Having escaped by the skin of their teeth in the previous two seasons Guiseley’s luck finally ran out as Barrow’s 1-0 win at Nethermoor this evening ended the Lions three season stay in the top tier of non-league.

The defeat leaves them rooted to the bottom of the table with 30 points but with only four games to play fourth bottom Woking have an unassailable 45 points.

The Lions went in to the game knowing that nothing but a win would suffice against another team who were fighting for their lives. But as has been evident for most of this season the lack of quality up front and some woeful defending has put paid to any loftier ambitions, at for the time being at least.

The home side opened strongly and Rowan Liburd was unable to divert Darren Holden’s long throw on target but shortly after the big striker got the better of Asa Hall to create an opening only to  pull his shot wide of the mark with the goal at his mercy.

Ash Palmer then saved Joe Green’s blushes as the keeper raced out to punch clear but missed his target leaving his captain to hook the ball off the line, however the shot stopper made amends shortly after as his outstretched leg denied Jordan White.

The Lions then had another let-off as former Halifax Town midfielder Kingsley James put his back post header the wrong side of the upright when it looked easier to score.

Down the other end Victor Nirennold did well to get down the right flank but was unable to find Liburd or Dayle Southwell with his cross into the box.

But it was all to no avail as Hall headed home a free kick after Green had failed to deal with a free kick floated into the box six minutes after the restart.

Hall then proved his worth at the other end as he cleared Liburds shot off the line with Steve Arnold beaten.

Liburd then had another chance to square matters but his shot lacked power, but when he got to the bye line on two occasions and fired across the six-yard box there were no takers.

And despite the introduction of Callum McFadzean, Alex Purver and Kayode Odejayi the home side were unable to square matters with the only incidence of note as the clock ticked down being the dismissal of Barrow’s Donovan Makoma three minutes from time as he was shown a straight red after appearing to strike Will Hatfield.

Team:

13 Green
4 Wesolowski (Purver 53)
5 Palmer
12 Southwell
8 Hatfield (Odejayi 88)
7 Hurst (McFadzean 67)
10 Rooney
34 Holden
35 Liburd
40 Flowers
42 Nirennold

Subs:
1 Coddington
15 McFadzean
17 Purver
19 Odejayi
39 Roberts