Tom Coulthard’s late headed goal was enough to earn the Anchors a point on the road at Guiseley. 

It cancelled out Jameel Ible’s first half header which had given Guiseley the lead.

The Anchors thought they had taken all three points but Michael Sweet’s goal was disallowed for an offside.

Michael Dunwell opted for a back three with Lewis King central, with Tom Coulthard on the right and Adam Nicholson on the left.

Michael Sweet was given the nod down the middle in the absence of Josh Scott and Michael Fowler.

The game was severely affected by the wind and rain which was unrelenting throughout much of the contest.

Sweet forced Cracknell into the first work of the afternoon with a shot at an angle which the goalkeeper turned away.

Nathan Harker then came up big for Stockton with a big save to deny Jordan Thewlis one-on-one.

Shortly before the quarter hour mark, Guiseley took the lead when Adriano Moke’s corner from the left was headed in by Ible.

Another almost came for the Lions moments later but Gabriel Johnson was unable to direct his header on target.

Guiseley were unable to take real advantage of the opportunity the weather provided. They had a half chance at the end of the game as Thewlis threw himself a shot on goal and headed it across the face of goal.

Half Time: Guiseley AFC 1-0 Stockton Town

Early in the second half, the league’s top scorer Will Longbottom made his first contribution with a dragged effort wide.

Then Harker had to be equal to a strike from Barnsley loanee Farrell.

Stockton then came close as Nicholson’s ball into the next narrowly evaded Sweet who slid to make a connection.

With twenty minutes remaining, Stockton made their first and only change as Dan Dryden came on his first team debut in place of Mikey Roberts.

Stockton began to have chances. Sweet saw his shot deflected wide, and from the resulting corner Coulthard headed over.

Eventually a corner did pay off for the Anchors as Butterworth’s corner from the left was headed in by Coulthard inside the six-yard box.

Stockton were in the ascendancy and thought they had a winner towards the death when Butterworth’s freekick was spilled by Cracknell and Sweet tucked home. Unfortunately the linesman’s flag was up for offside.

Full-Time: Guiseley AFC 1-1 Stockton Town

Guiseley AFC: Cracknell, Ible, Ridehalgh, Ekpolo, Mbeka, Lawlor, Johnson (Brown 58’), Moke, Farrell (Lufudu 71’), Thewlis (Ackroyd 90+3), Longbottom

Unused Subs: Bentley, Emmett

Stockton Town: Harker, King, Baggs, Painter, Nicholson, Coulthard, Thompson, Butterworth, Sweet, Roberts (Dryden 70’), Hayes

Unused Subs: Leech, Gallacher, Purewal, Stephenson

Goals: 1-0, 14 min, Ible; 1-1, 80 min, Coulthard

Attendance: 673

Words: James Cartwright

Photo: Harry Cook