Lancaster City 2 Guiseley 1: Dolly Blues finish the season with victory

​The three points the Dolly Blues picked up saw them leapfrog above their opponents into 11th spot in the final NPL Premier Division table.

This had been a campaign touched with danger in parts, lined with hope in others.

Lancaster spent tense portions battling constant injuries, then enjoyed upward surges and the return of players, only for the cycle to repeat, the two modes balancing out with City finishing with two more points than they did last season.

A flat first period saw Guiseley eventually find a breakthrough and head into the interval on top, before Lancaster came back out with renewed energy and drive, putting the visitors under serious pressure which resulted in two goals before the hour.

It was City who almost opened the scoring in the first half when the two goalscorers combined. Bailey saw his top corner-bound shot palmed away by Hagie Damba after David Norris’ enticing cross.

However, it was Guiseley who took the lead. Ethan Kachosa latched onto the ball before curling the ball confidently into the net even as Sam Waller bore down onto him.

The comeback was kickstarted by Norris’ conversion of an indirect free-kick – he ghosted elusively across the near post and diverted it with perfect precision into the gap between Damba and the woodwork.

Shortly after, Lancaster were controversially awarded and then deprived of a penalty kick as Brad Carroll went over the dive of Damba, before fervent protests by the away side convinced the referee to reverse his original decision.

Lancaster spent little time worrying about what they had lost and quickly found themselves in the lead for real as Bailey was put through and made no mistake in slotting past Damba, prompting jubilant scenes behind the goal.

Norris almost found a game-ending third goal, running wide and drawing Damba out of his goal, but the angle was too tight for him to finish. Guiseley responded with a couple of flashes across goal at the other end, but Lancaster mostly managed to sustain their second half pressure to secure a fine victory.