Defensive lapses prove costly

WHITLEY BAY 0 GUISBOROUGH TOWN 2
Saturday 11th January 2020

A goal early in each half earned in-form Guisborough their fifth consecutive victory, each of which has come without conceding a goal. They deserved their success for capitalising on two defensive errors by Whitley in a game when neither keeper was overworked.
In contrast to the visitors, the Bay side squandered what chances came their way on a day when the strong and blustery wind made conditions difficult, especially during the first half.
With Scott Lowery recovering from illness, new signing Brad Forster made his debut alongside Luke Taylor in the centre of defence, while James Fairley made his first start since rejoining the club just before Christmas, taking the place of Marcus Giles who had been playing for his student team the previous day.
Whitley’s first home game of the new decade attracted the league’s biggest crowd of the day but in the end most of fans were to leave Hillheads disappointed.
Whitley made the worst possible start, conceding a goal after little more than two minutes, when a cross from the right by Steven Roberts was turned home by the unmarked Luke Nixon, giving keeper Jennison no chance.
The wind was blowing diagonally across the field, mostly in Whitley’s favour, but the blustery conditions were hampering both sides and it took until the 13th minute for the home side to register an attempt on goal when an effort from Coleby Shepherd cleared the bar. Whitley were having the greater share of possession but as has been a familiar story, good approach play failed to bring results as the final pass went astray due in part to resolute and well organised defending. In addition, several corners were comfortably dealt with by the Town defence but with 27 minutes played, keeper Catterick proved his worth, pulling off a tremendous reaction save to palm away a goalbound effort from Fairley after he met a long ball from midfield and diverted it back towards the left corner of the goal.
Shortly before the interval, Connor Smith’s fiercely struck free kick from wide on the left was punched out by Catterick with Michael Colquhoun waiting to slot home the rebound. However the ball landed for Lewis Orrell on the edge of the box and his first time effort flew high over the bar. Two minutes later Smith was again the supplier, this time from a right wing corner but Orrell was once again unable to keep his shot down sufficiently to trouble the keeper.
After the interval the wind gradually dropped but only after a short period of heavy drizzle which was making conditions more difficult for players and spectators alike. It was questionable whether the conditions contributed in any way to Guisborough’s second goal which came less than six minutes after the resumption but Andrew Jennison appeared to misjudge a shot on the turn by Roberts from the edge of the box and the ball beat his dive going in off his near post. Given the recent defensive record of the Priorymen, Whitley’s prospects were now looking bleak and despite making three substitutions, they could not unlock a disciplined Guisborough defence.
Fairley worked hard to create openings as did both full backs Connor Smith and James Martin with overlapping runs down the wing but the best they could manage came late on when a ball was played into the box but Jake Martindale could not get proper contact with Luke Taylor a yard behind him probably better placed to capitalise. Two minutes from time, Smith worked his way in from the right but his low shot flashed across the face of goal and inches beyond the far post.
Guisborough had been content to retain the two goal advantage but they might have added a third in the closing stages with a quick break upfield but the ball flew just over the bar, though Jennison looked to have the attempt covered.
WHITLEY BAY: Jennison, Smith, Martin, Anderson, Forster, Taylor, Orrell(Giles 64mins), Robinson(Olsen 69mins), Colquhoun(Martindale 54mins), Shepherd, Fairley
Substitutes not used: Lister, Bexton
Cautions: None
Referee: John Mulligan
Attendance: 324