Lions fail to take advantage

On a night when leaders Chester could only manage a draw against ten-man Workington, the Lions contrived to throw away a two-goal lead and two valuable points against a Colwyn Bay team who have won just six matches and were playing their first game under new Player/Manager Frank Sinclair, the third incumbent of the Manager’s chair this season.

Guiseley got off to the best possible start after just nine minutes when Wayne Brooksby robbed Michael Lea and scampered down the right before delivering a low cross which James Walshaw swept into the net.  Prior to that, Walshaw had been denied when Tom Smyth took the ball off his toes with a timely interception.

Steve Drench made a good stop from a free-kick at the other end and from the resulting breakaway Walshaw brought an excellent save from Chris Sanna. The Bay keeper then denied Walshaw once again with a good block, and although Josh Wilson picked up the loose ball and rifled in a shot, covering defender Danny Taylor headed his effort off the line.

Some delightful play between Andy Holdsworth, Jack Rea and Walshaw then saw the latter’s effort deflected behind before Wilson’s free kick brought yet another good stop from Sanna, but this time Brooksby was on hand to put the home side two up.

On the stroke of half-time  Lea made up for his earlier error, floating in a free kick from the right that took a slight deflection of a posse of bodies in the six yard box and ended up in the net. John McKenna was then just inches away from converting a cross for the visitors, having been left unmarked by the home defence.

In a scrappy second half, Colwyn levelled on 65 minutes courtesy of Rob Hopley’s shot across Drench, and when the home side brought on Jake Lawlor and Andy McWilliams in place of Andy Pearson and Matt Wilson to add some vigour to a static midfield the omens initially looked good but Bay hero Sanna once again denied Walshaw on two occasions before Smyth spurned a golden opportunity for the visitors at the death, scooping his effort over the bar from six yards out.

Attendance: 389

Team:

1 – Steve Drench

2 – Andy Holdsworth (Captain)

3 – Rhys Meynell

4 – Andy Pearson (Lawlor, 69)

5 – Danny Ellis

6 – Mark Bower

7 – Wayne Brooksby 44

8 – Matt Wilson (McWilliams, 69)

9 – Josh Wilson 44

10 – James Walshaw 9

11 – Jack Rea (Marsh, 83)

12 – Phil Marsh

14 – Andy McWilliams

15 – Jake Lawlor

16 – Zack Dale

18 – Jacob Giles

Next Up:

3:00 pm
Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division

Guiseley vs Ilkeston Town