Guiseley’s failure to capitalize on their dominance at Hurst Cross this evening and saw them suffer a second defeat in three games as Matthew Regan’s goal proved to be the difference between the two old rivals and take Ashton out of the bottom three.

Not that his goal should have been only a consolation by that point as the Lions should  have been at least four or five to the good with the chances they had created but failed to put away.

The visitors went on the offensive from the off with Paul Clayton just short off Kaine Felix’s cross with ten minutes played.

Then the latter cut in from the right to fire in a blistering shot that cannoned back off the bar to give the travelling supporters a feeling of déjà vu after the Darlington woodwork had come to the Quakers rescue four times on Saturday.

Louis Walsh was next to try his luck on 22 minutes as his mazy run took him past three defenders only to be denied by Luke Pilling.

Just before the half hour a cross from the left found the head of Will Thornton who went for goal when he might have been better heading the ball back into the mix.

Will Hatfield also went close just before the break as Pilling pulled off a fine save to leave United wondering how they were going into the break still on level terms.

Two minutes into the second period Clayton got on the end of Felix’s cross but planted his header just wide of the post.

Taking advantage of some slack defending the Assistant Manager then nearly got away and as one of the defenders recovered the loose ball fell to Hatfield on the follow up but his effort was saved by Pilling once again.

Both Felix and Walsh then put in crosses from the byline with any takers before mild panic in the visitors defence nearly saw them gift the home side a goal before Andy Halls hoofed the ball away to safety.

However, Ashton made the Lions pay for their profligacy in their next attack as Regan lashed the ball into the top corner on 68 minutes to put the Tamesiders ahead.

Curtis Morrison and Kayode Odejayi replaced Felix and Clayton with fifteen minutes remaining but even with an additional five added minutes Guiseley were unable to claw back the deficit in a game that should have been dead and buried by halftime.

Team:

1-Green

2-Moyo

3-Heaton

4-Purver

5-Thornton

6-Halls

7-Felix (Walters 75)

8-James

9-Clayton (Odejayi 75)

10-Hatfield (Morrison)

11-Walsh

Subs:

12-Morrison

14-Cummings

15-Harvey

16-Odejayi

17-Walters