Guiseley escaped a second successive relegation when they gave a battling display against champions Bradford Park Avenue on Tuesday night while fellow drop battlers Winsford were losing.

Neil Parsley's men followed up their own superb display against Winsford with a poor showing at Stocksbridge on Saturday where they went down 4-2 after a catalogue of defensive blunders.

Guiseley had their chances as has been the case all season but Dave Henry even spurned a chance from the penalty spot which may well have changed the face of the game.

With Richard Annan unfit and Phil Atkinson still struggling with his chest infection they were on the bench. Stocksbridge took the lead in the seventh minute when Ian Askey finished well after a poor Guiseley clearance.

Stocksbridge went ahead at 2-0 when Richard Ashton's cross found Adam Longden and with Neil Parsley static at the far post Longden headed in unchallenged.

Guiseley missed their first penalty but were awarded another when Gareth Pritchard went down under a challenge. This time Benn Gallagher stepped up to show how it should be done.

Stocksbridge increased the margin again when Gary Hurlstone put Powell through and he finished well. Ben Thackwray had come on for David Cooke up front but when a further rejig found him in his favoured central midfield role he took the opportunity to fire home a superb goal from 20 yards.

He almost netted another just putting his effort over the bar before Steels made it 4-2 with a cool finish from Hurlstone after another defensive blunder.

And do it was on to the clash with the mighty Avenue - worthy winners of this division this season.

But on Tuesday night's showing one would have thought Guiseley were going up there with them and not battling against relegation.

There was nothing to choose between the sides in a real cup tie atmosphere as the biggest Nethermoor crowd of the season (367) saw a real blood curdling affair.

It was rough, tough and enthralling with chances created at both ends. It was certainly not for the feint hearted and Avenue could not be accused of giving their neighbours a helping hand by any stretch of the imagination.

At times the game threatened to boil over but calm was restored in a cup tie atmosphere.

Guiseley's leading scorer Andy Shuttleworth hit the woodwork with one effort and perhaps the best chance fell to young striker Gareth Pritchard at the death but his weary legs could not find that extra bit needed to take his second chance to beat the 'keeper.

Guiseley had battled to a man and could be proud of their effort on this night but oh what a pity that such performances have come at the end of the season.

The form shown against Winsford and Avenue would have surely seen them challenging for promotion not languishing in the depths of the division.

Guiseley now move on to their last game at Chorley on Saturday safe in the knowledge that their UniBond status has been saved.

Guiseley are hoping to welcome back long term injury victim Simon Phillips for a substitutes role in this game.

He has been out of the game for 18 months with cruciate ligament damage and Guiseley will be happy to see him return.

Unfortunately Benn Gallagher limped out of Tuesday's game when a knee-high challenge re-opened the bad wound he suffered a few weeks ago.

Guiseley Reserves play their last home league game of the season on Saturday when they entertain the Lancashire League champions Morecambe with a 1 pm kick-off.

Guiseley's Youth team, still battling for the title, face home games tonight, Thursday, and tomorrow, Friday, at Nethermoor.