GUISBOROUGH Town strengthened their second position in the league with a thrilling late second-half performance which saw them run out deserved 4-2 winners at West Allotment to extend their winning league run to three games.

The Priorymen are now unbeaten in their last six games and have not lost under the new management duo of Steve Dowling and David Markham since they took over at the start of December.

The home side went ahead after 24 minutes when a free kick just inside the Guisborough half was launched towards the penalty box. The wind carried the ball beyond the Priorymen's defensive line and Young had a simple task to head past helpless keeper Liversedge.

Guisborough almost drew level in the 47th minute when Chay Liddle threaded a through ball for Steven Snaith to run on, beat his marker and push the ball wide of the advancing Allotment keeper. But the wind took the ball wider and the chance was lost.

The Priorymen continued to exert pressure and in the 57th minute a succession of corners led to a deep cross to the far post which the Allotment defenders were unable to deal with. When the ball was headed back towards goal, Danny Earl had a simple task to nod it into the net.

Guisborough were beginning to get the upper hand and a slick passing movement saw Snaith force the substitute keeper to make a good save from a fierce goal-bound shot. A few minutes later, the post came to Allotment's rescue when Gary Wood's carefully-placed shot went beyond the despairing dive of the keeper.

A defensive error led to Allotment regaining the lead in the 70th minute. A through ball beat the Guisborough defence, leaving Young to take the pass and give Liversedge no chance to deny him his second goal.

But the Priorymen were level again just five minutes later when Jonathan Helm hit a free kick from 28 yards towards the far corner of the Allotment goal and the wind carried the ball further than the keeper anticipated, leaving him helpless.

Guisborough then went ahead in the 82nd minute after they were awarded a free kick 25 yards out. Chay Liddle, with measured consideration of the wind, deliberately stabbed at the ball and watched as it rose over the Allotment wall and dipped under the bar at the last moment.

The Priorymen continued to push for another goal to seal their victory and in the 88th minute another free kick on the left side of midfield, again about 25 yards from goal, saw Helm take careful aim and hit the ball into the right-hand corner of the net.

Dowling said: “It proved a very difficult game due to the extremely windy conditions. In the first half, we defended well and created a couple of decent chances and I thought 0-0 would have been a fair half-time score but for Allotment scoring with a good header from a decent free kick.

“In the second half, we dominated the game and got a deserved equaliser from Danny Earl and I thought we would go on to win the game from there. But Allotment had different ideas and they scored a well-worked goal, but once again we showed a great desire and will to win by scoring three good free kicks.”