On a night when only Alfreton out of the top teams managed to get a win the Lions went down to a surprise defeat against ninth placed Vauxhall Motors through a combination of a sterile first half performance, hitting the woodwork three times in the second half and some very questionable decisions from the three officials.
Retaining the side that pushed Luton so close on Saturday Gavin Rothery had two attempts before the home side had what looked like a legitimate appeal for a handball in the area turned down. James Walshaw also sent a free kick a whisker the wrong side of the pops with visiting keeper Scott Tynan beaten.
But it was the men from Ellesmere Port who took the lead on 15 minutes as a cross from the left was cleverly side footed home at the near post by Obi Anoruo and worse was to follow eleven minutes later when the same player beat Simon Ainge to a through ball to streak clear and evade Steven Drench before stroking the ball into the empty net.
Walshaw’s cross just evaded Liam Needham and Joe O’Niell just before the break and Manager Steve Kittrick made too changes at the start of the second period bringing on Luke Sharry and Simon Baldry for Danny Boshell and Gavin Rothery.
The impact of the revamped formation was almost immediate as O’Niell had the ball in the net but was denied by an offside flag. Prompted by the two substitutes pushing forward into the oppositions half, the home side piled on the pressure and were rewarded on 67 minutes as Baldrys blocked shot fell to Walshaw who twisted and turned before getting in a shot which lopped up of a defenders outstretched leg and into the net.
O’Niell was denied by the post and then Baldry again was the provider shortly afterwards pulling the ball back from the byline only to see O’Neill’s sweet header canon off the upright. O’Niell, Walshaw and Baldry were pulled up for allegedly being offside when they clearly looked to be behind their marker with the liner seemingly reacting to Motors appeals rather than checking the line.
Warren Peyton also hit the post with Tynan again rooted to the spot as the Lions sought the equalizer but when the lively Anoruo sprung the offside trap drench came out of his area and dived at his feet which earned him the inevitable red card.
Joe O’Niell was sacrificed to allow substitute keeper James Coates to take over between the sticks and despite several forays into the Vauxhall penalty area Guiseley were unable to force a result and went down to only their third defeat of the League campaign to date.
Team:
1 Steven Drench (Coates 84)
2 Ryan Toulson
3 Dave Merris
4 Warren Peyton
5 Danny Ellis
6 Simon Ainge
7 Gavin Rothery (Sharry 46)
8 Danny Boshell (Baldry 46)
9 Joe O’Neill (withdrawn 84)
10 James Walshaw 67
11Liam Needham
12 Luke Sharry
14 Danny Forrest
15 Darryn Stamp
16 Simon Baldry
18 James Coates
