TWO new signings and three vital points made it an excellent Saturday for Guiseley at home to Darlington.

The Lions included striker David Bremang and defender Jason Sraha in their side, who both joined on loan from Barnsley earlier in the day.

They lined up alongside Scott McLean, making his home debut after coming in on loan from Spennymoor Town just over a week ago, and other recent additions Thierry Latty-Fairweather and Dom Tear.

With five players still out injured, two on duty with English Schools Under-18s, and Jordan Thewlis having left the club, the management team have moved to bring in replacements.

But despite all the upheaval of late, it was someone who has been a first-team regular all season who got the only goal of the game on Saturday.

Centre-back Andy Hollins beat the keeper to a Dom Tear corner in the 86th minute, and thundered a header beyond Tommy Taylor to ensure a 1-0 win for Guiseley.

It was their second successive National League North home win, and moves them five points clear of the relegation zone.

Former Guiseley favourites Danny Ellis, Jake Lawlor, Jake Cassidy and Will Hatfield were all in the Darlington starting line-up, with another ex-Lion, in Alex Purver, on the bench.

The home side started with the strong wind and rain at their backs, playing towards the Railway End.

Bremang was first to try his luck, his shot going well over, while Latty-Fairweather and Tear combined well but couldn’t produce a finish.

With former Lions midfielder Hatfield bossing the midfield for the Quakers, they created several half-chances without really threatening.

They gradually got on top but like Guiseley could not produce the decisive touch.

Teenage Guiseley stopper Owen Mason did have to push a low shot away from a free-kick that looked destined for the bottom corner, but it was still goalless at the break.

The home side started the second period as they had the first, on the front foot, but it was the visitors who went closest.

They forced two corners in quick succession just before the hour, but both came to nothing.

Having made a useful debut, Bremang made way for Adam Haw on 62 minutes as the Lions looked to provide some fresh impetus up front.

During a period of sustained pressure from the home side, Latty-Fairweather got in a header at the far post but put it into the side netting.

McLean tricked his way to the byline, but overhit his intended cross, and there were appeals for handball when Prince Ekpolo’s effort hit a visiting defender on the arm, only for the protests to be waved away by the referee.

Guiseley have often dominated games this season but failed to press home their advantage, but not this time.

The killer blow came in a period when Guiseley forced three corners in quick succession, all of which were taken by Tear.

The first two caught in the wind and finished up on the 18-yard line, but the third was floated in, using the wind, for Hollins to send a powerful header past Taylor and put the Lions ahead with four minutes to go.

Darlington reacted immediately, forcing their own corner, and keeper Taylor went up to add to the numbers, only to see the ball cleared off the line twice, as the Lions just about secured victory.

It had been an entertaining game from two good footballing sides, especially given the testing conditions in which it was played out, in front of a hardy crowd of 829 fans.