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Saturday 6 February 2010 Combined Counties Premier League WEMBLEY 1 Shelton, 45+2 GUILDFORD CITY 1 Rayner, 89
A good contingent travelled up to Wembley for this match and unlike last time, we did not get stuck on the South Circular – although Kevin and some of the lads did not fare so well on their trip from Croydon. Again there were some gaps in the ranks with Elvis Defreitas, James Brown and Jack McLeod all missing. This allowed Luke Bradnick a chance to impress in the starting lineup and Danny Elgar’s brother Scott his first appearance on the bench. One look at the pitch told us this would be a tough encounter – it was heavy and a large area near the halfway line was spread with sand. Guildford started the match well and in the 3rd minute had an excellent chance – Lance striking an accurate low shot from the edge of the box which Power-Simpson, the Wembley keeper, had to push past the post at full stretch. The home side started to test the Guildford defence however with the lively Paul Shelton causing problems for his markers. Tom Penson was working particularly hard down the right wing and was lucky not to get a card in the 5th minute. Moments later an attack from the home side led to a forward miscuing a good shooting opportunity and Jumo Mitchell blazing over the bar. City went straight on the offensive however and had two excellent chances to take the lead. In the 7th minute Jamie King did well to latch onto a pass but dragged his shot wide of the post and a minute later Danny Elgar saw his shot saved and the rebound missed. This end to end action continued with Tom Penson pulling off an excellent last ditch tackle on the quarter hour mark to deny a scoring opportunity before at the other end Danny Elgar put a revitalised Anthony Bridgeman through – a great shot being deflected behind for a corner which came to nothing. Guildford were more than holding their own but there were some niggly challenges creeping in and cards started to get shown – Lance earning one for a tussle with Glenn Garner. On the half hour mark, Shelton should have done better – beating the offside trap before half volleying straight into Hall’s mitts. The pattern of attack and counter-attack continued however and Guildford were soon at the other end – Lance receiving the ball on the right hand side but being scythed down on the edge of the area – Garner earning himself a booking and the derision of the away fans. City were unable to capitalise and soon Wembley were on the attack once again – Jamie Thoroughgood being beaten for pace down the right and an excellent slide rule pass finding a Wembley player in the box. He would probably have scored but hesitated, allowing the ball to be cleared for a corner – Hall easily plucking the resulting delivery from the air. The final minutes of the half were action packed. First Guildford won a corner in the 40th minute after some good work from Jamie King. A great delivery found Thoroughgood whose header was cleared off the line and behind for another corner – the second being dropped and reclaimed by Power-Simpson. In the first minute of added time, Wembley responded to a further abortive attack by City with a lightning raid down the right wing – Jamie Thoroughgood getting back just in time to kick a dangerous cross behind. The home side took the corner and the ball was headed out but only as far as Shelton who had been lurking on the edge of the box – the Wembley forward volleyed the ball sweetly and it flew over Hall’s head and into the back of the net. Guildford, worked hard in the remaining seconds, winning two more corners but could not trouble the keeper. The was some consensus, even from the home fans, that Guildford should have been leading at half time. Nevertheless with the enforced substitution of Lance due to injury and the lack of other options up front, City were going to face an up-hill battle in the second half. The home side made their intentions crystal clear from the kick off, Glenn Garner sliding in to a 60/40 ball which was running back to Hall, colliding with him and knocking him to the ground where he stayed for the next five minutes. The ref ruled there was no intent in the challenge and play eventually restarted albeit with Hall limping visibly. City got back into their stride though and an excellent tackle down the left wing by Cory Knight started a good move from which Danny Elgar fired over the bar. On the hour mark a well directed ball from City debutant Rob McCarry released Anthony Bridgeman down the right; the Guildford pace-ace let fly from a similar distance to that incredible goal against Ramsgate but this time the ball flew wide of the far post. Back came Wembley and Shelton