Harrogate Town 0 Guiseley 0

THERE was plenty of effort and endeavour from both sets of players at Harrogate Town’s CNG Stadium today but little by the way of craft and guile as the Boxing Day derby failed to live up expectations.

The Lions earned the point that allowed them to consolidate their third place in the Vanarama Conference North as they were the only team in the top half of the table not to move on a day of drama.

Guiseley’s next opponents, AFC Fylde, are the new leaders after the west coast outfit deposed Barrow 3-2 at home. That should give Sunday's meeting between the Lions and Fylde at Nethermoor added spice.

Lions boss Mark Bower was disappointed. He said: “It was a poor game and I’m sure the neutrals would have gone away with the wrong impression of the Conference North.

“It was difficult as Harrogate set up play direct and we got sucked into that. They had three centre halves up against Boyesy (Adam Boyes) and we didn’t use our extra man behind the striker as well as we could have done.

“It was a fair result and I’m happy with a clean sheet and happy with a draw because it’s easy to lose these kind of games. We could have been better but when you’re off the boil it’s important to keep the back door shut and we did that.”

Town were the first to have an attempt on target and it was by Guiseley old boy James Walshaw. He had been fouled by Andy Holdsworth and he took the free-kick himself but Lions keeper Steve Drench made a decent save.

The visitors had chances and Gavin Rothery saw his cross cleared from near the line and home stopper Phil Barnes had to save low to his left as Boyes threatened. Drench saved again to deny Walshaw before the break.

Early in the second half Drench was alert as he tipped a Lloyd Kerry free-kick over his bar Bower made changes, with Alex Johnson replacing namesake Oli Johnson and Alex soon forced Barnes into another save.

Barnes also foiled Boyes before the home side enjoyed a late flurry that cam to nothing.