Tear heads in last-gasp cup winner for Scarborough Athletic
Yet another game with a last-gasp goal, only this time in Boro’s favour, as they twice came from behind to snatch a 3-2 win against a Guisborough Town side who pushed them all the way in Tuesday night’s wind-affected North Riding Senior Cup tie.
Boss Jono Greening gave a first start to Theo Chapman, Bill Marshall made his first start of the season, and Jake Hull his first start for two months, while Leon Gibson-Booth came on from the bench after returning from two months on loan at Morpeth Town.
Guisborough had a strong wind at their backs in the first half, and began on top. Elliott Beddow fired over, and a wind-assisted long range effort from Tommy Birtles bounced off the top of the bar, before they took a 10th-minute lead when Beddow won possession from Marshall, passed to Matt Willshaw near the half-way line, and this time his long range lob sailed over Ryan Whitley into the net.
A Josh MacDonald shot was blocked by Marshall, while in Boro attacks, Dom Tear was halted by an Alfie Doherty sliding tackle, and an Alex Brown cross was headed on by Tear to Rio Allan, whose shot was held by keeper Ryan Catterick, then Kieran Weledji skipped past two challenges before being tackled by Toluwani Osiyemi.
The visitors again struck the woodwork when Birtles squared to Beddow, whose shot crashed against the bar.
Chapman made some strong runs for Boro, and he drew his side level, as he slammed home Weledji’s low ball from the byeline.
Guisborough again pressed forward, Billy Waller fired over, before they restored their lead, when a Doherty free-kick to the back post was headed on by Willshaw, and Tommy Dowson slid the ball home.
Willshaw then shot over, before Boro created chances, Jack Waldron fired a free-kick at the keeper, and Allan curled a shot over.
Boro made three changes at the break, and the wind wasn’t as strong, although by now swirling rain was falling.
Waller had a shot saved by Whitley, Mustapha Abdullahi jinked into the area, but Whitley got down to save at his feet, and Birtles fired over, but the extra class of subs Alex Purver and Luca Colville gradually turned the game in Boro’s favour, with Zane Myers also looking good down the left wing. Waldron teed up Myers, who drilled wide and a Colville cross flashed across the goalmouth.
A terrific ball forward from Will Thornton sent Allan racing into the area, but he was tackled by Luca McHugh, then the equaliser arrived when Chapman was fouled wide left, and Purver’s free-kick was headed in at the back post by Colville.
Abdullahi blazed over for Guisborough, but Boro were on top in the latter stages.
Colville went past two defenders before shooting wide, Purver passed to Colville, with James Frazer blocking his shot, and Thornton headed a Chapman cross wide.
A Purver strike was blocked by Waller, then at the end of stoppage-time, an Allan cross was firmly headed in by Tear to snatch a last-gasp winner.
BORO - Whitley, Weledji (Purver 46), Brown (Duckworth 46), Hull (Gibson-Booth 46), Thornton (c), Marshall (Colville 64), Waldron, Tear, Allan, Chapman, Myers.
GUISBOROUGH - Catterick, MacDonald (Howes 80), McHugh, Dowson, Frazer, Osiyemi (c), Birtles, Waller, Willshaw (Abdullahi 46), Doherty, Beddow.
REFEREE - MacAuley Gibson.
BORO GOALS - Theo Chapman 36, Luca Colville 77, Dom Dear 90; GUISBOROUGH GOALS - Matt Willshaw 10, Tommy Dowson 33.
GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 10 (5 on target) GUISBOROUGH 11 (4 on target).
CORNERS - BORO 6 GUISBOROUGH 0.
OFFSIDES - BORO 1 GUISBOROUGH 2.
RED CARD - Gary Wood (Guisborough coach).
YELLOW CARD - Elliott Beddow (Guisborough)
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Theo Chapman.
ATTENDANCE - 242.