Colwyn Bay 1 Guiseley 3

Guiseley’s play-off hopes are firmly intact as they go into tomorrow’s home clash with relegation-threatened Stalybridge Celtic after a comfortable victory in Wales on Saturday.

With just five games remaining, the Lions are in fourth place with a game in hand on three of their main play-off rivals. Stalybridge will prove to be tough opponents at Nethermoor, however, as they will be battling for their lives after a 2-1 victory over Harrogate Town lifted them to third-bottom.

The Celts are on a three-game unbeaten run but are still below the trapdoor but only by one point and they have a game in hand.

Mark Bower’s Lions ensured there was everything to play for in tomorrow’s clash by cruising to their win over another side scrapping for their Conference League lives.

Colwyn Bay are only two points above the drop zone and were on the ropes just a quarter of an hour in at their Red Lion Foods Stadium.

Guiseley were two goals to the good by then after breaking the deadlock in only the eighth minute with a well-taken strike. A pinpoint cross from Danny Boshell picked out Adam Boyes and he slotted under the Bay keeper.

Boyes turned provider for the second as his headed flick-on was converted by Oli Johnson’s close-range header. It took a last-ditch clearance from Danny Lowe to prevent the home side from cutting the deficit soon after.

The Welsh outfit had a good spell going into the half-time break and, after the interval, they were denied by the woodwork when a free-kick hit Steve Drench’s crossbar. The Lions made the game safe in the 73rd minute after Johnson was fouled on the edge of the area.

Wayne Brooksby curled the resulting free-kick into the net and, although Bay’s Obi Anoruo hit back a minute later, it was merely a consolation goal.

It was a timely return to winning ways for the Lions, who had taken just one point from their previous two games.