Guiseley 0 Stalybridge Celtic 2

TEN-MAN Guiseley’s grip on the play-off places in the Vanarama Conference North became more tenuous as Stalybridge Celtic boosted their own chances of escaping the drop by pulling off a shock win.

Mark Bower’s Lions were a comfortable fourth but today’s defeat at Nethermoor left them in fifth place with only a three-point cushion, though they do have a game in a hand on the four clubs immediately below them with four fixtures left.

It was a bright start for Bower’s men as they enjoyed all of the early possession but the Celts, who climbed out of the drop zone with this win, were defending well.

And they took a surprise lead in the 26th minute when Aiden Chippendale rounded Danny Hall neatly and finished well. The Lions had a Wayne Brooksby free-kick soon after but that hit the wall and Danny Boshell’s effort from the rebound was well saved by keeper Ross Etheridge.

Nicky Boshell picked up a yellow card later in the first half and, within minutes, his brother Danny had joined him in the referee’s note book. There were chances for both sides after that in an open game but it all started to unravel for the home side when Hall was red-carded late in the first half for a challenge on the edge of the box.

Former Guiseley man Michael Potts hit the bar with the resulting free-kick but, six minutes after the interval, Alex Mudimu doubled the lead with a sublime strike.