GUISBOROUGH Town have continued their pre-season build-up with some highly encouraging signs and some pleasing performances and results.

After a convincing 5-2 midweek victory over Teesside neighbours Thornaby in the annual Peter Morris Memorial Trophy, Guisborough faced old seaside rivals Whitby Town on Saturday in another annual memorial trophy for the late Mickey Skinner.

The victory at Thornaby was very welcome coming after the Priorymen had suffered a shock by trailing 2-0 to two early goals by the home side. But Guisborough regained their composure and by half-time had levelled the score at 2-2 with goals from Louis Goldsack and Steve Roberts. Guisborough made their superiority count in the second half with three further goals from Forster, McAvoy and Smith to ease to an ultimately comfortable 5-2 win.

On Saturday, playing against no fewer than seven former Guisborough players in the starting line-up for Whitby in the annual Mickey Skinner Memorial Trophy, the Priorymen gave the Seasiders from the EvoStik Premier League real run for their money. It wasn’t until the 78th minute that Whitby finally broke the deadlock with trialist Steven Holliday scoring the only goal and winner.

Guisborough Town Manager Gary Forster.is delighted with the overall progress being made by his new-look squad which is showing very encouraging signs of gelling together. He commented, “I am really looking forward to the new season. We have had some great preparation work done and we are currently making our final assessments of the players. We have managed to sign five players who were all on our wanted list at the start of the summer so this is very pleasing indeed.”

“We have strengthened the defence with the additions of ex-Whitby stalwart Mark Robinson and attacking full back Brad Mills who has joined us from the Spanish Third Division no less. We have also brought some real energy to the midfield with Jack Connor and replaced Davie Onions with one of our former players, Nathan Steel. We are also providing some good competition for places down our left-hand side with Joe Ferguson coming in.”