GUISELEY 1 FLEETWOOD 2

THERE will be no FA Cup return to Nethermoor for James Hanson.

The prospect of Guiseley’s most famous recent son coming back to the club in round three offered an intriguing edge to last night’s televised clash with Fleetwood.

But instead it will be an all-League One affair on January 5 as Hanson’s Wimbledon head to the west coast.

Guiseley, instead, will set their focus on steadying the ship in National League North – but they bow out of the cup with heads held high.

There was none of the embarrassment from 12 months ago when a nine-man side were demolished at Mansfield.

Marcus Bignot and Russ O’Neill saw their men put up a gallant fight to bridge the 76-place difference with Joey Barton’s visitors.

Having bundled out Cambridge in a breathless first-round tie, Guiseley did not look overawed about the step-up in class.

They came roaring out the blocks to offer all the early threat with winger Kaine Felix, who scored one and made one in the previous tie, again a lively threat on the right.

His low cross was stepped over by Rowan Liburd, allowing it to run into Will Hatfield’s path. But Nathan Sheron slid across to block in front of goal.

Then Kingsley James forced a good save from Alex Cairns with a well-struck volley.

But having shown little attacking intent for nearly half an hour, Fleetwood pounced on a defensive error to strike first.

Conor McAleny’s cross ran under the foot of centre half Will Thornton and Paddy Madden was lurking to drill his 100th goal in English football inside the near post.

It was a bolt from the blue for Guiseley, having played so well up to that point.

And things got worse three minutes later with another lapse at the back gifting the League One side a second.

Jo Cummings under-cooked his backpass to Joe Green, allowing Wes Burns to close right in on the Guiseley keeper.

With Burns right in front of him, Green’s attempted clearance ricocheted straight back off the Fleetwood man and into the unguarded net.

Suddenly 2-0 down, the non-leaguers could easily have caved – but instead picked themselves straight up to hit back just 84 seconds later.

And what a finish it was too from Alex Purver, who spotted Cod Army keeper Alex Cairns off his line and clipped a perfectly-judged effort over him from outside the box.

Guiseley were right back in it and the powerful Liburd, who continued to be a handful for the Fleetwood backline, forced Cairns into an alert save at his near post as the Lions hunted an equaliser before the break.

Fleetwood’s league record of conceding twice as many goals in the second half compared with the first should have offered further encouragement for the underdogs.

But apart from a header well over from former City youngster Niall Heaton, they could not find their earlier momentum.

Fleetwood had taken the sting out of the game and Ched Evans, a fairly anonymous figure up front, burst into action as he cut in on his right foot before driving over the angle of post and bar.

The Welshman then had a chance to put clear daylight between the sides but his one-on-one was blocked by the diving Green and Madden crashed the rebound against the Guiseley bar.

Assistant manager Paul Clayton was added to the mix as the Lions looked to get the ball forward more in the closing stages.

The target man immediately made his presence felt to create an opening for James but James Husband made a goal-saving challenge – and earned the plaudits of his relieved Fleetwood team-mates.

Barton’s boys had been made to work hard to negotiate a tricky evening.

GUISELEY: Green, Moyo, Thornton, Halls (Clayton 82min), Heaton, Purver, Felix (Walsh 73min), James, Liburd, Hatfield (Walters 74min), Cummings. Subs (not used): Smith, Harvey, Morrison, Worsnop.

FLEETWOOD: Cairns, Coyle, Eastham, Morgan, Husband, Burns (Biggins, 90min), Marney, Sheron, McAleny (Hunter 74min), Madden (Bolger 86min), Evans. Subs (not used): Holt, Wallace, Garner, Jones.

ATTENDANCE: 2,324