VANARAMA NATIONAL

Guiseley 1 Boreham Wood 1

GUISELEY needed substitute Nicky Boshell’s last-gasp penalty to earn a share of the spoils against fellow Vanarama National League strugglers Boreham Wood at Nethermoor after dominating the first half.

The Lions should have racked up a decent lead before the break but, in an archetypal game of two halves, the visitors came out for the second half with fresh vigour and looked set to get new boss Luke Garrod a deserved win in his first game since being confirmed as Iain Atkinson’s replacement.

Lions boss Mark Bower was ultimately relieved to take a point.

He said: “We said to the players after the game that at the level we’re at you are going to find yourself under a spell of pressure at some point.

“We didn’t make the most of our spell in the first half and they really got to grips with the game in the second half and won every second ball.

"I was disappointed with the goal we conceded from a set-piece, but it was coming because they were on top.

“We have got to be stronger when teams have spells like that but we have got to take our chances when we’re on top.

"I’m thankful to take a point and I think we just about did enough for it.”

George Maris fired an early shot over but the Lions almost took the lead from a later corner.

A Will Hatfield drive had been deflected for the flag-kick and, as it was delivered, Jake Lawlor’s attempt to convert it was amazingly cleared off the line.

Maris and Tom Craddock continued to cause problems for Wood’s defence and created chances, while the visitors were restricted to one half- chance for Billy Clifford.

Guiseley were dreadful at the start of the second half, and the visitors had a Jamie Lucas strike controversially ruled out for offside.

They were knocking on the door and they got their breakthrough just before the hour.

Ricky Shakes was fouled wide on the right, and Clifford’s free-kick was met by Clovis Kamdjo’s bullet header.

Lions keeper Steve Drench made a string of fine saves to keep his side in the game, and they rescued a point at the death.

Hatfield thought he had scored but the goal was ruled out as the referee had already blown for a foul on the forward.

There was confusion as to why the goal was not allowed to stand but Boshell removed any doubt as to the validity of the equaliser when he drilled in from the spot.