Guiseley were denied a hard-earned win at Blackwell Meadows this afternoon by the woodwork as the visitors struck the frame of the goal no less than four times to leave the home side with an undeserved share of the points.
New loan signing Louis Walsh from Barnsley made his debut on the right but it was Kaine Felix who was first to try his luck three minutes in as he scampered past his marker and tried to slot the ball between keeper Zachry Hemming and the post only for the ball to rebound of the upright.
In a first half that lacked any real clear cut chances Felix’s effort was the closest that the visitors came to breaking the deadlock while Harvey Saunders and ex-Lions defender Simon Ainge went close for Darlington.
The bobbly pitch that the Quakers share with the local rugby club was not helping matters either as both teams struggled to put any meaningful passing movements together.
The home side suffered a major loss when captain and main striker Ainge had to leave the pitch just before halftime due to injury and was replaced by another ex-Guiseley player David Syers.
However, it was the visitors with the wind at their backs in the second half that gradually began to take control of the game and create some opportunities.
Felix was causing the home side some consternation down the right flank and when he cut inside his low shot fizzed millimetres wide of the post with the keeper beaten.
Kingsley James was next to try his luck and when his shot was parried by Hemming Paul Clayton’s chip on the follow-up came back off the bar.
Felix then beat Hemming with a cross-cum-shot but once again the bar came to the home sides rescue.
Then in the dying seconds a Guiseley shot was deflected and Clayton hit the upright once again on the follow-up.
So it was just one of those days for the Lions and they must be hoping for better luck on Tuesday when they renew rivalries with Ashton United at Hurst Cross.
Team:
1-Green
2-Moyo
3-Heaton
4-Purver
5-Thornton
6-Halls
7-Felix
8-James
9-Clayton
10-Hatfield
11-Walsh (Walters 82)
Subs:
12-Morrison
14-Cummings
15-Harvey
16-Harvey
17-Walters
