Team Spirit and Determination earns late win for Guide Post ! Guide Post came away from this difficult encounter with a valuable win after two late strikes eventually broke down a good Killingworth team.
Without Brad Southern (ill) and Jack Taylor (unavailable) GuidePost travelled to Killingworth with a squad of 14 players. An experimental 4-5-1 formation with Callum, Ryan and Ross in central midfield was designed to allow the team to dominate possession and allow GuidePost to dictate the game. Unfortunately the opposite happened in the early stages with Killingworth's pace up front and regular breaks causing havoc with Guide Post's defence. The loss early on of Reece Brown at centre half with a knee injury worsened the situation and Killingworth got what was a deserved lead with another break away which despite Luke's best attempts ended up with a short range tap in for the Killingworth striker.
Reece Brown rejoined the game before the break but then suffered another blow when Ryan Young had to leave the field with a knee injury also. Connor Humble stepped in and did a good job helping Guide Post to lurch through to half time only a goal behind.
After a stern half time talk where it was clear that more teamwork, effort and concentration was required, Guide Post started the second half much stronger. Liam replaced Luke in goal and Jack Sanderson came on at right back. Luke had a dramatic effect upon the game showing his strength and determination to assist the other members of the back four to break up the Killingworth attacks that had been so dangerous in the first half.
A penalty was awarded by the referee when a Guide Post player (sorry I can't remember who!) was tripped in the box. Ross Moore took responsibility for the penalty with Ryan still off the pitch and drilled a strong shot low and left of the keeper. Unfortunately though the Killingworth keeper was playing a blinder and dived full length to push the ball away to safety.
Ryan Young rejoined the game and was pushed up front as Guide Post pressed for the equaliser. With Guide Post pressure mounting Ryan (or it might have been Ross - I was too excited to remember !) chased onto a neat through ball and slotted a neat shot past the Killingworth keeper and into the net - Unfortunately the linesman flagged for offside (a clear mistake - everyone can have an off day I suppose !!!) It was looking like a frustrating match for Guide Post after the Killingworth keeper then pulled off a couple of outstanding saves keeping the score at 1 - 0.
Killingworth were still dangerous on the break, one of which was only stopped by Liam who quickly closed down on a striker through one on one with the keeper. THINGS WERE GETTING TENSE ON THE SIDELINE AS BOTH SETS OF SUPPORTERS OOOED AND AAAAHED THEIR WAY THROUGH ATTACK AFTER ATTACK BY GUIDE POST!!
When the equaliser came it was scored with a wonderful strike from just outside the box by man of the match Luke McCallum who drilled the ball so hard that the excellent Killingworth goalie was only able to parry the ball up into the roof of the net. A well deserved draw looked the likely result however Guide Post continued to press forward and an extravagant decision by Phillipe Scolari (AKA John Brooon !) to bring George back on and go to a 3-5-2 formation in the hunt for all three points paid dividends when a well timed through ball from Luke was chased onto by Ryan Young who slotted it past the on-rushing keeper and into the back of the net. The final whistle went a couple of minutes later to the delight of the Guide Post players and supporters. An excellent victory to which all fourteen players made an excellent contribution !! Well done lads !
