Guildford City FC

CITY completed the double over Banstead in this win over yet another side which played well above its league position. Guildford weathered some spirited attacks from the A’s but grabbed the vital first goal around the half hour mark – a great pass feeding Harrison Carnegie to fire past Brady in the Banstead goal. The home side grew stronger as the match progressed however and subjected City to a period of sustained pressure which they were crucially unable to capitalise on. Danny Elgar then grabbed the killer goal with a wonderful shot from outside the area which curled over the keeper.

The journey to this match was made much less dull by the addition of Brian the kitman to our travelling party plus the many stories of student Chris T’s drunken exploits of the night before which had seem him empty the contents of his stomach into a lift – yes somehow he was at the match!! Brian meanwhile kept us regaled with his views on slow drivers and Tina Turner (“nice legs but face like a bulldog”!) It was almost a shame to arrive and send the City kitman to his duties which included giving “The Three Amigos” (aka Harrison, Jack Turner and Cory) an ear-bashing for being late AGAIN!!

Anyway when we finally kicked off on a surprisingly serviceable pitch given all the rain, Guildford started the stronger. Within the first five minutes Anthony Bridgeman had won a corner which had been put over for a goalkick and a nice slide rule pass from the impressive James Brown had been missed by Elvis and fired into the mitts of the keeper by Carnegie. The home side soon started looking lively however and Tom Penson did extremely well to block a cross from Shane Sinclair in the 8^th minute. The A’s won a corner soon after but Ross White headed well wide. A minute later a good cross from the home side was met by an extremely ambitious volley and Hall watched as the ball sailed over the bar. Guildford were looking good whenever they went forward however and Brown once again impressed in the 15^th minute with a good run to the edge of the area and a cross which rebounded to Danny Elgar – unfortunately the City midfielder could only shoot wide. After an awful cross from Sinclair a few moments later, Guildford again looked dangerous – McLeod, Carnegie and Knight combining in an impressive passing move but with no end product.

If City were good going forward, they were let down by their defensive play. In the 19^th minute Hall had to be on top form to save a shot after a lapse of concentration in the centre of defence and a moment later, after a dodgy backpass, he had to come off his line quickly to clear the ball from danger. After a Guildford freekick on the edge of the box which Simon Cooper nearly got his head to, Banstead went on the attack in the 29^th minute courtesy of a blistering run from their winger Alistaire John. He really looked like he was going to score a wonder goal but he ran out of steam and his shot went well wide. The A’s must have been cursing their poor finishing just a few minutes later when Guildford finally finished off a flowing move. This time it was Bridgey who tore forward with Carnegie running to his right in support. Bridgeman waited for the defender to commit and then put Carnegie through with a perfectly weighted ball. Harrison did what he should do a lot more often and finished perfectly into the far corner from around 10 yards out.

City’s goal was not the turning of the tide that we expected however and it is fair to say that the home side were pretty much on top for the rest of the half. The lively Sinclair again breached the visitors’ defence in the 37^th minute but was prevented from scoring courtesy of another saving tackle from Cooper. The pressure did not let up but Danny Elgar did not help, launching a poorly directed pass straight into the path of one of their forwards – the ball ping-ponging in the area before finally being cleared. Freekicks followed for both sides, both in promising positions, but neither could forge any more chances before the break.

There must have been a fair bit of crockery broken in the Guildford changing room at half time as City emerged with far more purpose when the second period began. From the kick off the visitors took control and after a powerful run, Bridgey laid off to Elgar who fired a superb shot from the edge of the area which Brady in the Banstead goal did extremely well to put behind. A foul by a City player during the corner then gifted possession back to the home side.

The next twenty minutes were nerve-wracking for us all as City forgot their new found sense of purpose and allowed their hosts to dictate the play – particularly after two good substitutions. They were not helped by some poor positioning which meant an offside flag seeming to greet every counterattack. The A’s for their part just kept winning freekicks but lacked the firepower to convert their opportunities. City finally managed a decent attack in the 64^th minute, however, Carnegie turning provider for Bridgey who should have pulled the trigger earlier but won a corner – the ball eventually being headed wide. A few minutes later Anthony definitely should have shot after receiving the ball in a great position inside the 18 yard box but opting to lay off to the unprepared Carnegie instead of shooting himself.

This was only an interlude however and Banstead continued to pile on the pressure, winning a series of set pieces in dangerous positions. A freekick near the byline in the 73^rd minute resulted in the ball being headed wide and a few minutes the later they went closer still – the ball being frantically cleared off the line from a corner and then blazed over the bar from the edge of the area. Things seemed to have taken a turn for the worse in the 77^th minute – Elvis, already with a yellow card against his name, appearing to go in two footed on a player. Perhaps it was the rain which had turned the pitch into a boating lake but whatever his reasoning the ref kept his cards dry and gave Banstead a freekick from which they once again shot over the bar.

