Guiseley put Saturday’s disappointment behind them with a resounding 6-1 thrashing of second-placed AFC Telford United and in the process leapfrogged into fifth place.
Alex Johnson and Gavin Rothery grabbed a brace apiece, the other goals coming from the returning Danny Ellis and Adam Boyes. Substitute Mike Phenix registered the sole consolation for a disconsolate Telford.
Danny Ellis returned to the heart of the home defence to partner Danny Hall, with Ben Parker moving over to left back.
Shaun Whalley was first to test Steve Drench early on before Andy Holdsworth became the first of a clutch of players cautioned on the night.
Simon Grand took the ball off Adam Boyes’ toes and Ellis was glad to clear his lines shortly afterwards.
Grand became the second player to be booked, and Parker went off injured to be replaced by Rhys Meynell.
Telford then found themselves behind on 32 minutes when a Wayne Brooksby free kick was floated across to the far post where Ellis nipped in to score as keeper Ryan Young and defender Neil Byrne left the ball for each other.
Six minutes later, Rothery picked the ball up midway inside his own half and skipped past a couple of defenders before winning an almighty tussle with Wes Baynes to advance and rifle a shot into the top corner that took a slight deflection on its way in, a sublime piece of skill and top class finish that sent the Lions in at the break two-nil to the good.
Guiseley all but put the game beyond the visitors’ reach three minutes into the second period when the referee pointed to the spot, adjudging that Brooksby had been fouled. Rothery duly stepped up and beat Young with a precise strike into the bottom corner.
Defender Byrne’s night went from bad to worse on 53 minutes when Boyes caught him in possession twenty-five yards out and drew Young before slotting the ball home for a classic striker’s finish.
The visitors scored a belated consolation when Phenix headed home a cross from the left on 69 minutes but the Lions were far from finished as Alex Johnson was rewarded for a battling display with a late brace.
The first came courtesy of man-of-the-match Rothery’s jinking run that left Baynes for dead once again before he cut the ball back from the byline where Young spilled it and Johnson pounced to fire home Guiseley’s fifth.
The rout was complete in the 89th minute when substitute Kevin Holsgrove cut in from the left and, although his powerful shot was blocked by a defender, Johnson was on hand again to poach his second and catapult the Lions above Boston, Brackley and Harrogate and into the last play-off place.
Mark Bower’s post-match interview
Team:
1-Drench
2-Holdsworth
3- Parker (Meynell 29)
4-Hall
5-Ellis 32
6-Lawlor
7-Brooksby
8-Boshell (Potts 78)
9-Boyes 53 (Holsgrove 74)
10- Johnson. A 73, 89
11-Rothery 37, 48 (p)
12-Meynell
14-Forrest
15-Potts
16-Holsgrove
18-Dickinson
