National League North: Guiseley slide towards trouble, wins for York Cty and Bradford Park Avenue

This was a match of few key opportunities, with a goal ten minutes before the break proving to be the difference.

Guiseley joint-manager Russ O’Neill said: “It is obviously very frustrating to lose this game.

“We now have a full week to prepare for the next set of matches and know that we need to get more points on the board.”

Before the match The Lions announced the signing of Kwame Boateng, with the ex Bradford City youngster starting on the bench for the side.

Alfreton started brightly with Danny O’Brien receiving a through-ball behind the Guiseley defence, his effort though was blocked.

Guiseley had their first chance of the match, after good work by Rowan Liburd who crossed for Curtis Morrison, the winger though just couldn’t make contact with it.

There was just over half an hour gone when Alfreton took the lead, they cleared a Guiseley corner and broke in numbers with Bobby Johnson crossing for Jordan Sinnott who scored with a free header.

The hosts would nearly equalise immediately, as a long-throw wasn’t dealt with and Niall Heaton saw his shot beat Sam Ramsbottom but Martin Riley was in the right place to clear it off the line.

The second-half saw a battle in midfield, which neither side was able to truly dictate.

The hosts could have grabbed a point late on, when Akeel Francis on his debut was found in the area from a looping cross but his attempted over-head kick would go over the crossbar and it was the Billy Heath’s side who left with the three points.

The afternoon would get even worse for Guiseley thanks to Ashton United gaining a shock victory away at league leaders Chorley, with The Lions now fully involved in a battle to avoid back to back relegations.

Elsewhere, York City beat Nuneaton Borough 2-0, the same scoreline which saw Bradford Park Avenue account for Chester.