Tom Wardle reports as Marine hit three in season opener…
Three goals earned Marine three points in their opening fixture of the Northern Premier League against recently relegated Guiseley. Lucas Weir, Jake Burton and Callum Harris were all on the scoresheet at Nethermoor Park, to give the Mariners a deserved win on a scorching day in West Yorkshire.
Neil Young was only able to name 15 players on the team sheet due to recent injuries suffered in pre-season. However, he was able to name forward Mo Touray amongst the substitutes after injury.
A competitive opening 15 minutes saw Marine take the first real chance of the game. Josh Solomon-Davies skilfully brought the ball down inside the box and crossed it along the face of the goal, where Weir was at the back post to score the Whites’ first of the new campaign.
Bayleigh Passant, one of the more recognisable figures in Marine’s starting eleven, made a magnificent diving stop to deny the hosts of an instant response from a close-range header. The subsequent corner saw Passant called into action again, he decisively gathered hold of the ball after it grazed the bar.
Despite some promising chances falling at both ends, the two defences remained resolute to keep the score at 1-0 heading into the interval.
The game hung in the balance for the majority of the second half. Both Charley Doyle and Jordan Lussey picked up bookings, before manager Young offered debuts to Hayden Campbell and soon to be goalscorer Harris.
The two substitutes combined not long after entering the pitch, when Campbell’s ball in behind the Guiseley backline was met by Harris, whose effort bounced off the post.
Marine’s momentum was finally rewarded moments later. Sean Smith’s spirited run forward from left back saw him end up in the right-wing position. He then played it off to Burton for a chance to double the visitors’ lead. The Tranmere loanee made no mistake, he cut inside and curled his shot inside the far post.
The hosts’ day went from bad to worse, when Jorge Sikora pulled down Burton just outside the box and was deemed to have denied the striker a goal scoring opportunity. The Lions’ centre-half was given a straight red card.
Following some further pressure inside the Guiseley box, Marine added a third. Chances were falling for every player in a blue shirt, but it was Harris who calmly volleyed the ball into the turf, looping over Kyle Trenerry, who could only watch as the MTA faithful behind his goal celebrated once again.
The Mariners will now look to their first home league game of the season back at The Marine Travel Arena, when they host Lancaster City for a 7:45pm kick off on Tuesday evening.
Guiseley: Trenerry, Vaughan (Wood 45), Haase, Cartwright, Sikora, Harris, Johnston (Haw 83), Dean, Cassidy ©, Hey (Greaves 61), Kellett.
Unused subs: Moloney, Nkem.
Marine: Passant, Solomon-Davies (Harris 70), Smith, Howarth, Wardle ©, Spittle, Doyle, Lussey, Adams (Campbell 70), Burton, Weir (Clark 89).
Unused sub: Touray.
Marine goals; Weir 17, Burton 82, Harris 89.
Attendance: 565
