GATESHEAD 1

Guiseley 0

GUISELEY lacked firepower when they visited Gateshead on Bank Holiday Monday and returnedd with nothing to show from a fixture against a side which looked nothing special.

Last year's Vauxhall Conference side were never in the game until mid-way through the second-half but once they found the net - courtesy of a slip by young defender Simon Phillips - there looked no way back for a Guiseley side which is still struggling to make an impact up front.

Forget the three goals scored in a seven minute spell against Bamber Bridge on Saturday, Guiseley still have problems to iron out if they are to fulfill their pre-season promise.

The International Stadium in Gateshed is more used to hosting the big names of world athletics.

There was nowhere to hide in this setting and there were one or two Guiseley players who should be looking at their commitment after this performance.

For some unfortunately the skill needed at this level just is not there but manager Bobby Davison has a tough task as the club does not have the funds to get the quality of player he desperately needs at the moment.

He is also spending too much of his own time trying to sort out on the field problems so his own performance has suffered and as a player Guiseley are just not getting their worth from this proven goalscorer at the moment.

He needs to be able to concentrate on what he does best - score goals - but that means that the other ten players in the side need to be on top of their job and that just is not happening at the moment.

There have been good performances in midfield from the experienced Des Hazel and Andy Williams but Guiseley obviously missed the power of Simon Parke in these two games.

At Gateshead Steve Bowey always posed a threat to Guiseley and he got in an early long range shot which swerved just past Steve Dickinson's far post.

Mick Morrell headed Guiseley's first chance over and then had to have a second attempt at picking the ball up before shooting straight at 'keeper Adrian Swann.

Bowey again caught Guiseley with a fast break but Dickinson saved well in what was largely an uneventful first-half.

In the second-half Steve Hook shot just wide for Guiseley and Des Hazel's downward header was on target but Swan collected it.

Hazel was however involved in an off the ball incident with Paul Proudlock and both had their names taken.

Hazel tried hard to get Guiseley going and he got in another shot which was just wide.

At the other end Dickinson was down well to save from Bowey.

Ten came the vital goal. In the 67th minute Phillips left Keith Fletcher clear and he rifled in his first goal in Gateshead colours.

Hook was again close to scoring for Guiseley with a free-kick but his shot was deflectedwide.

All three Guiseley substitutes were thrown on in a bid to change the game but it was to no avail. The vital spark was missing and the army of Guiseley supporters went away disappointed.

So too did manager Davison who commented: 'Some atrocious defending by Simon Phillips let them in for a goal. We had one or two players who did not have the heart for it so we will have to look at bringing some new players in.

I won't stand for a lack of effort. Players who don't want to play for Guiseley will go before I do.'

Davison added: 'You have got to earn the right to play nice football. Teams won't just stand back and let you play.'

Guiseley 3

Bamber Bridge 0

Without the injured Simon Parke and Colin Hogarth - recovering after a minor operation - Guiseley were well out of this game against a hard running Bamber Bridge side which gave them no time on the ball.

However, the introduction of substitute Lee Elam seemed to change it all for Guiseley.

In a seven minute spell Guiseley knocked in three goals to clinch what in the end looked a comfortable victory but what was in real terms nothing like.,

There was a drop of good fortune in their first goal but one could not fault the effort of full-back Peter Atkinson.

Obviously fed up by the lack of fire power up front he drove forward and unleashed a shot which took a timely deception off the backside of a Bamber Bridge defender to put Guiseley one up in the 65th minute.

The crowd awoke from their slumbers as an excellent crossfield pass from Atkinson was rifled under the 'keeper by the inrushing Colin Hunter .

Then when Lee Elam's shot was flipped over for a corner by the 'keeper the midfielder's kick was put into the back of the net with a bullet header from central defender Steve Hook.

l On Saturday Guiseley entertain Winsford United and this game will be followed by a trip to Gainsborough on Wed nesday to face

former Guiseley manager Steve Richards' new team.

Guiseley Reserves kicked off their season as defending champions in the Bolton Alliance League with a 2-2 draw at Flixton.

Matthew Flanagan put David Cook in for one of the goals and the other was scored by Richard Dyson in what was overall a scrappy game.

The newly formed Academy side will travel

to play Harrogate Town on Sunday for their first game in the Northern Youth Academy League (kick-off 2 pm).

The team has played two friendlies so far beating Harrogate Railway 4-1 and drawing 2-2 with New Earswick.

They will play at New Earswick tonight, Thursday, in another friendly.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.