Vanarama National League: Guiseley 3 Boreham Wood 1

GUISELEY came to life early in the second half, and the platform they built allowed them to register a fine victory over one of the sides who are chasing promotion.

Boreham Wood went into the game against rock-bottom Guiseley at Nethermoor in seventh place, and were expected to beat the wounded Lions, who had lost at play-off challengers Dover Athletic and Barrow in their previous two matches.

The first half never really came to life but home keeper Jonny Maxted, who committed to the Lions during the week when he signed a permanent deal, made one good save to foil Jamie Lucas.

Just two minutes into the second half, Rob Atkinson beat Maxted’s opposite number Grant Smith to open the scoring, emphatically converting Simon Walton’s corner.

Will Hatfield threatened to double the lead two minutes later, lashing a shot just too high after a bustling run, but he did make it 2-0 in the 50th minute after being picked out by Jake Cassidy, firing in a shot that went in off Smith’s post.

The Woods halved the deficit when Maxted was finally beaten by a powerful header as Kenny Davis steered the ball past the stopper to deny him a clean sheet in his first game as a full Guiseley player.

The Lions restored their two-goal cushion ten minutes from time when a Hatfield shot was only parried by Smith, and Cassidy slotted in the loose ball.

The win lifted them off the foot of the table, above North Ferriby United and  York City – ahead of Tuesday’s derby with the Minstermen, who are still smarting from the 6-1 trouncing in the reverse fixture.

Lions boss Adam Lockwood said: “I knew that it would be a tough challenge against Boreham Wood, and we saw in that first half that they are a difficult side to play.

“They make you think and test your resolve. I think that a lot of our lads learned a lot from the game. It was like a chess match in a way.

“It’s a good result on paper but any win is a good one for us at the moment, and I’m pleased with the way we set up, and fair play to the lads for executing that. I have to give them a lot of credit for that and I hope they take a lot of heart from the win.

“There were no words at half-time because we knew just how tough this game would be so I just reiterated to them the need to stay in the game and not to divert from the game-plan.

“Trigger points in the game will make it easier or harder for you. They (Boreham Wood) make you think as individual players in a team. We needed to stay focused, and we did.”