Vanarama National League: Boreham Wood 1 Guiseley 0

GUISELEY will have to beat Torquay United at Nethermoor next Saturday and hope other results go their way to salvage their status after a slender defeat at fellow strugglers Boreham Wood dumped them into the relegation places for the first time this season.

It was a day of drama at Meadow Park but that could be nothing compared to the drama that will be played out at Nethermoor next weekend.

Delano Sam-Yorke’s 23rd-minute strike into the top corner was enough to see Boreham Wood leapfrog the Lions, and a surprise 1-0 win for FC Halifax Town at high-flying Forest Green Rovers led to the Shaymen hauling themselves out of the drop zone at Guiseley’s expense.

As in their previous Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Macclesfield Town, the Lions looked nervous and lacked energy and drive in the first half.

Whatever manager Mark Bower and his coaching staff said to the players at half-time worked wonders.

Guiseley dominated the second half and created chances but found home keeper James Russell in tip-top form.

Rob Atkinson's header come back off the bar, and the visitors had a strong penalty appeal turned down when a header across the area seemed to have struck a hand.

A dejected Bower said: “I’m disappointed on so many different levels but I’ve been saying for the last few weeks that we can’t rely on other results and that we had to win games.

“In that second half, we had so many chances to come back and not just draw but win it.

"We could have been three or four nil up but again we’ve had an absolutely scandalous refereeing decision on the penalty.

“Everybody in the ground has seen their lad handball it and how he cannot give that is beyond me.

“But again we should have scored goals, and if you don’t take your chances you find yourself in a situation like we are.

"We are in the bottom four and we’ve not been there all season so it’s a hard one to take.

“The only thing we can do is go and win next Saturday and hope things go our way elsewhere.

“I thought it was a scrappy start and we showed a few nerves and took time to settle, whereas they were at home so were more on the front foot.

"We had a few words at half-time and came out much better. We could have been 2-1 up within a few minutes of the second half kicking off.

“We have just got to take our chances though. Their keeper has pulled off a couple of 'worldy' saves and we’ve hit the bar and had a penalty denied.

"If we can start like that against Torquay and play as well as we did in that second half at Boreham Wood then we will be able to win.”