Somehow the A’s just could not get that equaliser and slowly but surely their momentum faded, allowing City a way back into the match. It was Danny Elgar that made the most of it, first hitting a weak shot into Brady’s red mitts (Matt H kept trying to joke that he caught the ball ‘red-handed’ ho ho ho!) and then finally getting the killer goal in the 82^nd minute. It was another Elgar screamer – the City midfielder tearing down the left wing as usual, cutting inside and then with nothing else on, hitting a wonderful curling shot with his right foot, over the defender, over the keeper and into the back of the net. There was no way back for the luckless Banstead now and the match fizzled out – Simon Cooper and substitute Banton-Brown having half chances which they could not convert before full time was sounded.

BANSTEAD ATHLETIC: P. Brady; A. Myers; D. Hawkins; D. Lawrence; T. Hughes; K. Ogunkoya; A. John; G. Quinton (C. Barnes, 59); Z. Graham (P. Guy, 53); R. White; S. Sinclair

Subs not used: L. Wallace; C. Davidson; D. Cuppit

Booked: D. Lawrence; C. Barnes

GUILDFORD CITY: A. Hall; T. Penson; C. Knight; S. Cooper; J. Thoroughgood; E. Defreitas; J. McLeod; J. Brown; A. Bridgeman (L. Banton-Brown, 76); H. Carnegie (A. Greenland, 88); D. Elgar

Subs not used: L. Bradnick; T. Arnold; G. Adesina

Booked: E. Defreitas

Referee: J. Paterson

Attendance: 63

Wednesday 9 December 2009

Surrey Senior Challenge Cup Round 2

GUILDFORD CITY 0

REDHILL 0

After extra time. Guildford City win 5-3 on penalties

THIS was by no means a classic game of football. On a pitch still recovering from the deluges of previous weeks, Redhill and Guildford slugged it out for 120 minutes without a goal being scored – penalties proving the only way to separate the sides. In truth Redhill should have settled the tie well before extra time but their finishing was truly abysmal. Guildford’s chances were few and far between and when they arrived their players did little better although the defending was exceptional. Eight well taken penalties were the decider in the end with the home side triumphing 5-3, setting them up for a mouth-watering encounter with either Tooting and Mitcham or Sutton United in the next round.

No-one was underestimating the challenge Redhill – known amusingly as the Lobsters - would pose to City. Flying high in Division 1 of the Sussex League and averaging two goals a game, our defence were going to have their work cut out and so it proved. It was Guildford who fired the first shots across the bows however – first Simon Cooper unleashing a misdirected daisy cutter from 30 yards out and then Harrison Carnegie rising to head a cross from the left wing, Andy Greaves the Redhill keeper getting to the ball first. Pretty soon however City had their hands full containing Daniel Morris, the towering and pacey Lobsters striker who carved a swathe in the City back four whenever he got the ball. Redhill won a corner after one such attack in the 17^th minute, Cory Knight desperately hoofing the ball behind, but the delivery was poor and the ball cleared. A minute later the Lobsters’ left back Tashan Nicholas tried his luck, an impressive jinking run into the box ending with a weak shot to Hall.

The pressure increased for City although time and again their back four were equal to the task, harrying the attackers and more often than not winning the ball back before a shot could be taken. Morris continued to cause problems however, bludgeoning his way into the City box from the right wing in the 25^th minute before winning a corner – the delivery once again being poor and the rebound driven over the bar from long range. A minute later the Lobsters had their best chance of the half. Danny Elgar conceded a freekick near the touchline and level with the 18 yard box. Hall came off his line to palm the curling delivery away but the ball fell to a Redhill player who fired towards the open goal in what appeared to be a certain scoring opportunity. Somehow Jamie Thoroughgood got back onto the line to clear and keep Guildford in contention.

The Lobsters let up a little at this point, allowing the back four some much needed respite and the City forwards the chance to test Greaves. Carnegie had a good chance in the 29^th minute, shredding his marker down the right wing before letting fly a powerful shot which Greaves held comfortably at the near post. The visitors responded immediately and some excellent defending was required when Hall came out to clear the ball but missed it leaving the open goal unguarded. Guildford did their best to trade blows with their opponents but Carnegie could not get his shot on target in the 35^th minute having run along the byline and pulled the trigger from an extreme angle. Two minutes later Cory Knight, in the unfamiliar position of right midfield was put through in his own half with most of Redhill’s players committed. He advanced to within 25 yards of the goal with the City fans urging him on but his confidence appeared low and he waited for Elgar to catch up before passing to him – Danny’s cross into the box being overhit and going behind for a goalkick.

