Guiseley 1 Histon 1

Mark Bower almost got his first win as a manager but had to settle for his first point as Histon hit a second-half leveller at Nethermoor.

It was the former Bantams skipper’s sixth game in charge and he saw his side leading with a little over quarter of an hour remaining.

The Lions could not see it over the line, however, although they broke their six-game losing streak.

The point earned was not enough to lift them out of the Skrill North relegation zone.

Bower made two more signings before the game, adding experienced former Yeovil Town, Doncaster Rovers and Bury defender Adam Lockwood to the permanent capture of on-loan Halifax Town forward Alex Johnson.

The Lions began in determined fashion and when Johnson broke the deadlock just after the half-hour mark, the goal had been coming. It was a neat finish from Johnson, who found the net with a shot after turning his marker.

Johnson had another chance soon after but his effort went agonisingly wide. Into the second half the home side were still threatening to extend their lead and a curling Wayne Brooksby cross-shot nearly left the Histon keeper embarrassed.

The visitors had their first real effort on Steve Drench’s goal around the hour mark but Guiseley should have doubled their lead soon after. A Louie Swain shot had been parried and Michael Potts was onto the rebound, only to see his effort come down off the bar onto the post and back into play.

Defensive frailties came back to bite Guiseley when Histon grabbed their 73rd-minute equaliser. Shaquille McDonald was allowed space in the area and once he gathered the ball he rounded Drench before slotting in.

The Lions had two half chances to steal all three points in the dying moments but Bower’s wait for a victory goes on.

The manager said: “We put in a performance that merited the three points. We created enough chances to win but we have to learn the lesson – you have got to put them away.

“I’m pleased with the performance overall and we had late chances but full credit to Histon, they defended well and got bodies in the way. If we could have gone 2-0 up when Potts went so close I think we would have gone on to win it.”