Guisborough Town 3-2 Whickham: Three first-half goals seal Lang Jacks defeat

Whickham suffered their second defeat since October after Guisborough Town defeated the Lang Jacks 3-2 at the King George V’s ground.

The visitors took the lead through Conor Newton who’s deflected effort ended up in the back of the net after four minutes

Guisborough equalised eight minutes later after Steven Roberts converted his penalty.

Roberts doubled his goal tally for the game just before the half-hour mark, slotting the ball home from just inside the area.

Town netted their third goal minutes before half-time, with Joseph Bartliff capitalising on a defensive error.

Nathan Greenwood pulled a goal back early into the second-half but the visitors were unable to muster up a comeback.

Ross Peareth and Zak Atkinson were both suspended coming into the game, with Atkinson’s red card against West Auckland and Peareth’s yellow card tally reaching five for the season.

The away side started brighter and got their goal when a long-ranged effort from Newton wrong footed the goalkeeper courtesy of a deflection.

A penalty was then awarded to the home side after debutant Jamie Dunn tripped a forward up inside the box before Roberts calmly slotted his penalty home.

Roberts then scored his second after the hosts broke on the counter when the forward was slipped in behind the Glebemen’s defence before he struck the ball past Anderson.

The number nine was denied his hat-trick by Anderson minutes later when he once again broke through on goal.

Things went from bad to worse for Tony Fawcett’s men when Kieran Galbraith trod on the ball which meant Bartliff was able to nick the ball off the defender and finish the chance off.

Greenwood offered the visiting side a lifeline when he managed to find the net after taking down Declan Bisset’s cross from the left-wing.

The Priorymen nearly grabbed a fourth goal through a rocket shot from Sam Webster, but his effort cannoned off the crossbar.

Another chance fell to Greenwood inside the area with 20 minutes left but a defender was able to get back and make a last ditch challenge to prevent an equaliser.

Scott Robson had the best chance to level the scores with 15 minutes remaining when he latched onto a sliced clearance in behind the Town defence but the ‘keeper got off his line quickly to put a tackle in.

Tony Fawcett spoke to Ben Robinson following the defeat:

Whickham Starting XI: J. Anderson, R. Bolton, J. Dunn, D. Agnew, K. Galbraith, D. Burrell, D. Bisset (G. Priest, 87′), C. Newton, S. Robson, N. Greenwood, S. Jasper (J. Robson, 45′)

Unused substitutes: D. Below, T. Howard, K. Russell