Draw sees Guiseley lose top spot (From Wharfedale Observer)

Draw sees Guiseley lose top spot

9:35am Monday 24th September 2007 in Guiseley By Rachel O'Connor

Guiseley 1 Lincoln United 1

GUISELEY surrendered their 100 per cent home record but maintained their unbeaten start to the season with this draw against a hard-working Lincoln United side.

The visitors set their stall out from the outset to get bodies behind the ball and interrupt the home side's fluent passing game by trying to stifle the creativity of midfield duo Richard Dunning and Dominic Krief.

Guisley started brightly with Dunning's rasping shot from 20 yards stinging the fingertips of 'keeper Benn Scott as he tipped the ball on to the top of the bar and away to safety.

Chris Peet was then caught in possession by James Hanson who just failed to find stike partner Marc Smith before Scott intervened. The home side was in the ascendancy at this point but in a half punctuated by a surfeit of stoppages both sides never really built any momentum.

Lincoln seemed happy to defend in depth and keep their goal intact and when they did break forward Alex Rodman was the catalyst through which most of their moves were made. Indeed his jinking run midway through te half ended in a tantalising cross that should have been finished off by one of his colleagues.

Smith wasted a good opening for Guiseley as he skied his shot and Rodman then demonstrated how it should be done as he skipped past two defenders before unleashing a vicious dipping shot that left Steve Dickinson helpless as it went in off the underside of the bar with three minutes of the first-half remaining.

The lead didn't last long however as Guiseley were awarded a penalty when Scott raced out to punch the ball clear but collided with several bodies who all finished up in a heap and referee Mark Horn pointed to the spot.

Despite vociferous Lincoln protests Krief stepped up to send Scott the wrong way and restore parity.

Krief then ghosted in behind the Lincoln defence but Scott was alert to the danger and blocked the midfielder's effort. The 'keeper then came to his side's rescue once again with a smart intervention as Hanson sough out the unmarked Dunning.

Lincoln responded with a quickly taken free-kick which allowed Rodman to cross only for Simon Sturdy's diving header to clear the danger.

Substitute Rob Pell had two or three late chances to wrap the game up for Guiseley.

Guiseley thus lost their place at the summit of the UniBond Premier Division with Witton Albion taking over top spot.