Guiseley came out on top of a tight FA Trophy Third Round Replay with Joe O’Neill’s late strike finally putting paid to a very good Eastbourne Borough side to set up a Quarter Final tie against Luton Tow on Saturday 26 February at Nethermoor.

There was little between the  two well matched sides for the first half hour, O’Neill had a goal bound effort blocked by Darren Baker and Tommy Forecast did well to save Gavin Rothery’ s free kick and then smother James Walshaw’s follow up.

The Lions were in the ascendancy in the fifteen minutes before the break without creating any clear cut chances and they carried this into the second period where Walshaw opened the scoring two minutes in when after thinking about a putting in a cross he spotted Forecast off his line and flashed an audacious shot between the keeper and the post into the far corner.

The lead lasted all of six minutes though as Borough were awarded a dubious free kick on the right which was floated in for the impressive Gary Elphick to get up in front of Steven Drench and head the home the equaliser on 53 minutes.

Stunned by this the home side redoubled their efforts and Forecast did well to deny both Rothery and Walshaw with two fine saves but was powerless to stop the winner which resulted from a Ryan Toulson throw to Rothery who made space only to see his shot blocked. The resulting loose ball crossed to the far post by Peyton where Walshaw headed it back in across the six yard box for O’Neill to stoop and head home the winner from close in on 86 minutes.  

From then on the Lions played keep ball in the corners as the clock wound down, and despite four minutes of added time and the best efforts of the visitors, the home held out to set up another intriguing home tie against Conference Premier high fliers Luton Town.

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