Washington 0 Guisborough Town 0

GUISBOROUGH'S visit to Washington last Saturday was a game in which both teams wanted a good result to keep them in touch with the league’s front-runners, but it ended in stalemate with neither side able to score.

Though it was an entertaining match, neither keeper really had a significant save to make, with both teams failing at the crucial moments up front.

Guisborough started the game with a few positional changes which appeared to generally suit them well as they started brightly against a tough and fast-moving Washington team.

Guisborough went close to scoring first in the 10th minute when a header from Andrew May went agonisingly past Washington’s right-hand post. But Washington looked dangerous on the break and their more direct style allowed their fast wingers, especially Chris Winn, who had a superb game, to chase and tease the visitors' rearguard.

In the 17th minute, the home side could have taken the lead when a half-volley from Mark Davison looked on its way into the Guisborough net, but was headed clear by the diving Liam McPhillips.

Then, less than two minutes later, another chance fell to Washington when the ball fell to the feet of John Butler, who was about to tap the ball into the net when Guisborough keeper Nick Liversedge denied him superbly by scrambling across the ground and tipping the ball away from Butler’s feet before he could finish.

Guisborough then lifted their play with some of their usual flowing, passing football and an effort from Luke Bythway at the edge of the area flew past the post. The Priorymen came close again a minute later with a through ball to striker Danny Earl, whose shot wasn’t far over the bar.

With the game developing into end-to-end play, Washington had the ball in the net twice within 10 minutes, but both efforts were disallowed, one for offside and another for the ball going out of play before being pulled back and slotted home.

Guisborough started the second half with central defender Leon Carling being replaced by Jon Helm and it wasn’t long before Helm got himself into the action, attacking the Washington defence and battling for every ball that came his way. But, with both sides doing plenty in the middle of the pitch, neither team was able to find a strong finish at the end of each move and it looked like it would take a mistake to break the deadlock, but that didn’t come.

Guisborough enjoyed the lion’s share of the latter stages of the game and Helm crossed to on-loan striker Jordan Jowers, whose header at full stretch dropped just past the post. Five minutes later, following relentless pressure from the visitors, Chay Liddle’s side-foot shot flew just past the post.

When referee Lucy Oliver brought the game to an end, it was clear to both sides and their supporters that, although they both look hard to beat, their finishing had cost them both the opportunity to take all three points.

Guisborough manager Chris Hardy was pleased enough with the draw, saying: “A clean sheet and a hard-earned point gave us much to be pleased about. In another game where the majority of the goal-scoring opportunities fell to ourselves, there is an air of disappointment that we weren't able to take maximum points on a weekend that saw the majority of teams in and around us drop points.”

It was confirmed earlier this week that fans’ favourite Luke Bythway had handed in a transfer request which the club reluctantly decided to accept.

Bythway became Guisborough’s all-time third top scorer with 84 goals when he got on the scoresheet against Sunderland RCA earlier this month.

Manager Chris Hardy said: “Luke feels that a new challenge and environment would benefit both himself and the football club and, for these reasons, he feels a transfer request is the appropriate way forward for his footballing career. I would like to thank Luke for his tremendous efforts over several seasons for Guisborough Town FC, which include many great memories along the way.

"I’m sure I speak on behalf of everyone involved with Guisborough Town when I remind Luke that he will always be very welcome at the KGV. We sincerely wish him all the very best for the future.”