GUISBOROUGH Town registered their second successive victory against a leading NorthernLeague rivalto climb to11thinthe tableandfurther enhance their bid for a top-ten finish.

After beating Bishop Auckland 3-2 on March16, a resurgent Guisborough travelled to high-flying Whitley Bay on Saturday and pulled off a shock 3-0 win.

And it was recent new signing from Billingham Synthonia, striker Danny Johnson, who sealed the victory against Bay with two more goals to take his tally in three matches in the last ten days to four goals.

A proud Guisborough Town manager Chris Hardy described the latest win against Bay as being “right up there with the best”.

He said: “We controlled possession throughout the first half to build up a fully deserved 2-0 half-time lead with goals from Danny Johnson and Gary Wood.

“We then withstood some direct and sustained pressure which Whitley threw at us in the second half and we even managed to increase our lead with a match-clinching third from Danny, his second of the match and fourth since he joined us less than two weeks ago.

“Danny is proving a great addition to our squad and I’m delighted to have prised him away from our near-neighbours and great rivals Billingham Synthonia.

“For the whole 90 minutes there was a really good cutting-edge to our play.”

A particularly pleasing aspect of the latest match was that Town kept a clean sheet, which was down to some terrific defending and, when called upon, some excellent goalkeeping from young 18-year-old Shane Bland, a Middlesbrough work experience player, helping to ease Guisborough’s recent goalkeeping problems due to the long-term injury of regular keeper Ben Escritt.

The Priorymen entertain West Auckland tomorrow, kick-off 3pm.