The rest of the half belonged to the Lobsters as first they fired well over in the 38^th minute and then Lee Radford had an excellent chance after a good run down the left wing – whether he meant to cross or shoot was unclear but the ball ran well wide of the far post from what had been a good scoring opportunity. An even better chance arrived three minutes from time, some impressive one-touch passing appearing to give Radford a routine finish at the near post – Tommy Tydeman had other ideas however sliding in and doing enough to cause the Lobsters striker to fire over the bar from just a few yards out. “It was surely easier to score from that position” remarked Milts and he wasn’t far wrong. Redhill then beat the Guildford offside trap but Tommy Tydeman again proved his worth by getting back and blocking the shot – the ball rebounding off the Redhill player for a goalkick.

The Lobsters onslaught continued after the break – a slick passing move from the kick off giving Radford another chance which he sent well over the bar. The visitors won a freekick a few minutes later which was cleared and allowed City to go on the counter-attack – Knight and Carnegie combining well to win a corner when there was little else on. Yet again they were unable to trouble their opponents and worse still a sloppy piece of control from Tom Penson allowed Calvin Headley to intercept and run unopposed on the goal. The Lobsters’ midfielder must have panicked however as his shot ran well wide and the City fans breathed yet another sigh of relief.

There was no let up for the Guildford defence however and in the 55^th minute Simon Cooper pulled off an exceptional tackle to deny a goal-scoring opportunity after Chris Hubbard had crossed into the box. Guildford’s first real chance arrived on the hour mark – Greaves coming for the ball from a corner and missing it – unfortunately no player got could send it into the net. A minute later City were lucky again – a good throughball allowing a Redhill forward to beat Tom Penson for pace and send in a sliderule pass from the byline. Hall dived to cut it out but could not claim it, the ball falling loose in the area and the City defenders just clearing in time. Again the home side counter-attacked and Danny Elgar tried a curling shot from the edge of the box which was well held.

The visitors kept coming forward, a good shot from substitute Marcus Elliott just missing in the 70^th minute and then Penson again showing real skill to dispossess a forward two minutes later. A great chance came the home side’ way in the 79^th minute however – a cross coming in from the right wing but Lance Banton-Brown rising unmarked to head it away from goal – whether by accident or trying to lay it off it wasn’t clear. Two more chances arrived, one for each side. First Tom Penson conceded a freekick near the byline, earning a yellow card for his troubles. The resulting freekick was curled perfectly across the face of goal and behind, two Redhill players sliding in as it went by but failing to connect. Then on the stroke of 90 minutes City won a freekick around 25 yards from goal. Simon Cooper stepped up and fired a wonderful delivery towards the far top corner of the net. Somehow Greaves got his fingertips to it and pushed it behind for a corner – the resulting kick being terrible and easily cleared.

So the match was goalless after 90 minutes and went into extra time. Both sides were understandably exhausted by this point and with every minute that passed penalties seemed more and more likely. It is fair to say however that the visitors had the better of the added period, pegging their opponents back for much of it. Surely the chance to bury it arrived in the 96^th minute – Morris again outpacing his markers before laying the ball off for the completely unmarked Elliott who was lurking at the far post. All he needed to do was sidefoot the ball home yet somehow it ballooned over the bar for the second time in the match. Morris went on another rampage in the 103^rd minute but this time the City defence was ready for him and the home side actually had the better of the play for the remainder of the half – Carnegie being put through in the 105^th minute and letting fly a powerful shot which was spilled but recovered by Greaves. The final minutes of extra time were quite painful to watch as both sets of players appeared to have run out of energy. Gabriel Adesina was put through in the 110^th minute but did not pull the trigger before being brought down for a decent penalty shout. Carnegie then headed weakly at goal from a cross and two successive City corners nearly gave Adesina a chance before the ref finally blew for penalties.

The spot kicks were undoubtedly the highlight of the game – all being clinically taken. City won the toss and elected to take the first one – Tom Penson, one of Guildford’s defensive heroes, stepping up and firing a thunderbolt into the bottom left corner leaving Greaves no chance (1-0). Leon Dussard then fired a low, hard shot to the right – Hall diving the correct way but missing (1-1). Simon Cooper then stepped up and scored with a carbon copy of Penson’s kick to restore the lead (2-1). Lobsters right back Asher Hudson then surprised everyone with a kick of supreme confidence, dinked down the middle with Hall diving the wrong way (2-2). James Brown then sent the ball into the bottom left corner (3-2) prior to Calvin Headley restoring parity with a kick into the middle of the net (3-3). Jamie King was next and he elected to curl his shot into the right hand corner, leaving Greaves no chance (4-3). The final Redhill player stepped up and sent a powerful striker to the left but Hall guessed perfectly and blocked the shot. Harrison Carnegie then had the dubious privilege of winning the tie for Guildford but he coolly slotted his strike home to great cheers from the City fans.

