Corden blasts missing players as Town earn a point

Guisborough Town 1

GUISBOROUGH remain marooned at the foot of the division one table despite a battling 1-1 draw at Chester le Street last Saturday.

The Priorymen had a squad of only 13, so manager Steve Corden was forced to play the full 90 minutes, with assistant Steve Dowling among the substitutes.

Corden was critical of his absent players, saying: "On Friday night I had a squad of 19 players. Two of them pulled out for reasons I could quite understand and accepted, but then another four failed to appear.

"We waited for them at two different points on our journey to the game, but they never showed. They're letting not only the club down, but their mates as well."

Despite their lack of numbers, Corden's side started brightly and had three good chances in the first couple of minutes.

First Chris Dunwell picked up a loose ball just inside the area and raced around two defenders before sending a low drive across the area, but no-one was able to get a touch.

Seconds later Peter Masters nicked the ball from Elliot Milburn and charged down the left to unleash a 20-yard effort which drifted just wide.

Guisborough stunned the home crowd by taking the lead on five minutes.

Michael Pennock latched on to a bouncing ball and swivelled on the edge of the box to produce a curling shot which rattled the crossbar.

Youngster David Atkinson was the first to react and he calmly smashed the ball past advancing keeper Aitken.

Guisborough were now in control and created chances to extend their lead. Stephen McLean crossed from the right and Masters showed outstanding control with his back to goal as he struggled to turn under pressure from two defenders before sending in a shot which had Aitken stretching to save.

Then Burke released Masters on the left and the nippy midfielder crossed low into the six-yard box where Atkinson slid in to fire a close-range shot which Aitken somehow tipped over.

But Guisborough's period of dominance came to an end and the home side started to get their act together. First Robbie Houghton sent in a perfect cross to Paul Richardson, whose stinging volley was blocked by a defender at the near post.

Three minutes later Willie Moat had a good chance, but the wind took the ball away just as he was shaping up and his resulting shot didn't trouble Guisborough keeper Escritt.

Guisborough then picked up the pace again and pressed forward. Darren Sankey hustled the ball away from Richardson and battled his way through the middle to fire in a ten-yard shot which skidded across the muddy surface before the last defender hacked it off the line.

Guisborough suffered a double blow on the half hour. First Chester le Street drew level when a quick counter-attack saw Jonny Wightman send in a curling shot which, with the help of the swirling wind, eluded Escritt.

Seconds later, the influential Sankey had to be substituted due to an injury.

The second half was played in extreme conditions, with the wind tearing across a pitch which had turned into a quagmire.

Escritt was called into action on the hour when Richardson found the ball at his feet just inside the visitors' half and his weaving run through the middle saw him send in a 20-yard effort which Escritt had to stoop low to grasp before Moat could pounce.

Then Corden almost released Masters when he spotted the midfielder unmarked on the left, but his intended shot got stuck in the mud.

Overall, this was a match which always promised more than the two goals it produced, but both sides will have been happy with the result, Guisborough to get at least a point on the board and Chester to arrest a four-game losing steak.

Guisborough will hope to be back to full strength and take all three points tomorrow when they entertain fourth-from-bottom Consett at the King George V Ground, kick-off 3pm.

Guisborough: Escritt, McLean, Burke, Pennock, Dunwell, McMahon, Corden, Kasonali, Sankey (Chilmaid), Atkinson, Masters.

Division Two

Northallerton Town 6

Washington 1

Recent signing Craig Skelton is now Northallerton Town's leading scorer for the season after racking up an amazing ten goals in just four appearances.

Skelton, signed from first division club Thornaby, scored twice on his debut in the 3-1 victory at Marske United, twice in the 2-0 win at Alnwick Town, notched a hat-trick in the 7-3 midweek mauling of Crook Town in the Craven Cup and completed another hat-trick in last Saturday's 6-1 home demolition of promotion outsiders Washington.

But Town didn't have it all their own way and it was only in the last 25 minutes that they took control of what had been a fairly even game.

Town broke the deadlock in the 41st minute when John Ryan received a superb ball over the defence from Dominic Gamble and beat Washington keeper Ventress with a well-placed low shot.

Washington equalised in the 52nd minute through Chris Creamer, who slid in at the far post to stab the ball home following a right-wing cross from Mark Covell.

But Town came back with a four-goal blast in the space of just eight minutes.

In the 64th minute Matthew Cook restored the home side's lead and Town went further ahead a minute later when Skelton hit a great half-volley under Ventress.

Three minutes later Ryan made no mistake with a perfect lob and Skelton added number five in the 72nd minute.

A minute from time Skelton completed his hat-trick with a superb lob over Ventress.