Guiseley 3 Barrow 1

GUISELEY leapfrogged visitors Barrow to climb to 14th in the National League table as they stretched their unbeaten league run to four games.

The Lions began their current run with a hard earned point from a 3-3 draw at Wrexham back in mid October and their victory over the Bluebirds, who ended the game with nine men, was a deserved one.

Barrow earned promotion as champions last term while the Lions joined them in the top tier of non-league football after triumph in the play-offs but there was no chance of Guiseley playing second fiddle at a soggy Nethermoor.

The home side dominated spells and won both halves of a game that was in doubt because of the weather and kicked off late. The match referee delayed the start after making two pitch inspections and only declaring the surface fit for play around half an hour before the scheduled kick off time.

Guiseley boss Mark Bower said: "It was all about getting three points after we'd worked wonders to get the game on. Massive credit to everyone who helped to get the water off the pitch.

"Barrow missed chances in the first half but then so did we – it could have been 4-3 at half time. The sending off at the start of the second half absolutely killed it for them.

"It would have been nice to have scored a few more goals against nine men but we've got a big game on Tuesday and a long away trip so we had to think about that.

"If anyone had offered us a 3-1 before kick off we would have snatched their hand off so I think it was a massive, massive three points for us and that takes the pressure off us at Cheltenham Town."

The Lions grabbed an early lead when Danny Boshell pounced to net the loose ball after the Bluebirds' keeper Joel Dixon could only parry a shot from Anthony Dudley.

Guiseley's advantage was doubled in the 36th minute when a touch from Rob Atkinson helped Gavin Rothery's free kick beat Dixon.

Atkinson went from hero to villain just before the interval, however, as he handled a cross in to the Lions' area and Andy Cook converted the resulting penalty.

Barrow's Dave Mellor had picked up a yellow card late in the first half for a bad challenge on Dudley and earned another booking early in the second half for a foul on Rothery.

The visitors' ten men were sunk when Dudley, on loan from League One Bury, netted a stunning strike to add to his two goals on debut for the Lions the previous Saturday.

To rub salt in Barrow's wounds Nick Wilmer-Anderton was sent off for a rash challenge on Ryan Toulson before Rothery had a goal ruled out after a team mate in an offside position was adjudged to be interfering with play.