Nantwich Town allowed Guiseley to come from behind to complete a league double over the Dabbers in a performance head coach Gary Taylor-Fletcher labelled “embarrassing”.
Lewis Whitham had a sniff of a chance in the very first minute for Guiseley, doing the first of many cut insides from the left and curling over the bar.
But the Dabbers had started the stronger and an opening goal almost came in remarkable fashion.
Right-back Aidy Roxburgh, on debut after signing on loan from Altrincham, started a charging run through multiple Guiseley challenges and into the box, but just lacked that finishing touch and Cameron Mason was able to save his shot easily.
The opener did follow, though.
In the 9th minute, James Caton, who started on the right side, found himself in the left corner of the box with the ball at this feet after a smart touch from Byron Harrison.
Caton turned and fired past Mason to get his first Nantwich goal just three days after his birthday.
After that, the home side began to get a foothold in the game.
Tom Booth, fresh from a loan extension until the end of the season, saved from Callum Chippendale and did well to tip a Courtney Meppen-Walter header onto the bar from a corner.
A potential turning point happened in the 25th minute.
Kallan Murphy led with his elbow and caught Jon Moran square in the face, a shocking challenge that somehow only brought a yellow card and left Moran having to be subbed with suspected concussion.
Booth then saved from Murphy before a scary moment where a bad bobble meant he swung and missed a kick out and saw the ball spin wide.
Guiseley scored the equaliser they probably deserved on 38 minutes.
Andy Kellet tucked the ball away from close range after Murphy had his own wild fresh air kick that saw the ball spin to his teammate.
Whitham almost completed the turnaround moments later, a perfectly timed challenge from Troy Bourne stopped a big goal-scoring chance.
The tricky winger got his way just two minutes into the second half.
The Dabbers had not learned their lesson. He isolated his man one-on-one, cut inside and blasted past Booth to make it 2-1.
Staff on the bench felt there may have been a Guiseley handball in the build up.
Murphy could have made it three on the hour mark after more good work from Whitham, but it was just played behind him.
Murphy had another half chance that was blocked before a rejig was enforced on the Dabbers again with Tom Scully off through injury.
Whitham was rampant, and the battle between him and Booth continued with two more saves before Jameel Ible headed over from a corner.
Sub Angus Chapman charged through late on for Guiseley, the pitch opening up for him after Perry Bircumshaw was down with injury. Booth did excellently to dive at his feet and deflect the ball away.
The Dabbers’ last chance came in the last minute.
A low corner routine was played to Caspar Hughes who was unlucky with how the ball bounced to him and got under it, and over it went and with it the game was over too.
(Photos courtesy of Alex Daniel)
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