*disclaimer* author of work was hammered at time of writing.
Garforth travelled to the outskirts of the Leeds boundary to inflict a mentally punishing draw on local rivals Guiseley in a barnburner of an FA Cup preliminary. The visitors turned out in good numbers, and overwhelmed their hosts both on and off the field as a packed Nethermoor Park saw the Miner’s run rampant over strong and capable opposition.
Town were ultimately unable to claim their place as Yorkshire’s number two club, as the final even score-line means the tussle is merely half way finished. However, the spate of late chances that Garforth fashioned resembled the spate of robberies that epitomised the career of Ryan’s younger, and Guiseley were visibly relieved to hear the final whistle bring an end to a reign of terror that resembled the one R… you get the gist.
After some closely contested play for the initial period, Guiseley demonstrated their undoubted class by carving out several chances. Garforth pushed back, and were looking composed when they were sucker punched by the unbeaten hosts. A shot was well saved by Phillis, then as luck would have it the rebound fell for a Guiseley attacker in a penalty area full of yellow shirts. Shortly after the shell shocked visitors conceded when Adam Muller squeezed a shot in at the near post. Town now faced an uphill struggle against their historically superior rivals. Historically – as Dylan said, the times they are a’changin.
In the later stages of the half, Duncan Williams ran and fed Olly Hotchkiss for a shot that was well saved, but Mark Piper converted the resulting rebound cleverly. Back of the net daddy-o.
This period was made memorable by the incident involving Simian Bambrook and Hotchkiss, where Guiseley’s Bambrook allegedly elbowed the Mackem in the throat and insulted his northeastern heritage. Both men went without punishment.
Hotchkiss would curl a free kick narrowly over on the hour mark, and would continue his solid performance throughout. Lee Connor had a great opportunity to level with a headed effort, and James Hanson struck a tremendous overhead kick against the crossbar. But you have to take those chances to win, as like his namesake’s song says; In an MmmBop – they’re gone.
Andy Haywood received yet another beautifully lofted ball from the Garforth rear, and elected to lob the keeper. In a hearts in mouths moment, the ball struck the post and bounced away to be cleared safely. Haywood…would… be through again, but his sliced effort missed by a yard. Third time lucky came true though, as Haywood would be the recipient of a perfectly drilled Andy Rowan penetrative through ball. He would not miss. Game on.
Ugliness would again rear its head when Adam Muller went from hero to zero, absolute zero, when he allegedly attacked Garforth captain Brett Renshaw with a variety of body parts, such as forehead and feet, all of which reportedly flew into Renshaw’s torso at high speed without warning. Brett was booked. He took it well.
Garforth’s chance to seal the deal and make Tuesday’s inevitable victory a non-event came when Haywood was again through on goal, but unselfishly elected to square the ball to Williams. Sadly it was intercepted en route, and Town can now look to a replay at the Genix Coliseum against Guiseley’s ‘Lions’, and bearing in mind our managers’ religious beliefs, lets see if this time the Christians can do it and win the big one. Either way, ‘Nethermoor’ will Guiseley overlook their cross town rivals again, as the only way is up, bay beh, for Garforth Town now.
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