Guiseley 0 AFC Telford United 4

GUISELEY stalled at the first junction on the road to Wembley and exited the FA Trophy with a whimper as they conceded four goals against Telford United for the second time this season.

The Bucks won this season’s first meeting of the two Vanarama National League North rivals, romping to a 4-1 home victory five weeks earlier.

Aaron Williams claimed a hat-trick that day and he was back on the goal trail against the Lions at Nethermoor as he bagged a brace.

The chances in the first half were limited but Guiseley really should have broken the deadlock in the 29th minute.

There was chaos in the Bucks defence as a shot was blocked, Telford keeper Matt Yates had gone to ground as the rebound was fired in. But former Bradford (Park Avenue) left-back Riccardo Calder hacked it off the line and the shot from that loose ball was also blocked.

Telford’s counter attack led to a free-kick wide outside the Guiseley penalty area which in turn led to a corner on the opposite side.

When the flag kick came in no one could get a clean header on it but Bucks centre-back Zac Lilly, up for the set-piece, fired a low shot into the corner.

The visitors took that slender lead into the break but the Lions came out with a purpose and for the first 10 minutes after the interval they had the Bucks penned inside the final third of the pitch.

Telford were reduced to playing on the break but one of those counter attacks was productive as they doubled their lead midway through the second half.

Williams got onto a through ball and was pushed wide by Guiseley goalkeeper Marcus Dewhurst rushing out to meet him. The striker turned and as Dewhurst retreated Williams fired an angled drive past him.

The Lions were going all out to get a foothold in the game and Telford centre-back Theo Streete cleared an Aaron Martin shot off the line and picked up a yellow card soon after for tugging Gabby Johnson back when the Guiseley substitute was breaking through.

From the counter attack from the resulting free-kick the Bucks scored their third, Williams again the scorer, and minutes later it was four as fellow striker Marcus Dinanga was also allowed time and space in the area.

Guiseley joint-manager Russ O’Neill said: “It was a tough afternoon for our supporters to sit and watch that, conceding four goals at home never looks good and we have to apologise to them for that.

“In terms of the game I thought we were always in it but we defended really badly and that was the difference between the sides.

"There were a few turning points, how we didn’t get the ball in the net at one end I don’t know and then they countered and scored the first goal.

“I thought we were really in the ascendancy at the start of the second half and we looked good but then their keeper goes long with a clearance and they’re in for the second, and again we had one cleared off the line but they counter to score a third.

“I think that was it really, the timing of the goals gave us a real downer.

"We were OK going forward but our defending was nowhere near good enough and we’re all massively disappointed.

“We’re conceding far too many goals recently and it’s something we have to address quickly.”