GUISELEY moved quickly to sign defender Alex McQuade when an injury crisis threatened to hit their plans for the start of the new Vanarama North season.

Lions boss Mark Bower, who is starting a season as manger for the first time, was left cursing the club’s luck following their final friendly.

They lost Danny Hall with a broken leg and summer signing Danny Lowe with a groin injury during last Saturday’s game at Farsley.

Ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Leamington for the season’s opener, Bower said, “It was certainly a spanner in the works last week. Two players out and both are centre backs, that’s why we have brought Alex in.

“He has been at Bolton and Shrewsbury and has got experience in the Conference after being on loan at Hyde last season.

“He has got a decent pedigree and is the type of player who can fit into the way we want to play.

“He has signed on a noncontract basis so we’ll see if he likes us and we like him over the next couple of months and take it from there. He has done pre-season with a few different Conference clubs and is a fit lad so he’s ready to come straight in.”

Bower has no qualms about playing the first game of the season away from home and he feels the rest of his squad are itching to get started.

“If we can get off to a good start tomorrow and then make the most of two home games on the trot then all of a sudden it’s a very good beginning,” said Bower.

“It’s good getting one of the longer journeys out of the way as well so I’m fine with the way the fixtures have come out.

“You have to go to all of these places in a season so if you get a long haul on a Saturday all the better.

“It will be a hard game because Leamington are a good at home but the players are ready. They have done all the hard training and they want to get games now.”