Image Credit [Will Pickworth]

On a cold Tuesday night in West Yorkshire in the company of six hundred and thirteen fans, Guiseley fell to a 3-1 defeat to Blyth Spartans, bringing to an end their five-game unbeaten run. It was a lively game of few chances, but the travelling side took a valuable three points that moved them away from the relegation zone.

The game’s standout player was Blyth’s Daniel Maguire, whose two goals were the difference in a professional performance from the away side.

The beginning of the game didn’t go quite to plan for Guiseley when Blyth got off to the perfect start – a goal coming from the first corner of the match. Right back Aaron Cunningham responded well to the second ball from the clearance and slid the ball home at the far post to make it Guiseley 0 Blyth Spartans 1.

However, the away side weren’t to be in front for long. Guiseley grew into the game well and responded well to conceding and their pressure paid off when Kingsley James scored the equaliser from the penalty spot after Kieran Green dragged down Lions’ midfielder Will Hatfield.

The hosts seemed to be pressing on after the equaliser as captain Purver and goal scorer James began to dictate the pace in the centre of the park, yet the next goal was to come from the away team. After a flick on from Blyth captain Dale bounced past Guiseley centre back Will Thornton, striker Daniel Maguire outmuscled Thornton and latched on well to the loose ball and finished well past Guiseley’s Joe Green.

The Lions almost immediately responded through a strike from Kingsley James that the linesman ruled out for offside. Nevertheless, the rest of the first half created few clear-cut chances, with Guiseley going in at the break a goal down.

Maguire and Blyth finished the game in the eighty-second minute after some great work on the right hand side, with the striker cutting inside of Thornton and emphatically curling home his second of the game and the visitor’s third.

A quiet start to the second half was followed by a sloppier period where neither team created many chances, with a flurry of bookings being the major events in the first period of the second half. Guiseley winger Morrison saw his shot saved well by the Blyth keeper after sixty-eight minutes.

Maguire and Blyth finished the game in the eighty-second minute after some great work on the right hand side, with the striker cutting inside of Thornton and emphatically curling home his second of the game and the visitor’s third.

In the final minutes, long balls up to substitute Scott Smith had little success for the home team, but the striker had an effort saved by Jameson in the final minutes.

A disappointing result for the home team, but yet another strong turnout from the fans after Guiseley’s fifth straight home game in a row.

Gryphon Guiseley MOTM – Curtis Morrison