GUISELEY manager Mark Bower is under no illusions as his side prepare for a festive double-header against Grimsby Town.

Cheltenham Town (53 points), Forest Green Rovers (49) and FA Cup heroes Eastleigh (46) may be ahead of the Mariners in the Vanarama National League table but the former Bantams centre half says: "From what I have seen so far this season, they are the best side in it."

The Lions are at home to fourth-placed Grimsby (45 points) on Saturday and visit them a week on Saturday after travelling to Gateshead on Bank Holiday Monday, and Bower called facing the Cleethorpes-based club "a massive challenge".

Facing the men from Blundell Park at Nethermoor is, however, also an exciting prospect, with Bower adding: "I believe a lot of tickets have been sold already."

On the back of a 1-0 defeat at Aldershot Town last Saturday, which meant that Guiseley have won only one of their last six league matches, Bower said of the Boxing Day clash: "It is a massive challenge.

"Games come thick and fast and if you can get some points you can move right up but if you don't then you can find yourselves slipping down.

"It (Aldershot) was disappointing and we must learn lessons from it and go again against Grimsby."

Bower is confident that his players will have found the right balance between being professional and enjoying themselves prior to their two games in three days, and said: "I have been in football for long enough to know that Christmas is a time for work.

"I am sure that the lads will enjoy themselves but do it within limitations and make sure they are properly right for Grimsby because if they don't they will get found out."

As for the defeat against the Shots, Bower said: "We were desperately unlucky with the one that the keeper got a fingertip onto the crossbar and Tom Craddock was within inches of getting his head onto the ball, but it is fine margins and we were just on the wrong side of it."

There are no tickets available on the day on Saturday, with the last chance to purchase them being yesterday (Wednesday) lunchtime.