Guisborough Town 2 Newcastle Benfield 2

TWO decisive individual goals, including a last-gasp strike from substitute Paul Blake, earned Guisborough Town a well-deserved point against Newcastle Benfield at the KGV Stadium last Saturday.

Looking to consolidate their place in the top five, the home side went behind after only four minutes when centre back Leon Carling misplaced an attempted pass across his 18-yard line and Benfield striker Paul Brayson gave Guisborough keeper Nick Liversedge no chance with a low shot into the corner.

Guisborough bounced back strongly and fine efforts from Chay Liddle, Danny Earl and Steve Snaith narrowly missed the target or were saved or blocked.

The Priorymen deservedly drew level on 39 minutes with a delightful goal from full back Paul Roddam who, following a corner and with his back to goal, glanced the ball into the far top corner of the Benfield net.

In the second half, Liversedge was the busier of the two keepers and he prevented Benfield regaining the lead in the 67th minute with another great save from Brayson. But, five minutes later, Brayson latched on to a huge clearance from Benfield keeper Andrew Grainger and raced clear to give Liversedge no chance.

Just when it seemed a visibly tiring Guisborough had resigned themselves to defeat, substitute Paul Blake drilled home a superb equaliser from 20 yards in the second of the three minutes of time added on.

It was a goal of genuine class and quality from a development side graduate who continues to impress.

SHILDON have been reinstated in the Cameron's Brewery Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup after Guisborough Town withdrew from the competition after fielding an ineligible player in their 3-2 extra time victory in last week's quarter-final tie.

A club statement read: "Guisborough Town Football Club is extremely disappointed that, due to an administrative oversight, we have had to withdraw from the above competition.

"This was due to us inadvertently fielding one of our young development side players as a substitute in last Wednesday’s quarter-final against Shildon, which we won on the night 3-2 after extra time.

"We are now aware that this player was technically ineligible and we very much regret this unintentional mistake and will review our internal player registration procedures to prevent a repeat of this kind of issue.

"We wish Shildon all the best following their reinstatement and we sympathise completely with the disappointment which our players, fans and officials will feel at this disappointing outcome."

GUISBOROUGH'S scheduled league match at Morpeth on Monday evening was postponed owing to a floodlight failure before kick-off.