GUISBOROUGH TOWN matched Dunston UTS stride for stride in their FA Vase second round tie on Tyneside last Saturday in a repeat of the same fixture seven days previously in the league, which saw the Priorymen earn three points in a 4-3 victory,

In this match, Guisborough started off well with a good move in the 19th minute, involving Callum Martin and Luke Bythway, and finished off clinically with an unstoppable volley by leading scorer, Danny Earl – for his 13th goal this campaign.

After maintaining their 1-0 lead up to half-time, it was Guisborough who threatened to go 2-0 up after the interval with another excellent move set up by a defence-splitting James Risbrough pass to Earl but this time the Town striker dinked the ball just wide of the post.

Then to rub salt in the wounds, straight from a short goal-kick and a long-ball punt upfield, Andy Bulford equalised for Dunston with a left foot shot very similar to the earlier Danny Earl goal.

And just a minute later Guisborough could scarcely believe it when the game was turned on its head as they failed to clear a Dunston corner and David Coulson had an easy tap-in virtually on the goal-line to make it 2-1 to the home side.

It was tough luck on Guisborough but even worse was to follow as striker Damien Stevens was stretchered off and replaced by Anthony Hume, ironically a Vase finalist with Dunston a few seasons ago.

Guisborough fought on in search of an equaliser and had a great chance to pull level when they were awarded a penalty but free-kick specialist Nathan Mulligan saw his spot kick saved and the rebound ended up being fired wide and Town’s FA Vase quest ended for another season.

Priorymen manager Chris Hardy said: “On reflection this was a game where very little separated the two sides and I think that, unfortunately, when our key moments came in the game we were just unable to capitalise.”

The Priorymen’s next fixture is away at local rivals Billingham Synthonia in the league on Saturday.