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Story of the game:
The opening minutes saw a very defensive start that involved both teams shutting the other down quite well, though the Bamber defence were managing to catch Guiseley offside when they showed promise.
It took just over 10 minutes for the first genuine effort of the game to come courtesy of the home side’s Fin Sinclair-Smith, who allowed the ball to fall to him outside of the box before unleashing a powerful low effort, but it failed to trouble Lions keeper Cam Mason and rolled safely wide.
The home side would capitalise on their strong start when in a similar situation, albeit at a different angle, the ball fell to Sheldon Green after being played in Danny Forbes, allowing the defender to hit a superb shot that easily had the beating of Mason and gave Bamber the lead after 13 minutes.
Guiseley clicked into gear after this setback and were nearly gifted an equaliser on 17 minutes after a defensive error allowed Lewis Whitham to test the Bamber goal for the first time, but the shot was met by a fingertip save from Felix Goddard.
Whitham was at it again five minutes later, receiving a through ball from Kwame Boateng before beating his defender and firing a curled effort, but it was far too powerful and sailed well over the goal.
Immediately after, Goddard was called into action again by a shot from Callum Chippendale for Guiseley, with the keeper saving the effort before the ball fell to Whitham, who failed to convert what seemed like an easy rebound for an equaliser.
The visitors’ momentum continued as the game passed passed the 30 minute mark, but there was little reward against a stubborn home defence, the only effort that got past them being a hit from Chippendale that failed to trouble Goddard and safely went wide and over.
Bamber nearly doubled their with their first real chance for some time on 40 minutes after a low cross from Sinclair-Smith was received by Issac Sinclair, with the first time shot resulting in a last gasp save from Mason, with the Lions’ defence able to clear away any further danger in the aftermath.
This would be the last major action of the half in a game that was still very much in the balance, with Guiseley unlucky to be behind having failed to beat the offside trap on numerous occasions, as well as missing several key chances.
The Lions’ persistence during the first-half paid off almost immediately after the restart when Kallan Murphy whipped in a cross that beat a pair of Bamber defenders and gave Whitham plenty of real estate to place the ball into which he capitalised on, levelling the game and giving the visitors a new wave of momentum.
The home side’s response to going behind was slow as they struggled to consistently get up the pitch and cause the Guiseley defence any issues, whilst Whitham used his fine footwork to continue to cause problems up the other end.
The hour mark came and went and the game was in a quiet period that neither side was looking able to break out of, though it was nearly brought to life after some poor distribution from Goddard nearly connected with Whitham inside the box, but the Guiseley man couldn’t get up high enough, and the ball went just over him.
It would be the 72nd minute when the hosts finally had a clear opportunity when after winning a free-kick, Paul Dawson would hit a ferocious shot that left Mason motionless in the visiting goal, but it would go narrowly over the bar, much to the Lions’ relief.
Following this, the momentum of the game shifted and Bamber unleashed a relentless assault on the Guiseley goal that was finally rewarded as the game entered the final 10 minutes when a corner from Sinclair-Smith was headed home by Dawson to give the visitors a well-earned lead given the run of play.
The Lions struggled to find a response in the closing stages and as the game entered stoppage time, substitute Andy Kellett’s deflected free-kick found the head of captain George Smith from close-range, but Goddard was there to catch the ball as it headed for the corner of the goal.
The hosts would hold on throughtout a long period of added-time to start their new year with a vital victory in their play-off push.
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Manager’s thoughts:
Guiseley manager Paul Phillips express disappointment with the the result and also felt that his team deserved something from it, especially with their momentum at points.
”I thought we started similarly to last week, I thought we started poorly. “ “I thought we deserved to get something out of the game and we missed chances at crucial times in the first-half, then we’ve come out in the second-half and tweaked a few things and I thought we looked the better team” he said.
Phillips was particularly frustrated with the manner in which his side lost the game, namely the set-piece 10 minutes from time, emphasising that it’s something that shouldn’t be happening in a side managed by him.
”The second goal has come from a set-piece which is unacceptable, especially in my dressing room” he said.
Many Guiseley fans questioned Phillips’ decision to take off defender Kwame Boateng so late in the first-half, with the substitution being made in the 43rd minute, but Phillips offered his justification for the decision.
“He wasn’t good enough. “For me he wasn’t good enough and for me we’ve got to be on the front foot and I don’t want players playing in a pocket where it’s very easy. “Kwame’s a very good player, but what I could see was that he was too far off his player at numerous times, not just once” he said.
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Final thoughts:
This victory sees Bamber Bridge rise to fourth in the Pitching In Northern Premier League table with a three point gap inside the play-off places, a vital advantage as the second half of the season gets into full swing.
Guiseley on the other hand haven’t suffered a significant loss in league positions, but nevertheless will be frustrated with the manner of the defeat, particularly given the amount of chances they had.