Guiseley bagged a second successive away win to all but end any slim hopes the Shaymen had of gaining automatic promotion and in the process keep the pressure on Hyde, who also won at Bishop’s Stortford this evening courtesy of an 82nd-minute penalty. In a game of few chances, the Lions went behind after just eleven minutes when James Walshaw was crowded out just inside his own half, the ball eventually being played through to Lee Gregory who lifted the ball over the advancing Steve Drench for the opener.
Even after going behind, the visitors looked to have the measure of their fourth-placed opponents and Walshaw was a whisker away from connecting with Danny Boshell’s free kick. The former Shayman went even closer when he got on the end of Dave Merris’s cross only to see Simon Eastwood tip his effort round the post.
Halifax were playing everything through James Dean, and when he pulled a ball across the six-yard box from the bye-line three of his colleagues spurned the opportunity to double the home side’s lead. Having survived that near miss, the Lions were level with four minutes of the restart; Walshaw was once again foiled by Eastwood and after the follow-up had been blocked, Lee Ellington was on hand to put the ball away from all of four yards.
Gregory then put a looping shot over Drench’s bar before Ellington took the ball down the left channel and passed it back for Walshaw, who swung it across to the far post where Ciaran Toner set up Simon Baldry to head home from two yards out. The Shaymen created two further opportunities before the end, the second of which brought a point-blank save from Drench, but in the end they had very little idea of how to break down the Lions’ defence, in which Simon Ainge and Danny Ellis were outstanding.
Even prolific striker Ross Hannah – on loan at the Shay from Bradford City – hardly had a sniff this evening, mainly due to the close attention of the Lions’ defence but also because his intelligent runs elicited no response from Town’s midfield. The visitors went on to claim a second consecutive crucial win against a top four side in their quest for the number one spot.
Team:
1 – Drench
2 – Clarke
3 – Merris
4 – Toner
5 – Ellis
6 – Ainge
7 – Baldry 65
8 – Boshell
9 – Ellington 49 (Price, 90)
10 – Walshaw
11 – Holdsworth
12 – Burns
14 – Price
15 – Lisles
16 – Senior
18 – Giles