GUILDFORD CITY: A. Hall; T. Tydeman; T. Penson; S. Cooper; J. Thoroughgood; J. King; C. Knight; J. Brown; L. Banton-Brown (J. Turner, 101); H. Carnegie; D. Elgar (G. Adesina, 68)

Subs not used: L. Bradnick; A. Bridgeman

REDHILL: A. Greaves; A. Hudson; T. Nicholas; J. Hogg; C. Stagg; C. Headley; C. Hubbard (N. John); C. Ofusuhene; D. Morris; L. Radford (M. Elliott 69); L. Dussard

Subs not used: M. Alcindor

Referee: M. Webb

Attendance: 37

Saturday 12 December 2009

Combined Counties Premier League

SANDHURST TOWN 0

GUILDFORD CITY 2

Cooper, 9; Carnegie, 66
Photos available

GUILDFORD sealed all three points and moved up to 11^th in the table with this impressive win at high flying Sandhurst Town. This match really was your classic end to end affair but the difference was City’s superb back four who have now not conceded in open play for over four hundred minutes. Time and again the Fizzers came up against Guildford’s back line and time and again they were sent packing. The home side could and should have scored early in the game and paid the price when Simon Cooper side-footed home from a James Brown cross in the 9^th minute. The visitors then absorbed everything Sandhurst could throw at them and forged a number of chances on the counter-attack – Harrison Carnegie chipping home one of them in the 66^th minute.

The day started early as I was giving Sam and Chris (alias Pedro) a lift to a pub near the ground to watch the Stoke v Wigan encounter. One of the students had rather unwisely bet £300 on the outcome of that and the Man Utd v Villa game later on and ended the day understandably crushed!! Still a valuable lesson learned hopefully. Ian P and I headed for the ground and chatted to a rather friendly fan and members of the Sandhurst committee. A good contingent of City fans eventually made it to the ground including Lofty, Sir Lagerlot and his brother, Eddie, Ros, Milts and John B and Chris and Jenny P (and baby). Tommy Tydeman was spied sleeping in the clubhouse after attending his work Christmas bash the night before. The plan was to play him at right back but in Kevin’s words he was soon ‘not feeling too clever’ and striker Luke Bradnick was quickly drafted in as an unlikely replacement. Match officials were happy to relegate Tommy to the bench as long as he did not throw up on the assistant referee while he was running the line!

Sandhurst had started their season well but had fallen off slightly in recent weeks. This was still going to be a tough game however and we were all saying how happy we would be with a point. Predictably enough it was the home side who started the most positively – winning a corner in the first minute from which they fired wide. Two minutes later they won a freekick on the edge of the Guildford area which David Blake could only send into touch. In the sixth minute came perhaps the pivotal incident of the match. With Guildford well penned back, Sandhurst won a corner. The delivery fell to an unmarked player just a few yards out and he fired a powerful shot towards the open net. Somehow Hall dived and saved the shot (he ‘slipped’ apparently) and then got his feet to the rebound in an astonishing and miraculous double save. Guildford’s confidence started to grow and soon they were causing their opponents some problems with impressive slick passing moves from the penalty area whenever the Fizzers pushed forward to attack. Harrison Carnegie did extremely well to win a corner in the 9^th minute which was curled in and headed to Jack McLeod, lurking on the edge of the box. The City striker skipped over a challenge and made it to the byline before firing a low hard shot across the face of goal - Simon Cooper sidefooting the ball home from close range in the crowded penalty area.

Guildford had grabbed an unlikely lead but given the balance of play we all expected it to be a short-lived one. Sure enough the Fizzers threw everything at City in a bid to get an equaliser. Whilst this put pressure on the defence it also left the home side extremely vulnerable to the counterattack and City repeatedly used direct, one touch passes and raking crossfield balls to release the wingers and the strikers. Jack McLeod went close from just such a move a minute after the goal – Sandhurst won a freekick which was cleared and then a 40 yard ball cross-field ball was delivered perfectly into the path of the striker down the left wing, his shot unfortunately was well wide. The home side again tested City however from a corner kick in the 13^th minute – Hall having to push the ball onto the bar and behind and then desperately smothering a loose ball from the second corner. A few minutes later another raking pass, this time from Cooper, found Carnegie who released McLeod – this time the City striker did a little better, curling a shot just wide of the post.

