Loan star Rooney shoots down Cup kings

John Rooney scored in added time to ensure Guiseley beat Sutton United 2-1 and boost their chances of beating the drop from the National League.
Jake CassidyJake Cassidy
Jake Cassidy

John Rooney scored in added time to ensure Guiseley beat Sutton United 2-1 and boost their chances of beating the drop from the National League.

Guiseley had announced the signing of Rooney earlier yesterday with Manchester United and England captain Wayne’s younger brother joining on loan from league rivals Wrexham.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rooney started for the Lions, but it was another loanee, Kevan Hurst, who made an impact in the opening exchanges.

Hurst first had an effort deflected over the bar and then from the corner he found Jake Cassidy who headed in from five yards out, with just seven minutes gone.

Sutton, who knocked Guiseley’s illustrious neighbours Leeds United out of the FA Cup last month and face Premier League giants Arsenal in the fifth round on Monday, started to grow into the match.

Roarie Deacon, a thorn in the side against the Whites, saw an effort from the edge of the area just go past the post.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The visitors did draw level just before the break when Matt Tubbs was brought down in the area, he got up and scored from the penalty spot with a calm finish. Guiseley started brightly in the second half with Rooney forcing Ross Worner into a save.

Connor Brown then delivered a marvellous tackle when Tubbs went past Lions keeper Jonny Maxted and looked bound to tap it in, but the defender got in the way and scooped the ball away from goal. But it was that man Rooney who was in the right place late on to tap in a debut effort that ensured the Lions got the vital victory.

The result lifts Guiseley out of the bottom three and they are two points clear of Maidstone who replace them inthe dropzone.

Guiseley, for whom former Leeds midfielder Simon Walton turned in a man-of-the-match display, next face promotion-chasing Dagenham and Redbridge, while Sutton have that date with 12-time FA Cup winners the Gunners.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Guiseley: Maxted, Brown, Lowe, Lawlor, Williams, Hatfield, Hurst (Preston 45) Walton, Asamoah (Rankine 72) Cassidy (Boyes 80), Rooney. Unused substitutes: Vidal, Green.

Sutton United: Worner, John, Collins, Gomis, May, Dundas, Bailey, Jebb (Smith 75) Deacon, Downer, Tubbs (Fitchett). Unused substitutes: Gueye, Coker, Traore.

Referee: Andrew Miller