A fiery, pulsating derby between Guiseley and Bradford (Park Avenue) yesterday afternoon at Nethermoor saw the two rivals share four goals and four red cards equally between them.
The hosts will undoubtedly be happier with a point from the 2-2 draw, having been behind twice and having played with a man down for nearly an hour.
Avenue began this Northern Premier League Premier Division clash brightly, opening the scoring after only eight minutes.
A clever free-kick routine between Will Longbottom and Brad Dockerty ended with the latter finding the former in the box.
With no challenge forthcoming, Longbottom was left with a simple finish to put Mark Bower’s side in front.
Both sides had spells of pressure thereafter, but Guiseley were left in deep trouble when Callum Chippendale picked up a second yellow card and was dismissed after only 24 minutes.
Jamie Spencer had looked to be through on goal with a gilt-edged chance to double Avenue’s advantage, but he was caught offside, and Guiseley made their visitors pay five minutes before the break.
Gabriel Johnson grabbed a surprise equaliser for the Lions, heading a superb cross beyond George Sykes-Kenworthy.
Johnson came close to giving the home side the lead, but Sykes-Kenworthy made a good save with his feet.
And Avenue went back in front on the stroke of half-time, as an unmarked Harrison Hopper turned a cross home from close range.
Guiseley roared out of the blocks after the break, and quickly equalised through Kallan Murphy’s superb finish from inside the box.
Joe Stacey then ran through on goal for the Lions only to pull up with an injury that forced him off.
Young Guiseley goalkeeper Ollie Battersby then made a great double save, with Longbottom coming agonisingly close to netting his second goal of the afternoon.
The teams then went level on numbers as well, as Lucas Odunston was sent off for a second yellow card with 15 minutes to go.
Jak Whiting cleared a Guiseley chance off the line as the hosts probed for a winner.
And with both teams pushing for that decisive fifth goal, there was another red card with a minute to go, the Lions’ Ollie Brown dismissed for two bookable offences.
Ten minutes of additional time were signalled, but the only incident of note was Hopper seeing a straight red card for a poor challenge.
The result sees Avenue drop to 13th, while Guiseley move out of the drop zone and up to 16th thanks to the point.
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