More pressure followed from the home side however, the Fizzers heading wide from a corner in the 22^nd minute before Carnegie had a shot saved at the foot of the post by Sandhurst stopper, Dan Tillson. Five minutes later they went even closer – breaking fast down the right wing and beating Penson before crossing into the box. The ball was partially cleared but the rebound was delicately chipped over Hall – luckily it went over the bar as well. On the half hour, Louis Hibbert really should have done better after intercepting a City throw in and running into the box before skewing his shot well wide. The game settled down into a bit of a stalemate for the next ten minutes or so before igniting back into life when Elvis Defreitas who had been extremely impressive in winning and passing the ball, made a jinking solo run from his own half. Unfortunately his wonder-goal attempt was thwarted by his final touch which allowed Tillson to claim it. The Sandhurst keeper then mis-cued the goalkick and it fell to Luke Bradnick who could not unleash a shot before losing possession. Carnegie had the final chance of the half – running to the edge of the box but disappointingly shooting wide.

After sampling some excellent food from the Sandhurst committee and a pasty from the snackbar we all trooped out for the second half. The first forty-five minutes had belonged to the home side in everything but the scoreline but Guildford were to dominate much of the second period. Within two minutes City had won a corner and then in the 53^rd minute came the first of a number of chances. A good passing move put Luke Bradnick through and he turned and unleashed a great effort which lobbed the keeper but smacked back off the crossbar. Jack McLeod who had been rushing in behind then volleyed the rebound only to yet again see it hit the bar and go behind. Perhaps he would have scored had he known how much time he had. Freekicks followed for both sides but with little challenge to the opposition defence before the Fizzers hooked a shot wide from a corner. Sandhurst were starting to get the bit between their teeth again and on the hour mark they went close when Hall came for the ball and missed it. Somehow City’s defenders stood firm and cleared unleashing Carnegie via a well directed pass from Elvis. Carnegie’s shot selection was poor however and the ball was easily saved at the near post.

The match was evenly balanced with both sides looking dangerous. What followed in the 66^th minute was yet another pivotal moment. Sandhurst went on the attack once again and this time found the gap in the City defence they needed, the ball being passed to a player completely unmarked at the far post. A goal once again looked a certainty but the player appeared to panic and fired straight at Hall who quickly released Elgar down the left wing, with Carnegie running through in support and Fizzers desperately tracking back. Elgar put Carnegie through with a perfect ball, allowing him to beat the offside trap and this time the City striker waited for Tillson to commit himself before chipping the ball into the net.

There was still plenty of time left for Guildford to throw the match away – a trait we had seen too often this season. However Sandhurst for all their effort appeared increasingly to run out of ideas. This was to Guildford’s advantage but they just could not get the third goal which would have put the match out of sight. In the 70^th minute James Brown did well with an excellent run down the right wing, beating two players before crossing to Carnegie, whose shot was blocked. The Fizzers then tried a counterattack, unleashing an excellent crossfield ball but the resulting shot was easily held by Hall. The visitors once again went on the attack – Jack McLeod tearing down the right before unleashing a great cross which a Sandhurst defender hoofed just over his own bar. In the 80^th minute Carnegie once again wasted a good chance – running into the box with a defender paying him close attention – the Fizzer finally got the ball and passed back to the keeper with Carnegie in hot pursuit and the ball rebounded to the City striker. The net was gaping but the window of opportunity passed and the eventual shot was well wide.

The match appeared won by this point and Sandhurst’s final chance of the game came from a desperate long range shot from a corner in the 84^th minute. Guildford’s last chance came in the 87^th minute – James Brown running through and the advancing Tillson just catching his shot before it flew into the net.

SANDHURST TOWN: D. Tillson; J. Fisk; B. Williams; D. Wilson; M. Weston; R. Hogston (M. Warnock, 54); D. Wilde (T. Cooper, 78); G. Rapley (C. Parker, 46); D. Blake; D. Simmons; L. Hibbert

Subs not used: L. Eagle

GUILDFORD CITY: A. Hall; L. Bradnick (C. Knight, 67); T. Penson; S. Cooper; J. Thoroughgood; J. King; J. Brown; E. Defreitas; J. McLeod; H. Carnegie (A. Bridgeman, 89); D. Elgar (Sam Cockerill, 84)

Subs not used: T. Tydeman; J. Turner

Referee: M. Choi

Attendance: 58