Versus Guisborough Town

26th March 2016
Northern League Division One
Dunston UTS 1
Guisborough Town 1
Att, 169
Report by Billy Montague

Dunston welcomed Guisborough Town to the UTS Stadium for the third home Ebac Northern League game in a week. Manager Billy Irwin was able to select new signing Dan Capewell but was still without several players due to long-term injury. Dan Halliday, Dale Burrell, Gary Shaw, Dan Smith and Liam Thear were injured, while Andy Clark and Stephen Harrison were unavailable. Michael Liddle, Steve Bowey, Malky Morien and James Luccock were forced into action even though they were carrying injuries. Guisborough were virtually at full strength.

The visitors made a confident start and on five minutes top scorer Danny Earl made a fine turn on the edge of the Dunston box only to see his shot well saved by Liam Connell. Dunston began to get a foot-hold in the game and on 10 minutes Steven Richardson had a powerfull effort blocked by Paul Roddam and keeper Liversedge was able to gather.

 

On 14 minutes, a long free-kick by Roddam was headed home by Steven Snaith but the effort was rightly ruled out for off-side. Just a minute later the home defence was caught square and a through-ball found the crafty Danny Earl who, despite appearing to be off-side, went clear to smash across Connell and into the net off the far post. 1 – 0 to Guisborough.

Dunston almost equalised on 20 minutes when Michael Pearson crashed a shot just over the bar from 20-yards with Liversedge beaten. Three minutes later, Steve Bowey made a great run, beating three defenders before he sent in a low shot that Liversedge saved. As Dunston pressed, Pearson sent in a telling low cross from the right and the on-rushing Richardson and Michael Liddle just failed to convert. At the other end though, only a brilliant last ditch tackle by Adam Wilkinson prevented Connor Smith from increasing the visitors’ lead after a swift break.

 

The home side a decent share of possession but were unable to fashion many clear cut chances until the 40th minute when sustained pressure ended with a strong Scott Martindale shot which looked like sneaking into the bottom corner of the net before Nick Liversedge pulled off a good save. Dunston suffered a blow just before the interval when Michael Liddle was forced off to be replaced by Malky Morien.

Half-time score: Dunston UTS 0 Guisborough 1

Dunston came out in the second-half looking determined and as the game swung from end-to-end, it was the home side who made the first real chance on 51 minutes when Alex Francis sent Malky Morien through with a great ball. Morien got to the edge of the box but his effort scraped past the post. Two minutes later Matty Fisher drew another good save out of Liversedge.

It was Fisher who had the next effort, earning a corner when his goal-bound shot was deflected by Andrew May. When the flag-kick was sent to the far-post by Francis, Adam Wilkinson rose to send a powerful header just past the post. All of Dunston’s pressure almost came to nothing in the 56th minute when Danny Earl made a very good run through only to mis-kick his effort through to Liam Connell when well placed.

 

The striker appeared to hurt himself in the incident but he recovered in time to send another shot on goal three minutes later but Connell pulled off a good save. Dunston almost capitalised on these two let-offs when Morien went close on 62 minutes but his shot was deflected narrowly past the post for a corner that was forced away. On 71 minutes, Guisborough left-back Dan McWilliams made a strong run to the edge of the Dunston box and his excellent effort was deflected up and over the bar by Dan Capewell. Dunston replied a couple of minutes later when Morien looked favourite to get on the end of a Richardson through-ball but keeper Liversedge sprinted from his goal to hack clear. On 76 minutes Connell denied Curtis Round and then a long Roddam free-kick on the right ended with Connor Smith sending a volley just over.

 

On 83 minutes Dunston should have grabbed the equaliser when a Francis free-kick beat the Guisborough defence only for Morien and Wilkinson both fail to convert with the goal at their mercy. As the pressure built on the visitors, Dunston forced a succession of corners with Liversedge at his best to keep them at bay. The Guisborough goal was leading a charmed life but in the 87th minute the pressure finally told when Steve Bowey sent his flag-kick to the front-post and Malky Morien got across his marker to send a deft header inside the post and into the net, giving Liversedge no chance. 1 – 1.

Encouraged by the goal that brought them level, Dunston went for a winner and almost got it in the 89th minute when Liversedge pulled off another excellent save from a Morien header. Guisborough went close at the other end through Jonathan Helm and the last action in added time saw a superb Richardson cross from the right reach Morien whose shot was deflected wide by Leon Carling.

Full-time Score: Dunston UTS 1 Guisborough Town 1

Dunston Man of the Match: Steve Bowey – Steve lead by example throughout the game. He put in a great performance and was always ready to give advice to his younger team-mates. A much improved team display brought a well deserved point against one of the best sides in the League. Excellent commitment from all!

Dunston UTS: Connell, Gilhespy (Guerin, Martindale, Bowey, Wilkinson, Capewell, Pearson, Francis, Richardson, Fisher, Liddle (Morien). Subs not used: Luccock, Clark J.

Guisborough Town: Liversedge, Roddam, McWilliams, Carling, May, Wood, (Bailey) Snaith, Helm, Earl, Smith, Round (Blake).Subs not used: Snook, Galloway, Brown.

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Referee, Craig Dean, Assitants, Danile Jackson, Samual Ross.
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Next Home Game, Our 1000th League game versus Seaham Red Star, Kick off 3pm