GUISELEY reached the West Riding County Cup Final for the second season in succession with a hard fought semi-final victory at Harrogate Town on Monday night, where goals from Gabriel Johnson and Jamie Spencer secured a 2-1 win.

Harrogate had goalkeeper Joseph Cracknell to thank for keeping them in the tie, as he made a string of superb saves to deny the Lions, but he was eventually beaten by Johnson’s 60th minute spot kick after Kennedy Digie had been felled in the box.

Cracknell was forced to deny Guiseley’s on-loan Barnsley striker Chris Sang immediately afterwards and the home keeper’s heroics looked to have paid dividends when his side equalised in the 71st minute.

Guiseley lost possession and a sweeping Harrogate move ended with ball being put away by Kian Harratt.

In an extraordinary final 10 minutes, Cracknell pulled off another remarkable stop to tip Digie’s powerful volley over the bar, before Guiseley’s keeper Brad Wade made a fine save to deny Harratt his second.

The Lions immediately went up the other end, and saw Cracknell save with his feet from Aram Soleman.

But Guiseley were not to be denied, as Spencer glanced home a corner to win it for the visitors in the 85th minute.

The victory puts Guiseley in the final, and they will hope to do better than last year, when they lost 2-1 to Ossett United in the showpiece event.

They will go up against the winners of the other semi-final between Thackley and Farsley Celtic, which is due to be played on Tuesday, March 24.

There was further good news for Guiseley last night, as Vanarama National League North play-off rivals Farsley conceded in the last minute to lose 2-1 at lowly Gloucester City.