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Witton Albion
arrived at Nethermoor on the back of a 2-0 midweek win at Gateshead and
with just one defeat from eleven matches since the turn of the year
which has seen them get at least one hand on the Unibond Premier title.
Guiseley harbour similar upwardly mobile ambitions but via the play-offs
and having lost just four times in thirteen outings this year this game
promised to be a tight affair, or so it seemed on paper.
The steady rain
that began thirty minutes before kick off gradually turned an already
heavy pitch into a quagmire down the middle as the match progressed but
it was Guiseley who threatened first when Aron Wilford nod on created a
chance for leading scorer James Hanson but the young striker put his
shot high and wide. The home side also threatened from Jonathan
Fernandez put in a peach of a cross that Dave Macpherson headed to
safety just before Lee Pugh could get his head to it.
And despite Simon
Sturdy going close with two headers from corners it was Witton who
showed why they are top of the pile and eleven points clear as their
incisive passing invariably found its target on a deteriorating surface.
Piotr Skiba in the Guiseley goal had to be at his best on several
occasions to keep the visitors rampant forward line out. The Polish born
keeper denied Rod Thornley on three occasions and then pulled off a fine
save at full stretch to collect Mark Peers volley.
Guiseley came out
in a much more determined mood at the start of the second period and
Fernandez put in two tantalizing crosses that just lacked a final
touch. At the other end Pugh let in the dangerous Thornley but the
visiting striker wasted a good chance by putting his effort over. Alex
Brown was not to be denied though with a crisp low shot that found its
mark from the edge of the area following a clearance from a corner. Adam
Warlow should then have wrapped the game up but having created an
opening for himself he screwed his shot wide.
Guiseley responded
through Hanson who robbed Tony Barras and lobbed just over and Jon
Kennedy got down well to palm substitute Lee Tuck low shot around the
post but Guiseley invariably found the evergreen Brian Pritchard
clearing the danger.
Guiseley were
eventually rewarded for their efforts just before the end on the as a
Brown blocked a shot which Barras cleared but only for Pugh, who had had
a quiet match up to this point, to drill the ball into the top corner
from 20 yards past a static Kennedy.
Entertainment
value: ****
Star Man: Piotr
Skiba (Guiseley) |