After their facile win over Knaresborough and hard fought victory over a feisty Darlington,Town welcomed Guiseley to the CNG Stadium for the third pre-season friendly.
Town dominated possession for the first half hou,r without creating any really,clear cut chances.
An early run from George Thomson ended with him shooting across goal, and later, a long range shot from Joe Leesley sailed well wide of the upright.
As a disappointing first half drew to a close,it was the visitors who twice came close to taking the lead.
Firstly,Dylan Barker’s header forced Joe Cracknell into a fine diving save to concede a corner,and soon afterwards,Aaron Martin broke down the left and centred for Kaine Felix to drive into the side netting.
Town brought on Josh Falkingham,Mark Beck,Brendan Kiernan and JohnWoolford at the break,but it was the” Lions” who almost broke the deadlock when Martin forced Cracknell to make a superb point blank save.
Town came within inches of taking the lead just before the hour,when Falkingham found the overlapping Ryan Fallowfield on the right and Kiernan came within inches of sliding in his low cross.
With ten minutes left,Town were awarded a free kick on the edge of the Lion’s penalty area after Kiernan had been brought down.
Thomson’s low strike evaded the Guiseley wall, but nestled in the arms of the trialist keeper.
Two minutes later,the game was settled by the one moment of magic.
Kiernan made ground down the right and his perfectly measured centre, found Beck in space and the tall striker glanced his header past the keeper to secure Town’s third pre-season victory.
Next up at Wetherby Road is Farsley Celtic,whom we entertain on Saturday the 20th of July.
By John Harrison
