The Lions went down to only their sixth defeat of the season courtesy of two defensive lip ups that allowed Alfreton to take the three points even though the home side had levelled almost immediately and had matched many people’s title favourites blow for blow.

 In a game spoiled by far too much use of the whistle the momentum was never allowed to surface due to the surfeit of free kicks given for every minor misdemeanour and as a result neither team gained the upper hand. Not that this stopped both sides conceding sloppy goals, Guiseley being the first when Paul Clayton was allowed to plant a powerful header home at the near post from a corner on 21 minutes.

The home sides reply was immediate as an over-hit cross was dinked back in by Warren Peyton and Alfreton keeper Ross Turner impeded y his own defenders James Walshaw gt the faintest of touches as the ball trickled through a forest of legs and over the line on 22 minutes.

The visitors were back in front eight minutes later as Nathan Arnold was gifted the ball from Simon Ainge’s weak back pass and went on to evade Drench before netting.

Either side of the three goals the Lions had gone close when Walshaw was just short of O’Neill’s cross and then the latter put his shot the wrong side of the upright. Ainge nearly turned provider wit a lobbed ball over the visitors defence that Walshaw side footed across goal but agonisingly wide of the mark.

Having cleared one off the line in the first half, Ainge atoned for his earlier mistake repeating the action in the second whilst Walshaw shot wide from a good position, Boshell from a good shooting position instead elected to square the ball to O’Neill and the chance was lost. O’Neill also clipped the bar late on.

But yet again and even with three strikers – Forrest, O’Neill and Walshaw – on for the ninety minutes, Guiseley were unable to convert their opportunities. A fact compounded by the performance of Alfreton central defender   who didn’t put a foot wrong all evening whereas the officials hardly endeared themselves to both sets of fans with their zealous use of the flag and whistle.

1. Steven Drench
2. Ryan Toulson
3. Dave Merris
4. Warren Peyton
5. Danny Ellis
6. Simon Ainge
7. Danny Forrest
8. Simon Baldry
9. Joe O’Neill
10. James Walshaw
11. Danny Boshell
12. Darryn Stamp
13. Gavin Rothery
14. Luke Sharry
15. Jake McEneaney
16. James Coates.