Guiseley left to rue poor home form

10:49am Monday 28th April 2008

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Guiseley 2 Kendal Town 1

Guiseley were left to rue their poor home form when they lost out on a promotion play-off place by just one point.

They went into this match knowing that they had to wion and then hope that Eastwood Town got nothing more than a draw at Leek Town.

That was not to be, Guiseley did their bit by beating Kendal but Eastwood triumphed 3-1 to end Guiseley's hopes.

Guiseley were without leading scorer James Hanson who was hobbling about on crutches as a result of the injury he sustained the week before at Worksop.

in a quiet opening Guisley looked the more lively as Gavin Knight tested David Newnes with a low. It was however the Cumbrians who had the first real chance to take the lead when defender Simon Sturdy tripped Carl Osman in the area only for Michael Cole to rattle the bar with the resultant spot kick.

With 30 minutes gone the play-off hopefuls took the initiative as skipper Richard Dunning slipped a ball to Sean Taylforth for the winger to leave substitute Andy Leigh for dead and drill an unstoppable shot across Newnes into the far corner.

Piotr Skiba then came to Guiseley's rescue with a superb block from Ian Kilford and Newnes clawed away Aron Wilford's back header at the other end as the game suddenly sprang to life.

Lee Crooks fired one over the Kendal bar before Paul Fildes beat the off-side trap but found the impressive Skiba blocking his way.

The visitors were not to be denied however and as a free-kick rebounded back off the wall, Michael Cole made amends for his earlier miss with a shot that went in of the post.

Osman took a long ball down and blasted a powerful shot at Skiba but Lee Mulvaney wasted the opportunity and put his shot wide and for the second time in a week it was Guiseley who grabbed the winner through goal poacher Gavin Knight.

A harmless looking ball was played forward and while Tony Hallam and Craig Hobson dithered Knight took adventage to lob the ball over a stranded Newnes from 20 yards out.

However, the victory was tempered by the news that Eastwwod had secured the required three points at Leek leaving Guiseley just one point short of the play-offs and manager Steve Kittrick planning for another season in the UniBond premier Division.