Guiseley's disappointed players troop off the pitch (PICTURE: www.footballcaughtinaction.co.uk)

Guiseley 2 Kendal Town 1

IRONICALLY on a day when Guiseley notched a home win it was their home form they were left to rue as they missed out on a promotion play-off spot by one point.

Guiseley went into this match knowing that nothing more than a win would suffice against mid-table Kendal Town who arrived at Nethermoor with plentiful support as their coach company had provided free travel for this last game of the season.

The home side were dealt a blow as leading scorer James Hanson was hobbling about on crutches as a result of an injury sustained a week before at Worksop.

In a quiet opening Guiseley looked the more lively as Gavin Knight tested David Newnes with a low shot despite the attentions of David Standley and Paul Byrne.

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.

However, Guiseley had a let off when Michael Cole rattled his spot kick against the bar and Guiseley could heave a sigh of relief. With 30 minutes gone the play-off hopefuls took the initiative as skipper Richard Dunning slipped a ball to Sean Taylforth.

The on loan winger from Bradford City left substitute Andy Leigh for dead and drilled an unstoppable shot across Newnes and into the far corner for the opener. Piotr Skiba then came to Guiseley's rescue with at the other end Newnes clawed away Aron Wilford's back header 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 Cole made amends for his earlier miss with a shot that went in off 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.

Guiseley grabbed the winner through goal poacher Gavin Knight as a harmless looking ball was played forward Tony Hallam and Craig Hobson dithered. Knight took advantage to lob the ball over a stranded Newnes with some style from 20 yards out.

However, the victory was tempered by the news that Eastwood Town had secured the required three points at Leek Town leaving Guiseley just one point short of the play-offs to end another frustrating season for the Guiseley faithful.

Manager Terry Dolan left the club after refusing to guarantee the side promotion and new manager Steve Kittrick, who recently had his contract extended for next season, failed to deliver what was expected for his team.

If Guiseley are to make progress into Conference North then they are going to have to rid themselves of the hoodoo of being unable to perform as well at home as they do away.

The travelling fans have certainly seen the best of Guiseley this season whilst those who only view home games have by and large gone home frustrated by a team that has promised so much but delivered so little on home soil.

Kittrick now needs to blend a set of players who show no fear of playing at Nethermoor.

He has shown that he has the bottle to make brave decisions, emphasised by the fact that he replaced crowd favourite Steve Dickinson in goal by his former Ossett Town keeper Piotr Skiba.

He has made decisions that have not pleased all the fans but by and large you won't find many complaining about the more open style of football he has brought to Nethermoor.

11:43am Thursday 1st May 2008

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