BELEAGURED Guiseley have produced some poor performances of late but Tuesday night's clash with high-flying Hyde United proved that there is no justice in this game.

A superb, battling performance by a Guiseley side plunged even deeper into the mire by the call up of Matt Daly for international University duty left manager Bobby Davison recalling Steve Sanders and Rudi Coleano to the starting line-up.

He was still without the injured Simon Phillips, Neil Parsley, Steve Hook, James Elliott, Colin Hogarth, Andy Williams and Tony Agana and skipper Des Hazel on international duty with St Kitts before Daly's call up.

Guiseley battled to the end but were cruelly denied in a game in which Simon Parke's header was cleared off the line by the hand of Ally Pickering and in which the referee showed great inconsistency.

This was highlighted when Guiseley were awarded a free-kick and a Hyde player hoofed the ball into the cricket field to avoid the kick being taken early. He escaped without any punishment despite the assistant referee flagging.

Then when Simon Parke was pulled back for the umpteenth marginal off-side decision with the crowd again howling their derision at the official Parke lofted the ball goalwards and received a booking.

Guiseley are now staring relegation in the face with Spennymoor picking up the points on Tuesday against a Leek Town side which is slipping down the table as the funds have run out. It is alleged Leek's players have not been paid for three weeks.

Guiseley are now just one point ahead of second bottom Spennymoor who have a game in hand.

Guiseley's future will now be largely in the hands of other people.

They are desperate for a win and have just four games left to get themselves out of the mire in a season which back in October promised so much but has seen their hopes dashed by a string of long term injuries.

After the Hyde game manager Bobby Davison said: "If we had played all season like we played tonight then we would not be in the trouble we are in. That was not a bad performance although there were little things that let us down. The lads however battled. They gave everything. They say you make your own luck but we did not get any breaks tonight.

"Their player handled the ball on the line and then laughed saying he could not believe he had got away with it. You expect the referee to see things like that but he was poor for both sides.

"I can't say too much to my lads tonight. They gave their all. I just need them to put in that sort of performance again. Just bring on the next game and let's go again. We have just to keep believing that we will get a break somewhere along the line and our luck will change.

"We have played the third placed team in the league tonight and if our performance against them does not give us confidence then nothing will," said Davison.

Davison himself added to Guiseley's injury list when he pulled a hamstring after just ten minutes of the Hyde game and was replaced by reserve team striker Craig Bower. The youngster is himself just returning after a lengthy groin injury.

Tuesday's 1-0 defeat followed hot on the heels of a 3-1 home defeat by Marine on saturday.

Guiseley were well in the game until an unfortunate incident which saw Simon Trevitt helping the ball into his own net and from then on it was all downhill.

Davison must be reflecting on how bad his luck is at the moment for even when he pulled a goal back for his side against Marine it was credited to Andy Shuttleworth.

The ball did in fact hit Davison on the hand he was using to shield his face from the ball as it ricocheted at him in the six yard box.

Marine took the lead in the 35th minute when Neil Black's shot was deflected past James Shutt with the help of the outstretched Trevitt.

Nine minutes later they were two up when bad marking allowed Mark Schofield a free header and victory was wrapped up with a goal out of nothing from Adriano Rigoglioso. He unleashed a 35 yard shot which left Shutt rooted to the spot.

Against Spennymoor Guiseley produced a number of good efforts in the first-half with a Parke effort deflected for a corner, another shot from the big striker blocked and Simon Trevitt just wide with a header from Simon Ireland's corner. Davison got in a good effort before he limped off. His replacement Bower showed some excellent touches and kept the pressure on Hyde as Guiseley strove for a goal.

They were to be denied in the most cruel way when Parke's header was handled away by Pickering.

Hyde stole the points when the ball bounced up fortuitously for Lloyd Richardson to stoop and head down past Shutt with Guiseley appealing.

l On Saturday Guiseley entertain Whitby (3 pm).

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