One each was a fair result, extending the Shieldsmen's unbeaten run to 12 games and they remain the only side to have scored in every match this season.

Team bosses Anthony Woodhouse and Graham Fenton had to reckon without seven of their squad including skipper Brian Smith and top marksman Robbie Livermore and had to name themselves on the substitutes bench.

It's too early yet for Woodhouse to make a return on the pitch after injury whilst former Blackburn and Aston Villa player Denton hadn't figured since the League Cup clash at Newton Aycliffe in mid-September but came on to add his experience in a frenetic final ten minutes.

Ross Atkinson led the team out but it was the highly rated visitors who adapted quicker to the heavy conditions against the reshuffled home outfit.

Chris Hunt and Chris Farman responded to the early pressure by forming a solid and commanding pairing in the centre of defence, the former making a vital clearance to thwart Guisborough captain and centre forward David Onions.

Onions then found himself in the clear but his attempted chip was well held by Michael Robinson.

With Shields taking time to settle the North Yorkshire side continued on the offensive and a thunderous effort from Michael Roberts cannoned off the crossbar whilst Robinson safely held onto Luke Bythway's drive.

As the half wore on the gritty Tynesiders prompted by the hard-working Phil Cartwright in the middle of the park came much more into it and, following a mazy Andy Hay sortie, John Amos had the ball in the back of the net but a raised flag ruined the celebrations.

Moments later Shields thought they had broken the deadlock when keeper Stephen Gill misjudged Anthony Lowther's effort but amid shouts that the ball had crossed the line the Guisborough custodian recovered to spare his blushes.

The Shieldsmen were dealt a blow just four minutes into the second period when Glen Butterworth nodded in at the far post.
The Robins' heads didn't go down and, after Glen Taylor had rifled over the bar, the tall and impressive front-runner levelled on the 58 minute mark with a quality left-footed strike from the edge of the area that left Gill helpless.

Roused, Shields started to sparkle and after Hay and Taylor combined it took a fine save from Gill to Parry from Amos.

Taylor was providing a handful up front and twice went close to putting his side ahead, heading a James Luccock corner inches wide then just failing to connect with a teasing Lowther cross.

Hay, who had worked his socks off, was replaced by player/coach Andy Bowman in the final quarter but it was fellow substitute Fenton who was almost the late match-winner with a goal-bound drive that was frantically blocked.

It was tense right till the final whistle however and Bythway must have thought he would win it for the visitors in the closing seconds but he was thwarted by a brave dive at his feet by Robinson.

Woodhouse said afterwards that he was proud of the performance. He said: "Our desire to win was there to be seen. We were down to the bare bones but our attitude and work-rate were tremendous."

North Shields: Robinson, Luccock, Atkinson, Cartwright, Hunt, Farman, Lowther, Marshall (Fenton 80), Hay (Bowman 73), Amos, Taylor. Subs (not used) Minton, Woodhouse, Elliott.

North Shields are away to Newton Aycliffe on Saturday (3pm kick off) then return again on Wednesday, December 2 to make another attempt to play their second round Ernest Armstrong cup-tie (7.30pm.).