With Guiseley on the verge of relinquishing their fourteen-game unbeaten run to the team that last defeated them, Gavin Rothery popped up to salvage a deserved point with the last kick of a game between two evenly-matched sides.
In a fairly even first half of few clear-cut chances, the home side took an early lead when Wayne Brooksby’s free kick was floated in and Alex Johnson beat Stuart Coburn with a deft glancing header into the far corner.
The Lions’ lead lasted only nine minutes, however, as Gianluca Havern, having been left unmarked at a corner, slotted home from close range to restore parity.
With Brooksby causing all sorts of problems down the right flank it looked as though Guiseley might just sneak another before the break, but the nearest they came was when Johnson put another header from Rhys Meynell’s cross just the wrong side of the upright with Coburn beaten.
In a second half that was just as competitive as the first, both sides incurred a rash of bookings and Altrincham nearly went ahead but Steve Drench pulled off a superb save after ex-Lions favourite James Walshaw’s shot had taken a wicked deflection.
Simon Richman missed a good opportunity for the visitors shortly afterwards before Alty took the lead on 69 minutes when Shaun Densmore’s decisive run down the right-hand channel set up his low cross that found Carl Rogers, who beat Drench with ease.
But with the clock counting down and Alty playing out time, the Lions were awarded a free kick half-way inside their own half. Goalkeeper Drench launched the ball into the penalty area where a defender got a head to it but it fell to Rothery who shot gleefully past Coburn from eight yards to send his team-mates and the home support into raptures.
Star Man: Wayne Brooksby (Guiseley)
Entertainment Value: ****
Teams: Guiseley: Drench; Holdsworth (Capt), Meynell; Parker, Lawlor, Hall; Brooksby, Potts (Swain, 80), Johnson, Parkin (Hobson, 70), Rothery. Subs not used: Harrison, Whitfield, Dickinson.
Altrincham: Coburn; Densmore (Capt), Griffin; Rogers, Havern, Leather; Wilkinson (Lawrie, 46), Richman, Perry, Walshaw (Reeves, 63), Clee (Marshall, 85). Subs not used: Doughty, Smikle.
Scorers: Guiseley- Johnson 9, Rothery 90+3; Altrincham – Havern 17, Rogers 69.
H/T 1-1
Att: 613
Referee: Andrew Miller