GUISELEY AFC 1, ALDERSHOT TN 1

SHAMIR Fenelon’s injury-time strike, from barely a yard out and mere seconds before the final whistle, went a long way to erasing the memory of an abject performance in Yorkshire as Aldershot somehow snatched a point at the death on Saturday.

Awful for 94 minutes, the Shots had been the authors of their own downfall and seemed set to succumb to a third successive defeat until Fenelon tapped in Will Evans’ header to deny a strong and organised Guiseley side a victory that their game plan probably deserved.

“The one thing I will say is that the lads kept going,” said a phlegmatic Gary Waddock, “and a point on the road is always a good return. We needed to get something today and we got it – Guiseley will probably think it was harsh on them, because it came so late, but it doesn’t matter if you score in the first minute or the last.

"We needed to stop our little blip, after defeats against Halifax and East Thurrock, but the performances have to get better.”

The Shots made a couple of inroads into the Guiseley penalty area in the early stages but when Bobby-Joe Taylor mis-placed a simple pass in midfield, James Roberts took full advantage to win a foul from Will Evans. Lewis Ward tipped Roberts’ 20-yard free-kick onto the crossbar, but Alex Purver reacted quickest to slide in the rebound.

It took 35 minutes for Jonny Maxted to be brought into action in the Guiseley goal, as Fenelon won a glancing header from six yards, but other genuine opportunities were worryingly scarce.

They were briefly resurgent at the start of the second half and Jim Kellermann retrieved the loose clearance from his own corner to hit the base of the far post with an angled shot. But the visitors were still desperately laboured and lacking in inspiration.

Cheye Alexander had to dive to block Callum McFadzean’s shot and Lewis Ward held Connor Brown’s fizzing 20-yard snap shot as Guiseley’s uncompromising physicality successfully stifled any scraps of creativity their opponents could muster.

Bernard Mensah’s aimless cross, easy pickings for Maxted who was all alone in his own six-yard box, seemed to sum up Aldershot’s dismal afternoon. But as stoppage time ebbed away, Mensah again floated the ball into the penalty area from deep after Callum Reynolds switched play with a fine crossfield pass.

Evans, thrown into attack as an auxiliary striker for the final 10 minutes, won a strong header above two defenders and the nod-down into the goalmouth saw Matt McClure occupying his own marker and Maxted, allowing Fenelon to stab the ball over the line at the far post.

The winger later revealed that even Waddock had admitted to losing hope of seeing an equaliser in the closing stages, yet after another poor performance this one at least had a positive conclusion. It may not have spread much Christmas cheer around the club, but this could prove to have been an invaluable point.

Guiseley: Maxted, Brown, Palmer, Lawlor, McFadzean, Purver, Lenighan, Liburd (Fondop 46), Harvey, Crookes, Roberts. Subs (not used): Odejayi, Haworth, M’Boungou, Hughes.

Aldershot: Ward; Alexander, Evans, Fowler, Reynolds; Kellermann (Oyeleke 54), Gallagher; Mensah, Fenelon, Taylor (McClure 46); Rendell. Subs (not used): Cole, Lyons-Foster.

Attendance: 820.