Crooks and Sinnott net in eventful game
A Town side consisting of youth and experience drew an entertaining game at Blue Square Bet North side Guiseley this evening as the build-up to the season continued.
The hosts twice took the lead in the game through Phil Marsh, but the Terriers were well worth at least the draw and levelled through Matt Crooks and Captain Jordan Sinnott, a former Guiseley youngster.
Town were wasteful in front of goal as they created a number of chances, with the first coming as early as the third minute when Jimmy Spencer put Daniel Carr through on goal. The former Dulwich man delayed his shot for too long though, allowing the goalkeeper to narrow the angle and snuff out the chance.
Spencer was next at it, heading over the excellent Jordan Sinnott’s near post cross from a move started by Chris Atkinson’s superb cross-field pass.
Carr had the ball in the net in the 16th minute from Matt Crooks’ clever ball over the defence, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Town continued to make the running, but spurned chance after chance. Atkinson hit the bar with a 25 yard drive before Spencer’s touch let him down in the area and soon Guiseley showed a more clinical edge to punish an error and take the lead. Liam Ridehalgh, playing at centre half, tried to nod back to ‘keeper Ian Bennett but misjudged his effort – heading the ball straight to Phil Marsh, who expertly lobbed the stranded ‘keeper.
A carbon copy almost happened upon the restart when Spencer latched onto a poor back-pass, but this time the home custodian did brilliantly to smother his effort.
The deserved equaliser did come a minute from time when Kallum Higginbotham dug out a cross from the by-line and the tall figure of Crooks nodded expertly inside the near post.
The second half started in similar fashion, with Atkinson firing wide from the edge of the box before Spencer fired straight at the goalie on his left foot. Steve Eyre rang the changes soon after and several members of Town’s Under-21 squad continued to impress – with Max Leonard firing just over when picked out by Sinnott in a corner.
However, Guiseley’s Marsh restored his side’s lead in the 79th minute after being pulled down by centre-half Tom Smith in the area – sending Bennett the wrong way.
Duane Holmes tried to respond soon after only to find the ‘keeper in good form, but the equaliser did come again with nine minutes left when midfielder Dale Hopson laid off to Sinnott, who drove home expertly from the edge of the box before the goalkeeper moved.
Town’s team (4-3-1-2):
Ian Bennett; Paul Dixon (Robbie McIntyre 65), Liam Ridehalgh, Tom Smith, Jordan Sinnott (c); Oliver Norwood (Dale Hopson 65), Chris Atkinson (Max Leonard 70), Matt Crooks; Kallum Higginbotham (Duane Holmes 65); Jimmy Spencer, Daniel Carr
Unused subs:
Lloyd Allinson, Joe Wilkinson
