Guiseley 2, Ashton United 0

A home victory on the final day of the season was enough for Guiseley to claim the UniBond League Premier Division title after overnight leaders Boston United were held to a frustrating draw.

The Lions did the business on the pitch and then had a nervous and agonising wait as messages were relayed.

Boston were playing at Marine – who, in an ironic twist, had beaten Guiseley at Nethermoor the previous Saturday to take the Lions’ destiny out of their own hands.

Guiseley supporters were chanting “we are going up” and “Guiseley, top of the league” at the final whistle.

But the players were standing around the centre circle with the unused squad members and management staff like expectant fathers outside a delivery room.

At 4.57pm it was finally confirmed that the players could celebrate promotion to the Blue Square North and the crowd followed suit before mounting a good-natured storming of the pitch.

Guiseley had worked hard against Ashton United with little reward and the breakthrough did not come until just before the interval.

Skipper Jez Fitzgerald floated in a free-kick and James Walshaw guided a header over the Ashton keeper.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Guiseley knocking on the door but the visitors standing firm.

But with just two minutes remaining the Lions ensured the three points would be theirs.

Substitute Matty Young was one of three men in a quick break and his low cut back found Walshaw just inside the area, where he controlled the ball before drilling it into the bottom corner.

Lions boss Steve Kittrick was visibly drained by the stresses and strains of events when he said: “It has been a very long and hard season but we have got there in the end.

“The adrenaline levels have gone through the roof, as you could tell with the scenes on the pitch.”

As Premier Division champions, Guiseley will have home advantage on Saturday against the UniBond League Chairman’s Cup winners for the Peter Swailes Memorial Trophy.