Recap

The points were shared in a battle of two play off contenders in the Northern Premier League as Will Longbottom’s second half penalty cancelled out the opener from Hyde striker Ewan Bange in the first half. Hyde were without influential captain Jack Redshaw for the game, but it didn’t halt their creativity as they had the better of the opportunities to win the game.

Guiseley had a couple of chances in the opening 15 minutes of the game, all coming from free kicks. The divisions top scorer Will Longbottom tried his luck on two occasions, one from 30 yards and the other from the edge of the box, but both were comfortably held by Hyde keeper Callum Hiddleston.

Hyde came closest to opening the scoring in the 17^th minute as Callum Spooner’s delivery into the box allowed the tall Hyde number 9 Ewan Bange to cause havoc against the Guiseley defence. The ball found its way through to Ayo Quadri who took the shot first time, but goalkeeper Joe Cracknell was quick off his line to deny him.

The home side opened the scoring in the 24^th minute. The experienced Harry Bunn ran away from the Guiseley midfield and found Bange on the edge of the box. Bange wrapped his foot around the ball and expertly curled the shot into the bottom corner to leave Cracknell helpless.

On the hour mark it was almost a replay of Hyde’s opener as Bunn drove forward and found Bange on the edge of the box, but his goal bound shot was blocked by Mbeka.

Guiseley’s equaliser came in the 75^th minute as Drew Baker fouled Jordan Thewlis in the box. Longbottom stepped up from the spot and found the net off the underside of the crossbar.

Hyde didn’t let the leveller halt their momentum and almost found the winner through Bange. Bunn found him once again at the far post, and he reached the ball with an outstretched leg but the ball crashed off the post and away.

The home crowd felt they should have been awarded a penalty of their own two minutes from time as Drew Baker looked to be fouled from behind, but the referee Connor Everard had an obstructed view and it meant both sides went away with a point.

Hyde boss Nick Spooner expressed his frustration at having to settle for only a point – “It was an important game, Guiseley are a good team, we scored an excellent goal in the first half and we were superb in the second. It’s frustrating we didn’t take our chances as we deserved the victory”