Guiseley AFC 3 v 0 FC United Manchester (Vanarama National North)
Guiseley welcomed bottom of the league FC United of Manchester to Nethermoor Park as they looked to continue their seven game unbeaten run in the Vanarama National League North. Marcus Bignot and Russ O’Neil made a couple of forced changes to the team with Will Hatfield replacing Scott Garner and Tabish Hussain added to the bench.
It was the home side that had the first effort at goal on just five minutes, when a Lewis Walters cross into the area was met by Rowan Liburd but his stooping header went just over Dave Carnell’s crossbar. On twenty minutes, the home side went close to taking the lead following a free-kick from the left-wing which Niall Heaton came close to making contact with on the six yard line, but the ball went straight out for a goal kick.
Guiseley opened the scoring on twenty-eight minutes with a corner that was straight off the training ground, as the ball was played to Kingsley James just inside the area, Will Hatfield got a slight touch and divert the midfielders shot past Dave Carnell in the visitors goal to make the score 1-0 to the home side.
I then became the Will Hatfield show as the midfielder had two chances in two minutes, the first was a difficult overhead kick which was easily saved by Dave Carnell in the FC United goal following an excellent cross into the visitors area.
The second chance should have extended the home sides lead as Hatfield broke into the right hand side of the visitors area. Hatfield could have squared the ball to Liburd who was unmarked on the six yard box, but he chose to shoot and his shot went across the box and wide of the far post for a goal kick making the half-time score 1-0 to Guiseley.
The home side extended their lead just two minutes into the second-half, as Rowan Liburd capitalised on some poor defending at the edge of the area before rounding the on rushing keeper and slotting the ball home from a very tight angle to make it 2-0.
On fifty-three minutes, Alex Ray-Harvey stung the palms of Dave Carnell in the visitors goal before Rowan Liburd hit the rebound just wide of the post. Just seven minutes later Rowan should have added Guiseley’s third but he glanced his header just wide of the post.
Rowan Liburd added his second and the clubs third on sixty-three minutes, following a corner which was cleared to Will Thornton he in turn fed James who picked out Liburd at the far post for his second of the afternoon.
The visitors came close to pulling a goal back on sixty-eight minutes, as Joel Logan flashed a dangerous ball across the face of Green’s goal, before going out of play.
Rowan Liburd was now in search of his hat-trick and he had two excellent chances within two minutes, his first effort on seventy-four minutes was a shot straight at Cardnell and his second effort a minute later went just wide from a tight angle.
On eighty-five minutes, the visitors had the final effort of the half when Joe Green dropped an effort from Joel Logan, however the keeper recovered well to collect at the feet of Logan to stop him putting the ball into an empty goal, to make the final score 3-0 to Guiseley.
Speaking after the match joint manager Marcus Bignot said, we know despite their league position FC United would be a difficult side after going three games without defeat, I think we got our balance right today both with and without the ball. We are now eight games unbeaten after an impressive performance we now have back to back wins.
The defence was excellent today, its good to see Will Thornton, Scott Smith and Tabish Hussain have all come through the system from the academy which is great for the club. Next week we have a break from the league as we enter the FA Cup and like all of the non league sides we are looking to get through to the third round this year and get one of the Premier League big boys back at Nethermoor Park.
Match Details
Guiseley AFC – Green, Moyo, Heaton, Purver, Thornton, Halls, Walters, James, Liburd, Hatfield, Ray-Harvey (Subs) Kennedy, Hussain, Smith, Clayton, Dyche
FC United Manchester – Carnell, Senior, Thompson, Baird, Priestley, O’Halloran, Jones, Winter, Willoughby, Donohue, Litchfield (Subs) Tattum, Egan, Banister, Dickinson, Logan
Goals – (Guiseley) Hatfield (28), Liburd (47, 62)
Attendance – 907
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