Guiseley 0 Bromley 1

GUISELEY suffered defeat in heartbreaking circumstances as Bromley snaffled a stoppage-time winner against a side who had played with ten men from the third minute.

Lions skipper Ashley Palmer hooked away the foot of visiting striker Louis Dennis when he looked odds on to score. Dennis had got on the end of an early attack and was inside the six-yard box with only keeper Jonny Maxted to beat.

Palmer's challenge prevented that but resulted in a spot-kick and his dismissal. Dennis then spotted the ball but Maxted dived full length to parry and the follow-up was hit into the side-netting.

The captain's armband was passed to Jake Lawlor, who had begun the game in midfield but slotted into the centre of the back four after Palmer's departure.

If Palmer was the villain then it was Maxted who was the hero as he saved another penalty in the second half.

With just five minutes remaining, the Ravens were awarded their second spot-kick of the afternoon – but if the first was unquestionable, the second was debatable.

Frankie Raymond went down under a light challenge on the edge of the area and the referee deemed it worthy of another penalty. Tashan Adeyinke placed the ball but after a swift discussion it was midfielder Josh Rees who took it – but Maxted, again at full stretch, saved once more.

Into the third minute of four signalled to be added on, Bromley substitute Iffy Allen stabbed home as a low cross fizzed through the six-yard box. That left Maxted, who picked up the man of the match award, and everyone else connected to Guiseley deflated.

While the Lions fans had cheered both of Maxted's penalty saves as much as any goal ever scored at Nethermoor, the Ravens followers celebrated their late goal as if it had won the Champions League.

Guiseley boss Paul Cox had sent on defender Jean-Yves Koue Niate and midfielder Simon Lenighan, to cover for Lawlor, but was forced to sacrifice wingers Kevan Hurst and Lee Molyneux as he regigged his side just minutes into the contest.

"I'm a little bit gutted for the players, to be honest, and a little bit gutted for everyone because the club stood tall," said Cox.

"The work ethic from the players was immense and we had three good chances in that first half to go in front with ten players.

"It was always going to be tough – you lose a man after two minutes and have to play the rest of the 94 or 96 minutes with ten.

"But I'm looking at the positives, one of which was the work ethic, and we have to dust ourselves down and focus on the next game."

That is on Tuesday at the Crown Ground against League Two high-flyers Accrington in an FA Cup first-round replay, with the winners facing Cox's former employers Mansfield away.