Ladies humbled by high-flying Guisborough

On the back of a 5-0 defeat at South Park last week, Boro welcomed back Chloe Bennett, Megan Wingfield, Sam Widdowfield and Hannah Mitchell into the squad.

Ruvimbo Mhaka was out injured, but Beth Hosie and Sophie Ambler had recovered from ankle knocks picked upin the previous game.

Skipper Dani Kendrick slotted in a centre-back and performed admirably alongside Lizzie Sartain. Sasha Woods continued in goal, but there were changes at full-back with Bethan Howitt on the right and Wingfield on the left.

Hannah Mitchell and Hosie sat in the midfield, with regular wingers Chloe Marshall and Beth Taylor giving width and Bennett up top alongside Maria Jagger.

It was Bennett who had the first chance, when she latched onto a free-kick from Kendrick after just two minutes, but screwed her shot wide.

Woods made a sharp save at the other end as Guisborough attacked, and the home side continued to put pressure on which led to the opening goal after 10 minutes.

Boro were rocked after 20 minutes when full-back Howitt was involved in a sickening clash of heads with Guisborough’s number 10, and came out worst with blood streaming from her nose and mouth.

A hospital trip confirmed a broken nose and loose teeth.

With Boro still regrouping, the home side took advantage and slotted in a second goal soon after.

Frustrations grew with Bennett booked for persistent dissent following another offside decision just before half-time.

The second half was largely owned by the home side, as they attacked at regular intervals.

However, at 3-0 down after 55 minutes Beth Taylor sprinted through and was about to pull the trigger when she was shoved to the floor on the edge of the box by the last home defender.

Although Chloe Marshall twice went close, the away side’s heads went down and the home side scored four times in the half to secure the win.

A brave performance, but ultimately lacking in the required determination and belief to get a positive result.

Guisborough visit Sherburn next weekend and Boro will be looking to enact revenge on their home turf.

It’s cup weekend for the juniors this week, as all five competitive sides look to progress in the City of York League Cup.

The under-16s face the first of two cup games in two weeks against South Park Rangers.

This week they are away in the league cup semi-final, before a County Cup semi-final at home on March 19.

The under-15s should face Kirkbymoorside in their quarter-final tie at their home ground of Sherburn, and the under-14s play at the same venue against Stamford Bridge in another quarter-final tie.

Travelling away from home, the under-13s face a quarter-final against Wigginton, and finally the under-12s head to York RI, again in a quarter final tie.