Guiseley’s hopes for a decisive victory in the North-East were dashed, settling instead for a point thanks to Sam Hodgson’s 94th-minute equaliser.
Few would argue that Morpeth didn’t deserve a goal after their impressive first-half performance. Hodgson and Noble missed early opportunities for the hosts, and Ollie Battersby delivered a standout performance, thwarting a relentless barrage of Morpeth attacks. Guiseley struggled to assert control in the opening 45 minutes.
However, the second half was a different story, with Guiseley taking the lead. Substitute Gabriel Johnson breathed new life into a previously lacklustre Guiseley side. His acrobatic attempt rattled the bar, providing the first chance of the half. Ollie Brown came close shortly after, signalling Guiseley’s growing dominance.
Kallan Murphy almost found the bottom corner with another chance before Morpeth’s Andrew Johnson forced Battersby into yet another impressive save. The game opened up, with opportunities for Foalle and Gabriel Johnson, only to be denied by Morpeth’s goalkeeper Lowson after a skilful run.
In the 77th minute, Guiseley finally broke through. Reece Kendall’s strike, the culmination of relentless Guiseley pressure, put them in the lead. With Noble’s red card in the Morpeth midfield after a moment of recklessness, it seemed Morpeth would face further setbacks.
Yet, Morpeth showed resilience. Sam Hodgson managed to bundle the ball into the net with virtually the last kick of the game, earning the home side a well-fought point.
It will be a bitter pill to swallow for Guiseley’s travelling supporters to concede so late, but few impartial observers would deem a draw in this game of two halves an unjust outcome.
