GUISELEY'S play-off semi-final is very much in the balance as they head to AFC Fylde with just a slender lead to face the side that finished runners-up in Vanarama Conference North.

Mark Bower's men won a tight first leg 1-0 at Nethermoor on Wednesday, courtesy of Jake Lawlor's headed goal in the 32nd minute.

There was a lot of defending to do after the break but the Lions were the better side during that first half.

The Coasters could have clinched the title on the last day of the regular season but while they won their final fixture, so did leaders Barrow to hold on to the one automatic promotion place.

Fylde may well have ended the campaign with a healthy points advantage over the chasing pack but as Guiseley have discovered – to their cost in the past – second place is no guarantee of promotion.

Bower is delighted to be heading to Kellamergh Park tomorrow with an advantage in the two-legged tie and said: "We would have taken any kind of victory against a very good side on a very good run.

"I thought the first game was very even for the first 70 minutes and we could have had more goals – but so could they.

"It was only in the last 20 minutes when we had to defend deep and make last-ditch tackles and get bodies in the way.

"But it will be good for the lads to have stood up to that and it was good for confidence to get another clean sheet.

"I thought we could have used the ball better in the second half but we gave it away a little too much."

Lawlor proved to be the match-winner with his first-half header but he was playing in central defence rather than the midfield role he has been occupying for most of the season.

He partnered Danny Hall to plug a gap with the Lions having had so many injuries to their regular centre backs.

Bower said: "Even Jake has been out with illness and is short of training. But he reads the game well and he's got a good partnership going with Danny, so fingers crossed they can finish the season for us.

"We can lift that performance from the second half on Wednesday if the lads show their true qualities and I think we're capable of getting one or two more goals.

"We have to go again for 90 or 120 minutes and it should be a good advert for this league."