively start with some early chances. Ashton fire two powerful shots over the bar, while at the other end only a good save keeps Guisborough from taking the lead.

Ashton get a corner which is easily cleared; not so the ball back in which falls to Matty Chadwick, who lashes in an unstoppable shot to give the visitors a ten minute lead.

Having kept their opponents out for the whole of the first match this does not bode well for the Priorymen. Indeed they have difficulty in getting out of their own half, often resorting to back passes to, and hoofed clearances from, keeper Liversedge. But a similar long ball from the back pays dividends when it is misjudged by the Ashton centre half who allows it to drop beyond him. Danny Earl has read the flight better and lets the ball bounce once before volleying a sweet dipping shot over the keeper, under the bar and into the net. So, fifteen minutes in, it is all square again.

Three minutes later Ashton pressure resumes and results in a shot that takes a wicked deflection. The home fans breathe a sigh of relief as it hits the post, but as Ashton recover possession and the ball is chipped against a raised hand, the same spectators gasp in dismay as a penalty is awarded. Chris Baguley converts tidily, and we have had three goals in the first twenty minutes.

The game settles down to one of high pace and good quality. Ashton have more of the ball but it is their keeper who has to make the next save, a good one low to his right. It is competitive too and when, just before half time, Guisborough’s Gary Wood niggles Chris Baguley, the Ashton number ten’s overreaction – a wild kick – is effective in flooring Wood but inevitably gets him a red card.

Starting the second half with ten men, Ashton go solid at the back, leaving just Dale Johnson up front. Guisborough playmaker Steven Snaith now has space to play, but it is mainly forty yards from goal. His outlet is often left back Dan McWilliams, but his marauding runs and crosses are comfortably dealt with by the Ashton defence.

Ashton make a sensible substitution, replacing target man Johnson with the more mobile Martin ‘Killer’ Pilkington; his speed has immediate impact with a run and shot that goes narrowly wide. They now have an out ball and when delivered it provides a great contest between him and the excellent Andrew May who is often left to deal with him single-handed.

On one occasion May needs Liversedge to help out with a double save; and the keeper is soon in action again but this time his save hits his own man and rebounds to Pilkington (in the clear in what would otherwise have been an offside position) who rolls it over the line. The linesman flags but the referee has seen it all and awards the goal.

It looks over for Guisborough but with twenty minutes still left they continue to plug away. The strikers Earl and Blythway, usually lethal, can’t make anything out of the few half chances they have. Then with five minutes left Luke Blythway swings a left foot at a bouncing ball twenty yards out and sees the hopeful effort hit the post and squeeze into the net.

This sets up a frantic last few minutes but the nearest to a score is when Pilkington finds himself alone on the half way line with just Liversedge between him and the goal. The keeper back-peddles impressively, dives at the forward’s feet and miraculously comes up with the ball.

That keeps the score respectable, but the game is over, as is the Priorymen’s gallant cup effort for this season.