GUISELEY'S year got off to the worst possible start after being edged at Spennymoor Town's Brewery Field on Saturday.

Skipper Hamza Bencherif returned to the side after missing the last game awaiting a CPR test and he was joined in a back three by Academy graduate Ollie Brown, making his sixth successive start for the first team as he seeks to establish himself in the side.

It was Spennymoor who opened the scoring when Rob Ramshaw netted in the first-half, but The Lions responded with a much improved second-half performance. They equalised through Jordan Thewlis but Spennymoor's Ryan Hall came off the bench to net the winner with just over ten minutes remaining.

The Moors had the better of the first-half and showed early intent when Jude Oyibo struck the side netting after just two minutes, and Brad Abbott fired over from the edge of the box. Guiseley battled on and they created an opportunity of their own, but Thewlis shot well over the bar.

Spennymoor looked dangerous on the counter-attack and Taylor had a good opportunity to score when a long ball forward found him but he couldn’t beat 'teenager Owen Mason who dashed off of his line to end the attack.

Spennymoor had the upper hand at this stage and Taylor again had a good opening but Andy Hollins made a last ditch block to deny him. After defending quite well Guiseley then had a chance of their own. Brad Nicholson’s cross found young striker Josh Stones but he was unable to connect properly with the ball and the chance was gone.

Nicholson’s corners continued to cause danger and from a scramble in the box neither Bencherif nor Hollins could convert. Missed chances again proved costly for Guiseley as after 33 minutes Spennymoor took the lead, Oyibo’s ball finding Ramshaw who netted. The final chance of the half fell in injury time when Taylor saw his shot blocked by Lebrun Mbeka.

Half-time saw The Lions make a change with Adam Haw replacing Stones and he had a good second-half being unlucky not to add his name to the scoresheet. Three minutes into the half Thewlis found Haw at the near post but his shot went just wide.

It was all Guiseley in the opening stages of the second-half as Hollins had a shot blocked and Haw was unable to get on the end of Nicholson’s dangerous cross. Haw got a second chance to impress on 66 minutes when he remained calm to tee up Thewlis who slotted past Dale Eve from close range.

George Cantrill, Haw and Nicholson all had shots blocked as Guiseley pressed while at the other end Brown cleared superbly at the near post. Unfortunately a minute later Guiseley could not stop Hall from scoring with a clinical finish, his first touch after coming off the bench. Despite six minutes of injury time Guiseley were unable to create another chance. This was the seventh time this season Guiseley have lost by the odd goal.

Guiseley: Owen Mason; Andy Hollins, Hamza Bencherif, Ollie Brown; George Cantrill, Prince Ekpolo, Lebrun Mbeka, Brad Nicholson, Regan Hutchinson; Josh Stones (Haw 46), Jordan Thewlis.

Subs not used: Oli Metcalfe, Jamie Spencer, Andy Kellett, Lewis Hey.

Guiseley's next challenge comes in the Buildbase FA Trophy with a trip to Stourbridge on Saturday for a 1:30pm kick-off. They will be hoping that Jamie Spencer and Andy Kellett are fit to return to the side after sitting on the bench throughout the game at Spennymoor. Guiseley will however still be without the long term injured Kaine Felix, Shaun Tuton and Bailey Thompson.