GUISELEY remain locked in a fierce relegation battle and will fight tooth and nail to preserve their National League status in their final two games of the season after a narrow 2-1 home defeat to Tranmere Rovers.

The home side edged in front but Micky Mellon’s second-placed Rovers hit back with two goals inside a seven minute second half spell to stay on Lincoln City’s tails.

Other results meant that the Lions dropped two places to 17th and remain just a point outside the drop-zone.

Guiseley manager Adam Lockwood said: “First and foremost, the commitment and the desire from our players was outstanding.

“What was disappointing was the period when we conceded the goals. We have to do better, certainly against a team like Tranmere because they are going to put you under pressure.

“That's especially when you are 1-0 up, and we have to look at that and be able to cope with that in the future.

"We have a good squad and we made changes with a game-plan in mind and it worked, apart from that period when I thought we could have kept clearer minds. But, overall I thought it was a great performance.”

Michael Rankine and James Wesolowski had troubled the visitors before Guiseley keeper Jonny Maxted was called into action.

Tranmere had two good chances just after the half-hour mark, with an Andy Cook header being cleared off the line before they countered from a Guiseley corner, but it was the Lions that broke the deadlock.

The Lions took a 33rd-minute lead when Derek Asamoah lashed a stunning strike into the top corner.

Just six minutes into the second half, James Norwood converted a corner at the far post and minutes later Cook was found by a through ball and drilled a shot in off Maxted.

Lockwood made late substitutions and there was a strong penalty appeal when Will Hatfield struck a ball in the area that appeared to hit a defender’s hand in the penultimate minute. But the visitors were good value for their win.

Rovers boss Mellon said: “It was a tough, scrappy game and I always thought it would be because of what was at stake for both sides.

“It’s difficult coming to sides like this, scrapping for their lives. We said at half-time 'just keep doing what we are and we’ll have the quality to turn it around' – and eventually it broke for us.”

Lockwood added: “It’ll be interesting to see the handball back again, I don’t know so I can’t really comment on it but the boys feel very strongly about it.”