Vanarama National League: Macclesfield Town 2 Guiseley 1

MACCLESFIELD Town reclaimed the leadership of the Vanarama National League with a win at Moss Rose that left visitors Guiseley firmly at the foot of the table.

The Silkmen were knocked off the summit the previous weekend when they were inactive and Wrexham won 2-0 at Nethermoor.

This week the Welsh outfit were held to a home draw by FC Halifax Town, which meant that they dropped to third as both Macclesfield and Aldershot Town leapfrogged them.

Guiseley keeper Luke Coddington made fine saves early on to deny Nathan Blissett and Tyrone Marsh, but that merely delayed the Silkmen as both were on target in the second half as the home side came from a goal down.

The Lions snatched a tenth-minute lead when Rowan Liburd fired a shot from a tight angle that flew past keeper Shwan Jalal.

Blissett and Elliott Durell were the home side’s dangermen in that first half but Guiseley held onto their slender lead.

Blissett was denied again early in the second half when he headed the ball past Coddington, only to see an offside flag.

He finally got on the scoresheet just after the hour when he headed home a flicked-on corner kick.

After getting a deserved equaliser, the home side went on to take all three points when Marsh headed the 72nd-minute winner.

Liburd could have snatched a point for the Lions but he put the rebound – after Jalal could only parry a James Roberts effort – over the bar from close range.

It was an all-too-familiar story for Lions boss Paul Cox, who said: “We’ve come here and looked comfortable, scored a good goal and were a threat.

“I thought our shape was good and we were playing well and you could hear rumblings of discontent in the Macclesfield crowd.

“We had a long chat in the dressing room after the game and said the same things – it’s about game management. I’ve forgotten how many crosses they put in our box in the second half but we didn’t do the basics properly for 90 minutes.

“We’ve played top teams recently and you can’t allow that quality to keep coming into your box. Look at that chance for Rowan? When we’re 2-1 down he’s had that great chance.

“We’re talking about two boxes again and it's all about being resolute in our box but making the most of our opportunities in the other one.

"I’m annoyed because there were some good parts to our play against one of the better teams at a tough place to come, but again we’ve let sloppy goals in.”