AFC Telford 3 Guiseley 2

 Guiseley’s hopes of reaching the top tier of non-league football were dashed in heartbreaking fashion as they lost the Blue Square Bet North play-off final to an injury-time goal.

Telford were the favourites to reach the Blue Square Bet Premier as they had ended the regular season in runners-up spot but the Lions pushed them all the way.

In fact, today’s North Division play-off final, at Telford’s Bucks Head stadium in front of a crowd of nearly five and a half thousand, only swung in favour of the home side 11 minutes from time.

At that point Telford were 2-1 down and Guiseley had controlled most of the second half. But after drawing level, and with everyone gearing up for extra-time, the home side snatched their last-gasp winner to book themselves a place in the Conference next season.

Telford had taken the lead thanks to a tenth-minute penalty. Guiseley’s Simon Baldry put his hands into the back of a forward and the referee pointed to the spot, which gave Sean Newton the opportunity to open the scoring.

Darryn Stamp was the first Guiseley man to threaten but he put his shot over the target.

Good work from Baldry and James Walshaw set up Stamp again but this time his shot from a tight angle was well saved.

The visitors were level by the interval, however, and again it came from the penalty spot.

In the penultimate minute of the first period, Walshaw was racing through and rounded a defender in the area but the beaten man slipped and instinctively stuck out an arm to block the progress of the ball. Walshaw – the Lions’ leading scorer – duly netted from the spot.

The second half started well for the visitors as they took the lead just over a minute in. Once again it was good build-up play from Walshaw on the left side of the area before Stamp drilled the ball home.

Stamp planted a header from a Gavin Rothery cross just wide minutes later.

It was a good period for the visitors as they bossed possession without really creating the chances that might have put them into an unassailable lead.

That came back to haunt them with 11 minutes to go when Liam Murray headed Telford level following a free-kick.

And three minutes into stoppage time Phil Trainer managed to bundle the ball over the line for the home side’s winner.

It was an attempted header but the ball was forced over the line by a chest or a gut – it mattered not, it was the all-important strike.

Guiseley boss Steve Kittrick praised the effort and aptitude of his players.

“At the end it was a huge disappointment, a wrench, but you have to stand back and look at it as a whole and the lads have done the club proud,” said Kittrick.

“After the game I caught little bits of the reaction on it from BBC Radio Shropshire, who did live commentary, and they said we played Telford off the park for an hour.

“I thought they got in front from a dubious penalty but we got back into with a stonewall one and then could have gone on to win the game.

“We were getting prepared for extra-time when their last goal went in.

“I think we have won a lot of friends in football along the way in this exceptional season and I’m so proud of all the lads. We have also learned a lot and I’m sure that if we add one or two players to the superb squad we have got then there is no reason why we can’t push on.

“If we add a couple of quality players we will be ready for another campaign that could lead to promotion.

“We can’t take anything away from this season though because it has been a massive one for the club and we have all enjoyed it.”