Guiseley 2 Grantham Town 0
Another solid performance laid the groundwork for Guiseley's latest win in the UniBond Premier Division as they stretched their unbeaten run to a round dozen with victory over Grantham at a canter.
The most disturbing aspects were the two indirect free-kicks the referee handed the visitors in the second half. Both were harsh against the home side and presented the best chances the visitors had.
They had not created the openings and, indeed, created little throughout, despite some aesthetically-pleasing approach play. In fact, Town did not look like breaching Guiseley's defence after the midway point of the first half.
That brought Steve Dickinson's only test, a Dougie Wade free-kick headed goalwards by Jason Turner on the run. The keeper's reactions were equal to it and pushed the ball out for a corner. All the other saves he made were regulation.
On the other hand, Town custodian Danny Tomlinson had a busy afternoon from the third minute, when he stopped a Matty Smithard header on his line. He made two agile stops to deny Scott Jackson but could not frustrate the Guiseley striker totally.
It was Jackson who broke the deadlock in the 40th minute. A flowing move gave Smithard the chance to break down the right flank, he checked back after beating the full back to get the best angle for his cross and Jackson applied the header.
Jackson was also involved in the second goal, which came in the first of two minutes added on to the first half.
From the edge of the centre circle, he half-volleyed a through-ball to Gavin Knight, who in turn gathered the ball, looked up, noticed the visitors' defence was static and then drilled a shot from over 20 yards into the bottom corner.
Guiseley winger Andy Wright, who had come out early during the break to try and run off an injury, lasted only five minutes of the second half. The change evened the sides up because Grantham had already been forced into a half-time substitution.
The points were in the bag and the only thing under threat was another clean sheet. The first free-kick, inside the area, was given just on the hour mark for Dickinson holding on to the ball for too long.
The second was gifted to Grantham with 15 minutes to go, this time on the edge of the six-yard box. The goal-line was packed with players from both teams but Turner fired over the target.
Guiseley boss Neil Parsley was pleased with the three points but annoyed by the attitude of the referee.
"We have been solid as a unit right through the run and my players deserve a lot of credit," he said.
"I thought we scored two very good goals and deserved our win as Grantham are not a bad side. Matty really stitched his full back up to get the cross in and Scott has gone in where it matters.
"The second was just a great strike. Jacko put Gav in and he has fired into the corner from 25 yards.
"I thought the ref was a little arrogant in his handling of the game and the players backed that up when they came off by saying that he refused to listen to them and was not a good communicator.
"He gave the first free-kick in our area for Dicko holding on to the ball too long. Maybe he didn't notice Danny Ellis had taken a tumble and was trying to get to his feet.
"The second one he has given for a ball that came back off someone's shin and gone to Dicko. How he can deem that is a deliberate back pass is beyond me."
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