ACE LIBURD ON SONG AS LIONS HEAP CARDS WOE
RESURGENT Guiseley eased out of the relegation zone while inflicting a third consecutive defeat on Woking in a thriller at the Laithwaite Community Stadium.
Rowan Liburd’s brace either side of half-time turned the game around after Declan Appau’s stunning goal had nudged the hosts in front.
Charlton loanee Regan Charles-Cook equalised for Woking but some lacklustre defending allowed substitute Mike Fondop to net the winner for the brave Lions, who are now unbeaten in four matches.
The result left Guiseley manager Paul Cox sweating at full-time but elated with his side’s effort. He said: “That’s why you want to be involved in football. It was proper football, endto-end, it was like a cup game.
“I’ve enjoyed it because we got the result and the tenacity we showed, the desire to go and try win a game at a club that’s had a really good start to the season.
“We were brave but once again there’s a million and one things we can get better at. We’ve now got goals in the side. I’m over the moon for the boys.”
Woking’s academy graduate Appau, on his first start for the club, lit up the contest in the 14th minute, shifting the ball onto his right foot and firing superbly into the far corner.
It was a moment of brilliance that stunned the 1,783 in attendance but Guiseley kept going and grabbed the equaliser as Liburd prodded in at the near post after Darren Holden’s long throw wasn’t dealt with.
Just three minutes later, Guiseley were fortunate not to have had goalkeeper Jonny Maxted sent off when he handled the ball outside the area.
Referee Gary Parsons took pity on the Lions stopper and showed him a yellow card, but he had more work to do in sorting out a disagreement between Cox and his opposite number Anthony Limbrick. Appau went close before the break but it was Woking causing their own problems in defence at the start of the second half. Nathan Ralph was caught in possession on the edge of his own box and when the ball broke to Liburd, he smashed in at Baxter’s near post. Cards substitute Richard Orlu crashed an effort against the crossbar before Charles-Cook slotted home an equaliser, dashing on to the loose ball after Inih Effiong went down claiming a penalty. But yet again Woking’s rear guard let them down and sub Fondop struck the winner via a deflection. “We’re going through a period where things aren’t going our way but I think you earn that luck and when we were eight unbeaten, things were going for us,” said Cards boss Limbrick. “To get back into it was good from us. We’ve given them the victory unfortunately rather than them having to earn it.”