Guiseley AFC 4, Torquay United 3

MARK Bower could not hide his delight after Guiseley safeguarded their Vanarama National League status on an emotionally fraught evening at Nethermoor.

The Lions went into the final-day clash on the back of a dismal run of just one win in their previous 14 matches which had sent them into the final relegation spot.

Boreham Wood coasted to a 3-0 win at already-relegated Welling but Halifax could only draw 1-1 at home to Macclesfield, thus relegating the Shaymen as Guiseley finished one point above them.

Bower said: “Over the course of the season, we have more than deserved not to finish in the bottom four.

“We have had a lot of things go against us and certainly learnt a lot of things along the way which we can improve on for next season.

“Winning promotion last season was more euphoric but this year it’s just a massive, massive relief more than anything else.”

Saturday’s teatime victory was founded on an outstanding first-half display which put Guiseley 3-0 up.

It was the least they deserved for their stunning superiority.

Torquay were awful and were duly obliterated courtesy of some delightful attacking football from Bower’s men.

Oli Johnson lobbed home an opening goal inside the fifth minute with a neat right-foot finish which visiting goalkeeper Brendan Moore could only help into the net.

It was 2-0 when six minutes later when Adam Boyes’ low cross was parried by Moore and Will Hatfield tapped home the rebound from inside the six-yard box.

Guiseley were utterly dominant and Dudley hit a low right-foot shot which rebounded back off the inside of a post.

Dudley then found the net on the half-hour mark with an assured finish past Moore after neat play from Hatfield and Boyes.

At 3-0, Guiseley appeared to be marching to safety, but they do nothing the easy way.

Halifax scored in first-half stoppage-time at The Shay to ensure they climbed above the Lions and put Guiseley back into the relegation zone at half-time.

Torquay, to their credit, were a side transformed after the break and pulled two goals back by the hour mark to make it 3-2.

First, Nathan Blissett headed home a right-wing cross in the 53rd minute and then Toby Ajala rifled home a low shot seven minutes later.

Yet Dudley produced another cool finish to make it 4-2 after being sent clear by Boyes in the 73rd minute before the visitors struck again through Shaun Harrard’s fierce half-volley in the 77th minute.

That ensured a tense finale but news emerged of Macclesfield equalising at Halifax and put the Shaymen back in the final relegation spot.