Hinckley United 0, Guiseley 3

Guiseley climbed a place to second in the Blue Square Bet North table thanks to a comfortable win at basement outfit Hinckley.

The Lions’ hosts may be struggling but Steve Kittrick’s men remained focused and turned in another professional display.

The only thing the manager could criticise would have been that his team did not rattle in more goals after creating numerous chances.

It was the worst possible start for the home side as they went behind against their high-flying visitors inside a minute.

Guiseley’s first attack was well crafted and the move was finished off by Wayne Brooksby’s right foot.

Danny Boshell almost doubled the lead soon after but he only had to wait until the quarter-hour mark to net the Lions’ second goal.

Boshell rifled in from just outside the six-yard box to make it 2-0 but his brother Nicky was soon substituted after taking a knock on his knee.

Hinckley were handed a lifeline midway through the first half when awarded a penalty after a shot blasted at Andy Pearson from close range hit an arm. The defender’s feelings of injustice were magnified as the referee pulled out a yellow card.

United player-manager Carl Heggs drilled the spot-kick towards the corner of the net but Lions keeper Steve Drench pulled off an excellent save.

Drench’s opposite number Martin Conway was the busier of the two keepers and he twice thwarted Gavin Rothery before the interval.

Early in the second half Kevin Holsgrove had only Conway to beat but again the keeper saved the home side further punishment.

Rothery blazed another chance wide before Josh Wilson put the result beyond doubt after an hour when he shot home Guiseley’s third goal.

But Conway’s heroics were not over as he made further outstanding saves to deny James Walshaw and Boshell, while Brooksby placed a late chance wide of the target with only the keeper to beat.

Guiseley director and spokesman Stuart Allen said: “The chances were coming thick and fast, so I suppose we should have scored more. It could be an issue later in the season if it comes down to goal difference.

“I thought we overplayed it by passing too much in the final third, although it’s easy from the sidelines.

“We had a stonewall penalty when Wally (Walshaw) was brought down but the referee gave the free-kick on the edge of the area when the foul was clearly two yards inside.

“The main objective was the three points though, so we can be satisfied.”