Vanarama National League: Woking 0 Guiseley 1

AN early strike from Liam Dickinson led to Guiseley climbing to 17th as they banked a maximum from their trip to promotion-chasing Woking.

It was an all-action start at the Laithwaite Community Stadium with Lions keeper Steve Drench and his opposite number Jake Cole both being tested.

It was Cole, who was making his 50th appearance for Woking, who was the busier of the two, however, as the visitors created chance after chance.

Cole was beaten in the ninth minute when Guiseley’s on-loan York City striker Emile Sinclair drew the keeper and unselfishly picked out his unmarked strike partner, and Dickinson did the rest, converting from close range.

The under-pressure home keeper palmed a Rob Atkinson header away, and denied Sinclair with a yet another superb save.

Woking’s chances had fallen to Mark Ricketts and Shaun Jeffers but the latter suffered a serious-looking injury and was stretchered off after receiving lengthy treatment on the pitch.

The break in play seemed to affect the players and led to six minutes of time added on at the end of the first half.

The second half began as the first, with a high tempo and chances, and Drench and Cole were again key figures.

Cole thwarted Sinclair (again) and James Hurst as the Lions chased an elusive second goal but Drench ensured the points came back to Nethermoor with two outstanding saves, one right at the death.

Guiseley manager Mark Bower said: “We showed that we are capable of going to places like Woking and getting three points, and it was a good all-round team performance.

“In that first 20 to 25 minutes,I thought we played really well and could have been three or four up.

"We were cutting them open but the injury to their lad killed the momentum and they got back into it and had a couple of chances at the end of the first half.

“We expected the second-half onslaught because they are a very good side and haven’t lost at home in a long time.

"But when we needed to, we defended very well and every ball that came into our box there was a Guiseley head on it.

“Even then I thought we had the three best chances in that second half, and if there is a criticism it is that we didn’t get that second killer goal.

"But I was delighted with the performance and delighted with the attitude and work-rate of the players.

“We kept going right to the end and got the all-important three points.”