Only a win will give Guiseley hope

Even then they will be relying on Spennymoor losing their last three games.

Guiseley squandered a chance to get ahead of Spennymoor in the desperate survival bid on Monday when they relinquished their lead against visitors Emley and had to settle for a point.

This followed their 3-1 defeat at Whitby Town on Saturday when the atrocious conditions played a large part in the game but were the same for both sides and Guiseley failed to strike when they had all the possession.

Manager Bobby Davison has seen his squad decimated by long term injuries this season - nine players were unavailable for the Emley game - but even so they created enough chances to have had the game virtually wrapped up by half-time.

As things are going for them at the moment it came as something of a surprise that they actually scored from the penalty spot but again it was no surprise that Emley levelled when Darren Day palmed the ball in unseen by the referee or his assistant.

To be fair the referee did ask assistant Steve Powell of Ilkley if he had seen anything but when he indicated he hadn't the goal was allowed to stand.

A win in this game was crucial for Guiseley as it would have put them ahead of Spennymoor and put the pressure back on the North East club. As it is they still stand two points ahead of Guiseley with two games in hand on them.

After the Emley game Davison said: 'We had enough chances to have won the game and then we get done by the referee who fails to see a handball. The lad palmed it in.

'I have been pleased with the effort that has been put in in the last couple of games but we needed to put that effort in throughout the season.

'We can't drag people out of the team when they are struggling as we have had so many injuries we have no one else. We can't really change things. We have a good squad and the average age of the side at Whitby was 23 but a lot of these players are still learning. Instead of being able to pull them out after a while they have had to play week in week out. We did not really want that.

'Andy Williams and Des Hazel have been a massive miss for us in these last few weeks.

'We have to win Saturday's game at Bamber Bridge and then keep our fingers crossed that Spennymoor do not pick up anymore points. The worst thing is is that it is out of our hands.'

Davison said that he felt a big factor in their situation was losing four points in the two games against Winsford - the club already relegated.

'We were 2-0 up at Winsford and let them come back and win. I feel that was a major turning point and it was purely down to poor defending. In recent games we have defended well and I think Simon Trevitt has been outstanding since he returned. Matt Daly has also made a big difference at the back since he came back.'

At Whitby Guiseley had much of the early play but again could not convert their chances.Benn Gallagher blasted a chance over the bar and Simon Parke spurned a couple of chances.

Parke, whose trial game with Rushden and Diamonds last week was called off, was denied by a great save from Dawson who then parried at full-stretch from Guiseley's leading scorer.

Steve Hook also fired wide and the sides went in at 0-0 at the break.

After just five minutes of the second-half Town fired the opening goal when Robinson latched onto a corner to shoot through a melee of players out of James Shutt's reach.

Guiseley then let Lee Ure break clear and he was left with only Shutt to beat which he did in style.

Guiseley pulled a goal back through substitute David Cooke before James Nettleton conceded a harsh penalty when he slipped on the muddy surface but Shutt saved from Paul Burke.

Guiseley battled on but it was Whitby who scored again when Ben Dixon headed home after Simon Ireland had conceded a free-kick with a shoulder charge.

Guiseley again battled hard against Emley on Monday and they gave their supporters hope when they took the lead with a Benn Gallagher penalty after Simon Parke had been brought down.

Emley threw on all three substitutes to breathe some new life into their play and this seemed to pay off.

They levelled when Darren Day netted with the ball pinging about the penalty area. The Guiseley players appealed strongly to the referee who consulted his assistant but neither had seen Day palm the ball into the net.

Guiseley however should not have had to rely on such a decision. They had had plenty of chances to put the game out of Emley's reach.

Macclesfield..........0

Guiseley Res...........2

Guiseley Reserves battled hard to gain victory over Macclesfield Town in a Lancashire League game played at Congleton Town on Tuesday.

Frustrated by an assistant referee who barely seemed to know the laws of the game Guiseley and their opponents were continually bewildered.

This led to Matt Flanagan, on his return from America, getting an early bath after commenting on the bizarre goings on.

Ten man Guiseley buckled down to their task and took the lead after dominating the first-half but failing to score.

Ben Thackwray but in the best efforts and it was fitting that he was one of his side's scorers.

The turning point came when Academy player Danny McCartney made his debut as a second-half substitute and although playing in an unfamiliar role up front he made his presence felt.

Guiseley had a lucky escape when a Macclesfield shot cannoned off the post but then some excellent work by McCartney saw him work his way across the box and then chip the ball back to the far post where Julian Wilkes stooped to head home.

The points were secured when some determined play by James Elliott gave Thackwray a chance and he hammered home the second.

Guiseley Academy..0

Pontefract Coll......0

GUISELEY Academy contrived to drop another two points in a game they should have won with extreme comfort. Apart form the opening and closing ten minutes Pontefract never had a look in as the home side squandered chance after chance.

It was a good performance from Guiseley but spoiled by the failure to convert their chances. They did score in the 15th minute when Danny McCartney headed home from a Greg Jowitt corner but the goal was disallowed as the referee's assistant ruled that the corner kick d drifted out of play and back in.

Guiseley will play a lot worse and win. Pontefract defended bravely, particularly their 'keeper, but they must have used up their allocation of luck for the season.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.