REPORT BY: John Clements 

AFTER three successive defeats Guiseley returned to winning ways with a 2-1 success against Matlock Town at Nethermoor on Tuesday evening.

The victory came courtesy of an own goal on the cusp of half-time and a typical Jake Cassidy strike midway through the second half and although the visitors did pull one back the Lions held out for three hard earned points.

The first Lions first attack nearly brought a goal as they forced a corner which was whipped in and a powerful Guiseley header brought a superb reaction save from James Pollard in the Matlock goal.

George Smith went into the book after only six minutes having pulled back an opponent, but the resulting free kick was cleared by the home defence.

With the visitors having most of the possession they came close to taking the lead on 25 minutes when Alex Byrne tried to chip Tom Scott but the Guiseley custodian just manged to backpedal and tip the ball over the bar.

Alex Wiles then curled a free kick wide from a good position as Town continued to searched for the opener.

Kallan Murphy got on the end of a teasing cross but could only head straight at Scott and Kallum Mantack was just short of connecting with another ball across the six yard box with the goal at his mercy.

Guiseley suffered a blow when they lost captain Smith to injury five minutes before the break, with Adam Haw taking his place.

Having spurned these chances, the visitors paid the price when Reece Kendall was booked for bringing down John Johnston and the skilful winger delivered a telling ball into the mix and defender Kendall, in attempting to clear his lines, could only slice the ball over Pollard’s head to put the Lions ahead.

The goal seemed to give the home side the impetus that had been missing for most of the first period as the Matlock defence was forced to block two efforts in quick succession from Cassidy and Mohammad Qasim.

But they had no answer to a long throw that fell to Cassidy in the left-hand channel on 58 minutes and his daisy cutter from just inside the area fizzed past Pollard and into the far corner to double the Lions’ advantage.

The lively Qasim then blazed one over the bar before Byrne’s effort from distance was straight at Scott.

Matlock would not be denied however as Mantack, and Dominic McHale combined down the right to put in a cross which the home defence failed to deal with leaving Alex Wiles to slot home from twelve yards out and give the visitors hope.

Gusieley should then have put the game to bed after Pollard could only palm a shot away which fell to Qasim but his reactive shot hit the upright.

Having survived this Town were again on the front foot as they sought to restore parity with Byrne once again trying his luck from twenty yards out but his shot didn’t trouble Scott where as Murphy’s bullet header from point blank range brought a superb stop from the on-loan FC Halifax keeper.

Byrne dragged another shot wide from a good position as five minutes of added time was announced which the Lions played out without any further incident to register their second home league win of the campaign and move six places up the table to ninth position.