Vanarama National League North: Leamington 2 Guiseley 2

SUBSTITUTE Rowan Liburd rescued a draw for Guiseley as he netted a penultimate-minute equaliser to bank a point from a tough game at Leamington.

The Brakes had beaten Guiseley’s rivals Bradford Park Avenue in their last Vanarama National North home game but had suffered their first defeat of the new season at Hereford last midweek.

Leamington were looking to bounce back from that and twice took the lead against the Lions but were pegged back each time.

The first half was quite a scrappy affair after both sides had created early chances but it opened up after the half- hour.

Guiseley keeper Jon Worsnop made a hash of a back pass and conceded a cheap corner, but the Lions’ stopper redeemed himself somewhat as he gathered Connor Taylor’s shot from distance following the flag kick.

Minutes later, Worsnop was centre stage again, and this time he didn’t get a second chance.

The keeper hesitated as a through ball, from a good move by the Brakes, was chased by Matty Stenson, and as the Leamington forward reached it first he rounded Worsnop and rolled the ball into the unguarded net.

Guiseley had the best start to the second half as assistant player-manager Paul Clayton profited from an error by the home keeper, Brakes’ skipper Tony Breeden.

Clayton was on hand to bundle the ball home after Breeden had palmed down a shot from distance but failed to gather the bouncing ball.

The home side were creating the better openings at the New Windmill Ground, and Taylor looked certain to score before a superb last-ditch challenge by Cliff Moyo.

It merely delayed the home side’s second goal though as Junior English was on the end of a 65th-minute free-kick to steer the ball past Worsnop from a tight angle.

As Guiseley looked for an equaliser, an Alex Purver free-kick went through the wall but straight at a well-placed Breeden.

The late leveller came as Liburd, who had replaced Kaine Felix midway through the second half, slotted in Reece Thompson’s low centre.

Marcus Bignot, one of the Lions’ joint managers, said: “I’m really pleased with the players for getting two goals but the two goals we conceded – at any level – are poor ones to give away.

“Our back line, front line and midfield haven’t clicked yet, but we’re getting there and, given the progress we’re showing, we are pleased. For us to get that second goal is where we want to be.

“Our supporters will be delighted with that goal because to get an equaliser that late feels like getting a win.

"Not just that for me, but the quality of that goal – that’s one that you can’t put it down to bad defending, a mistake or just a poor one to give away.

“Their manager (Paul Holleran) may have been disappointed, from his point of view with our first but he can’t have any complaints about our equaliser and we definitely didn’t deserve to lose the game, no way.”