Guiseley 1.

Kendla Town 1.

THIS closely-fought third qualifying round tie ended all square as Lee Ashcroft’s battlers earned a midweek home replay at Parkside.

Defenders Glenn Steel and Paul Byrne boosted Ashcroft’s selection options ahead of this important game as they both passed last-minute fitness tests.

And it was Steel who played a faultless captain’s role throughout the afternoon alongside debutant loanee Rory Winters, who also impressed.

A bright opening by Kendal saw Alex Taylor give home keeper Jon Worsnop an early test and winger Danny Wisdom was not too far away with a speculative 30-yard effort.

Town went ahead on 18 minutes when a home attack broke down and play switched to the other end.

Taylor found space to get his shot away which Worsnop could only palm away, low to his right, and Ryan Salmon gratefully walked on to the ball at the far post to convert comfortably.

A mistake from full back George Melling let Guiseley back into the contest minutes later. Faced with a regulation clearance, he failed to connect with the ball, allowing Lee Tuck to steal in and fire past keeper David Newnes for an equalising goal.

The goal against the run of play visibly lifted the hosts and they mounted a series of raids down the flanks and Tuck almost grabbed a second goal when he was on the end of a James Walshaw cross but he headed inches over.

Home substitutes Steve Burton and Craig Bentham both made an impression in the second half with narrow misses but two minutes from time a golden opportunity fell Kendal’s way.

Salmon put the ball up for Wisdom but his header lacked real power, allowing Worsnop to turn the ball behind for a corner.

There was an anxious moment in added time when Newnes rushed well out of his area and Walshaw sent in a dangerous ball in the direction of the unguarded Kendal goal, but the angle was against the home striker and the defence averted the danger HOW THEY RATED: Newnes 7, Melling 6, Byrne 8, Winters 8, Steel (capt) 9; Warburton 8, Osman 6 (Mulvaney 64min, 6), Salmon 8, Taylor 7, Beattie 8 (Standley 84min, 6), Wisdom 7. Subs: Ashcroft, Foster, Wane, Newton. Att: 405.

STAR MAN: Glen Steel - marshalled the defence impeccably.