Guiseley Vixens narrowly lose out on a point after being defeated 3-2 on the road to Stoke City.

Goals from Hannah Keryakoplis, Ashleigh Hayes and Rachael Ball were enough for the home side, despite two fantastic finishes from Nikki Berko and Natalie Brace.

It was Brace who was at the main talking point of the second half after she was bundled down in the box, but the penalty claim was waved off by the referee.

There was a return to the side for Lauren Griffiths who finally completed her suspension and a debut for new signing Charlotte Gill who came off the bench.

It was the home side who had the first chance of the game, Hayes finding herself through early but blazed the shot high and wide of upright.

Guiseley stayed strong, not allowing Stoke any clear-cut chances and breaking on the counter-attack with Brace and Chantelle O’Hara going close.

Keryakoplis opened the scoring for the home side just after the half-hour mark. Appeals for a trip on Kirstie Hunt were waved off and the ball was played over to the attacker who put it past ‘keeper Beth Seasman.

Stoke doubled their lead minutes later. Keryakoplis turned provider for Hayes whose diving header found the back of the net.

O’Hara had the last chance of the half, but her shot didn’t trouble Stoke goalkeeper Natalie Hall.

Early in the second half Brace got on the end of a misplaced backpass and ran through into the box where she was pushed to the ground by a Stoke defender but the appeals were ignored by the officials and play continued.

An inch-perfect freekick was whipped across the six-yard box by Liv DaCosta where Berko met it. Her header kissed the underside of the crossbar before it hit the net and put Guiseley back into the game.

Stoke substitute Rachael Ball scored within minutes of coming on, her header looping over the Guiseley ‘keeper.

Brace added what turned out to be a consolation goal for the Vixens twenty minutes from time. Debutant Gill released O’Hara down the flank where her first-time cross was met with an impressive volleyed finish from Brace who fired into the roof of the net.

Guiseley had chances late on with Berko and Fuller both going near.

A disappointing result but the attention now turns to next Sunday where the Vixens host West Bromwich Albion at Nethermoor Park.