Droylsden 0, Guiseley 3

Guiseley made it back-to-back victories in Blue Square Bet North yesterday to put their recent inconsistency behind them as they brushed aside struggling Droylsden.

The result saw the Lions consolidate second place again as they opened up a ten-point cushion but it did not help them reel in runaway leaders Chester FC. Guiseley remain 16 points adrift of the summit with only two games in hand.

A solid first-half performance laid the platform for the win, two goals in a four-minute spell midway through that period setting them on the way.

Andy Holdsworth fired a shot into the top corner from the edge of the area in the 22nd minute and Phil Marsh soon added a second after being sent clear following a good move down the left flank.

Just before the break, there was a fortuitous third as a poor effort from Rhys Meynell struck James Walshaw before finding its way into the net. It went down as a Walshaw goal because Meynell’s attempt was woefully off target.

Guiseley created chances in the second half but the determined Bloods, who had been hammered for seven and then five by Bradford Park Avenue and Altrincham respectively in their previous two matches, never gave up.

The home side ensured the Lions did not have things all their own way. While they battled, Guiseley manager Steve Kittrick made changes but still failed to re-invigorate his side.

There were more half-chances but the Lions ended the game with more of a defensive mentality - something the manager revealed was unintentional.

Kittrick said: “Mark Bower and Danny Ellis are very experienced centre backs who read the game very well and if they feel it needs it they will sit deep. I just leave it up to them so it wasn’t anything tactical.

“But overall you have to be happy with three goals and a clean sheet away from home and I thought we defended as a unit.

"Droylsden try to play the game the right way and Dave (Bloods manager Pace) always gets that from his teams.

“It was a good first-half performance from us and it would have been nice to get more goals in the second half, and we said that in the dressing room after the game. Not pointing fingers at anyone but collectively we should have been better in the final third later in the game.”