Basford United 0-2 Guiseley (Northern Premier League)
I was in the Lake District over the weekend and thankfully, got lucky with the weather, but ever since it’s been treacherous nonstop rain, thankfully again, despite the downpour, we’ll be ok tonight, as Basford United play on astro.
United won at the weekend and have done ok so far this season, they beat Blyth Spartans at Croft Park to come away with an impressive three points on Saturday, a 2-0 win and two goals from Ash Chambers has United sitting in eighth, but a bit of turmoil has hit the club as Manager Martin Carruthers has been granted compassionate leave to attend to a family bereavement.
Guiseley are doing better than ok, they sit fifth in the table well and truly in the promotion mix, the West Yorkshire side beat Scunthorpe United on Saturday to progress in the FA Cup, they are managed by former Bradford City defender Mark Bower who returns to the Lions having played and managed previously at Nethermoor, before a recent role in charge of Bradford Park Avenue.
Looking online at the team squads ahead of the game he seems to have brought a couple of players with him from BPA has Bower. Guiseley is a club formed in 1909 in a town which borders Leeds & Bradford airport, they have been in the NPL for three seasons after relegation from the National League North in 2022, prior to that the club spent three seasons in English football’s fifth tier between 2015-18 but has spent most of its last 30 years in the Northern Premier where they’ll often be fighting for promotion.
Basford United, in contrast were a Notts Senior League team until recent years, in 2012 they won the Central Midlands League before the East Midlands Counties League the year after that, winning the Midland League in 2015 they won the Northern Premier League Division One South in 2018 and have been at step three ever since.
The Venue
The rain has not stopped all day, it’s dark, grey and cold, it always seems to be when I visit Basford, I’m driving the short distance from my home, up the ring road, eventually on to Bagnall Road where I pass a row of budget looking shops on my right, the Mill Pub on my left and a few semi-detached houses over the speed bumps, before pulling up on Greenwich Avenue and parking outside the gates to the home of Basford United, for a quick getaway.
No such concern for traffic tonight, I doubt they’ll be many here as I walk past the security guards towards the back of the ground over a gravel car park and to the turnstile, £11 entrance on card, I’m through the doors and walk down to the small seated stand on the right as the players warm up on the synthetic surface, rain still falling down with force.
I’ve said before the ground is quaint, but perhaps lacks something, there’s a bit of covered seating behind the goal to my left where a couple of portacabins have a retro looking scoreboard plastered on it, but opposite, nothing but two dugouts and three dim floodlights which sparkle the drizzle, to my right, nothing but a huge mesh fence in front of some super tall conifers which is in place to stop stray balls hitting the tram tracks behind.
The Game
There’s little more than a couple of hundred people dotted about, if that, some take cover with me, sat in the seated stand on half way, slightly obstructed in one corner, but plenty of roof ensures no side on rain or wind, the start from Basford in yellow and black is good, they look to get at Guiseley who in white look to do the basics from the offset.
I’m impressed with United who have some big units in their side, number eight Kacy Butterfield in midfield is a player I like, Rev James and Tyrell Waite are both handfuls up front, whilst young Tyler Dacres, a forward up from the youth team, with number ten on his back, is for some reason, playing right back?
But I like Guiseley also, they seem to be a proper club for the level, experience across their back five, a goalkeeper who’s been about, two strong centre halves, two solid full backs, a workmanlike midfield with a couple of classy wingers and a forward in Gabriel Johnson with that bit of something special.
It’s cagey, but competitive, as the falling rain interrupts the flow of quality on show, players are full pelt, quick (or late) in the tackle, with the Referee allowing some allowances, there’s plenty of speed and power with the ball only ever heading forwards, it’s a hard one to call as Basford’s fluidity in forward movement upsets the Guiseley back line, but in their own attacking third they have the quality to unlock a ropey looking United defence, and on 37 the door is unlocked when centre half Nelson Aideyan tries to trap the ball on half way, it rolls under his foot and eventually finds itself in the back of the net, after good work by Lufudu down the right, who crosses low for Will Longbottom to flick home.
The Score
It’s not the first mistake I’ve seen from Aideyan this season who’s big and powerful but can be sometimes erratic, his errors have proved costly for United previously, on the opening day he made one against Lancaster City which led to a goal, before seeing himself sent off.
That error aside there’s been not a lot between the sides, Guiseley simply defend better but there’s space in behind to attack again, Gabriel Johnson receives the ball on half way slips and controls the ball before sending Longbottom through, he’s cool to finish off the move and put the away side two-nil up going into half time.
The second goal is a killer blow for Basford who were well in the match until then, but despite a second half surge, they have a lot of corners and plenty of possession, but no real attempts on Joe Cracknell’s goal but for a header blocked on the line, the visitors confident and competent in their performance where they run down the match and take minimal risks to defend what they earned in the first 45.
Not a thriller, but one which has the Guiseley club officials sitting next to me pleased, a superb away performance, shower, dry off, back in the coach, up the M1/A1 and go again on Saturday.
The Stars
One of my favourite players at this level is Guiseley captain and centre half Lebrun Mbeka who’s been around the circuit, but you just know what you’ll get from him. Not blessed with technical ability, he’s a head it and kick it kind of guy and one of the best at simply defending, which in purity is art.
He was well partnered by Jake Lawlor whilst either side of him, Lucas Odunston who I liked whilst at Bradford Park Avenue is a good solid choice for right back, and former Bradford City left back Liam Ridehalgh has an experienced head and more of that 'know how' you need for getting out of divisions like this.
In midfield I really liked the tiresome working combo of Prince Ekpolo and Adriano Moke whilst offering that class in attack, Will Longbottom coming in off the left, with Gabriel Johnson, silky smooth and with the key to unlock defences whether it be in a nine or ten role.
For Basford, they gave as much as they got, provide them with Guiseley’s back four and it might have been a different score? They have plenty of attacking ability, they just couldn’t get inside the box against tough opponents who knew how to defend. Prince Mancinelli and Kacy Butterfield are two combative midfielders who tick the ball along nicely, Rev James and Kane Richards are players who are very direct, positive with pace, whilst the gritty Tyler Dacres has a lot of potential, if played in his best position.
The Verdict
Basford I said, will be nearer bottom than top this season after I last watched them lose at home to Leek and I still perhaps think that, but nearer middle than bottom, they have good solid players, if lacking a little in depth.
Guiseley will certainly be nearer top than bottom, they’ll be expected to challenge for the playoffs and might continue with their good cup run to earn a few quid, but they’ll be hard placed to challenge Robbie Savage’s Macclesfield at the top of the table, they could give Worksop a good run for second though, and getting back into the National League North is far from beyond the realms of possibility.
The Teams
Basford United: Saul Deeney, Nelson Aideyan, Henri Winter, Prince Mancinelli, Stern Irvine, Josh Barnes (Dameer Rose 90), Kane Richards, Kacy Butterfield, Tyrell Waite, Tyler Dacres (Joe Uveges 57), Rev James.
Guiseley: Joe Cracknell, Lucas Odunston (Joe Ackroyd 63), Liam Ridehalgh, Prince Ekpolo, Lebrun Mbeka, Jake Lawlor, John Lufudu (Sam Bentley 88), Adriano Moke, Gabriel Johnson (George Sebine 90), Ollie Brown, Will Longbottom (Feyi Afuape 90).
7:45pm Kick Off. Tuesday 1st October 2024, Greenwich Avenue, Nottingham (att 212).
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