REPORT BY: Alex Bayfield

SATURDAY April 18 saw the much anticipated return of rugby league to Guiseley, with the newly formed Guiseley Rangers open age team entertaining Rycroft Hammers.

A large crowd descended on Nunroyd Park hoping to see a Guiseley win in their first home game in years. With Guiseley going up the slope against a much larger Rycroft team, territory was always going to be key for the much smaller Rangers.

Things started badly for the rangers and after a good defensive set of six, Guiseley knocked on with their first possession of the game. This handed Rycroft great field position from which they scored from. The game settled into a seesaw affair with neither team taking control. Rycroft were competing at every tackle and pushing the rules to the limit.

What appeared to the crowd to be a rip was given as a knock on, once again gifting the hammers field position. They used their much larger forwards to great effect and scored a second. Guiseley now were starting to play some rugby. Moving the ball forcing the larger Rycroft players around the pitch. After numerous strong runs especially one form man of the match Liam Mawson gifted Guiseley the much needed field position and half back Jacob Waugh took his chance and dived over for the first Guiseley score.

Guiseley then applied the pressure and got their rewards with Lewis Yeadon picking up the second. Unfortunately the Rangers were struggling to add the extra two after tries. The game descended into a physical battle, something the smaller rangers will need to avoid doing throughout the season. Guiseley were still on top though until a long kick through, terrible bounce and an uncharacteristic slip from the Guiseley full back handed the Hammers the least likely of tries.

Half-time came and coach Alex Bayfield instructed the team to stick to the game plan of getting off the line in defence and move the ball around to negate the massive size difference. Guiseley started strongly and scored through a great move which ended with Liam Mawson powering through .

Guiseley got another this time again from a wide pass to Charlie Mullen. Guiseley picked up some injuries to veteran hooker Kirk Verity and half back Jacob Waugh. This appeared to knock the rangers and they lost there cohesion going forward. Guiseley were now in an arm wrestle. The likes of which second row George Bayfield relishes, the 16 year old was a constant thorn in the hammers side running hard and tackling anything that moved on one occasion making all six tackles in a defensive set.

With Guiseley struggling with a few knocks and on the end of a couple of decisions kept giving the hammers territory and they scored one going up the hill on the right. Then Lewis Yeadon bagged his second of the match atfer a break on the right hand side he finished well. restoring the Rangers lead. More indiscipline handed the hammers a carbon copy of their last try and the lead. With the clock ticking down veteran half back Scott Wade intercepted looking like he may score, Rycorft chased back and caught him after a 50m run which would have surely won it.

The final score ended at Guiseley Rangers 22-24 Rycorft Hammers. The Rangers will rue their missed conversions and need to learn not be be dragged into a physical contest when the opposition are so much larger. But the disappointment of the result meant nothing compare to the fantastic feeling that Guiseley are back and this time they're here to stay.