Vanarama National League

Guiseley 0 Aldershot Town 4

AS IF they needed it, Guiseley received a stark reminder of how strong the opposition is in the Vanarama National League as they came out second best to Aldershot Town at Nethermoor.

The scoreline tells one story but it wasn't one that reflected the game as it was much closer in reality.

The Lions had a bright opening ten minutes against a side looking for their first win of the campaign.

Wayne Brooksby fired over after great cross from left back Danny Lowe in the fourth minute and, soon after, Nicky Boshell sent in another testing cross after more superb work from Lowe, but Tom Craddock headed over.

Following that good start for the home side, the Shots, who had banked just two points from their opening four games, began to play with confidence.

They took the lead midway through the first half but it was a controversial opener following a play-on call from referee Wayne Barratt who, unfortunately, didn’t have his best game.

The match official allowed play to continue after a blatant push on a Guiseley midfielder robbed the home side of possession.

Two or three crisp passes later and the visitors had the ball in Steve Drench’s net, former York City player Richard Brodie slotting in from 14 yards.

Aldershot doubled their lead just minutes after the half-hour. Home keeper Drench could only parry a diagonal shot from lively winger Rhys Browne, and midfielder Jim Stevenson rifled in from point-blank range.

In the second half, Guiseley’s usually solid defending was non-existent, and the game was gone just four minutes after the break.

Shots' right back Cheye Alaxander was allowed to waltz through the Lions rearguard after picking the ball up on the halfway line and drilled it in from the edge of the six-yard box.

The defence went missing again as Aldershot put the gloss on their win with a fourth ten minutes from time.

After another good break down the right flank, the ball was delivered into the area and worked across to the unmarked Brodie, who slotted in his second.

Lions boss Mark Bower offered no excuses, saying: “It was a very difficult afternoon, and Aldershot were very clinical when they got in good positions.

“We had our chances and I keep saying to the players that it doesn’t matter if you are playing in the Premier League or on a Sunday morning, you have to take your chances to be in with a chance of winning games.”