Guiseley 4 Cambridge United 3

THE magic of the FA Cup is still alive at Nethermoor but it was severely tested as Guiseley almost contrived to throw away for four-goal lead in their first-round tie against Cambridge United.

After a tentative opening by both sides the Lions were superb in the first hour and were four goals to the good with just 25 minutes to play. But they showed their League Two opponents a glimpse of a weakness and they almost paid the price.

Just before five additional minutes were announced, Cambridge United notched a second and, into the second of those stoppage time minutes, Joe Dunne’s side claimed a third.

Despite all of the drama the National North outfit held on to win the seven-goal thriller and it will be their name on one of the balls in the FA’s bag for tomorrow night’s second round draw.

Guiseley joint-manager Marcus Bignot was not the only one to be left stunned by the game, and in his own admission nervous at the end.

He said: “You can try to summarise it but you just think, and then think – wow.

“We’ve played well in recent games and not scored but today we went 4-0 and four could easily have been five or six it was that type of game. So when they got it to 4-1 you think right, not a problem, the third goal is always the most important in a game of football and we got that and we got it early and at the right time.

“4-1 becomes 4-2 and even still then I thought it’s alright but then, I won’t lie, when it went to 4-3 and we had a moment we could have scored. Then we lost our way a little in terms of game management and Lewis Walters went through and I thought run to the corner.

“But he didn’t and their keeper kicks it long and it could have been 4-4 and I would probably have left the country and never been seen again.

"I’m just glad that we saw it out and what a day to be here for the fans, they loved it and we’re happy for them.

“That’s got to be the best FA Cup game in the club’s history in terms of entertainment and enjoyment and being on the right side of a result like that against a Football League club.”

Guiseley led 2-0 at the break and both goals were absolute stunners. The first stemmed from a Lewis Purver free-kick, the U’s defence half-cleared but Will Hatfield chested the ball down just outside the area and caught it on the half-volley as it bounced, the ball zipping past visiting keeper David Forde.

Five minutes before the break Cliff Moyo went one better as he lashed in from the right wing. The Lions had a good attack going and Kaine Felix was in possession just outside the area, Moyo was sprinting forward to create the angle for a cross but after Felix’s pass picked him out he curled the ball into the far side.

The home side extended their lead in the first minute of the second half and it was another great strike. Felix latched onto a loose ball in the corner of the area and fired a low shot into the far corner.

A good move led to Kingsley James finishing exceptionally well from close range in the 55th minute. James allowed Moyo’s low ball into the six-yard box to run past him before clipping it in with his heel.

Joba Ibehre pegged the first one back in the 65th minute and George Maris side footed the U’s second in the penultimate minute before Ibehre beat green to a low through ball and forced the ball home with three minutes of stoppage time still remaining.