let another chance slip away when he sliced well wide when free in the area. In the 69th minute Ben Rayner picked up a booking for a clumsy challenge on the edge of the box and the resulting kick was cleverly crossed to the far post – the player poking the ball just wide. More attacks followed, Wembley winning a corner and seeing three shots blocked by some committed defending, before winning a freekick near the byline in the 75th minute – Tom Penson lucky again not to be booked for the challenge – and the ball being headed over. The pendulum swung once more in Guildford’s favour however and just two minutes later, Power-Simpson did well to push a Danny Elgar shot onto the bar. Guildford then won a freekick which caused a goalmouth scramble before being cleared. For all their endeavour it was looking increasingly likely that Guildford would leave Vale Farm with nothing. And in the 83rd minute it seemed the home side would land the decisive blow when Jerome Walker beat the offside trap, advanced into the box and was brought down for a cast iron penalty. Up stepped Shelton but his shot was terrible – weak and too close to the keeper – and Hall held it comfortably. Although City’s players looked tired, they at last had some hope and suddenly Wembley started to sit deeper, allowing players like Greenland to run at them. The former Banstead man was at the centre of the equaliser just 6 minutes later – latching on to a pass, tearing into the box and letting fly with a powerful shot which Power-Simpson could only spill into the path of Ben Rayner – the Guildford midfielder firing emphatically into the roof of the net. There was plenty of stoppage time given the earlier injury to Hall and both sides had half chances – Wembley winning several freekicks and a corner whilst Bridgeman and Greenland went close for Guildford. WEMBLEY: M. Power-Simpson; D. Dyer; T. Edun (M. Black, 86); D. Reading; A. Walker; J. Okunowo; I. Bates; G. Garner; J. Walker; P. Shelton; J. Mitchell Subs: S. O’Connell; R. Bempah; D. Clinton; A. Kouadri-Habbaz Booked: D. Dyer; G. Garner; P. Shelton; J. Mitchell GUILDFORD CITY: A. Hall; T. Penson; C. Knight; S. Cooper; J. Thoroughgood; J. King; L. Bradnick (R. McCarry, 59); B. Rayner; L. Banton-Brown (A. Greenland, 39); A. Bridgeman; D. Elgar Subs not used: Scott Elgar; H. Carnegie Booked: B. Rayner; L. Banton-Brown; D. Elgar Referee: E. Santos Attendance: 58 Combined Counties Premier League GUILDFORD CITY 2 T Tydeman, 64; D. Elgar, 88 CAMBERLEY TOWN 0
To say that it was cold during this match would be an understatement – it was totally freezing, in fact Hatty the physio informed me beforehand that the temperature would drop to minus 5 by 8.30! Not surprisingly there were points where activity was pretty minimal – perhaps the players’ boots were getting stuck to the pitch! Camberley had come along at short notice after the original opponents, Chertsey Town, were allowed to rest their players ahead of their massive FA Vase replay on Saturday. Camberley had the better of the early exchanges although the first chance of the match fell to City’s Tom Penson in the 4th minute – the Guildford defender rampaging up the pitch and firing a shot well wide from outside the box. Just two minutes later came the Krooners’ best chance of the match and perhaps if they had converted it, the outcome would have been different. Simon Cooper received the ball on the edge of the area and played an uncharacteristically poor back pass to Antony Hall which Liam Wright intercepted. The Camberley striker rounded the keeper but with the open net gaping somehow contrived to fire into the side netting from barely 5 yards out. What a let off. Moments later the same player skinned Jamie Thoroughgood down the right hand side before crossing into the box but Hall claimed the ball easily. City, perhaps with a sense that their luck was in, started to edge their way back into the game, playing some impressive passing football but not carving out many clear-cut chances. Nevertheless debutant striker Luke Simpson should have done better in the 21st minute, bursting into the box but looping a weak shot into keeper Justin Gray’s arms. Camberley responded and a few minutes later Hinga Amara made a lightning run down the left and flicked the ball into the box – City defenders clearing but only as far as a Krooners player some 20 yards out who fired well over the bar. Amara continued to cause problems and would have gone one-on-one with Hall had not Jamie Thoroughgood pulled off a superb challenge to dispossess him on the half hour mark. The ball was immediately launched up the pitch and latched onto by Harrison Carnegie – the City striker isolated and without any other option electing to shoot and Gray spilling the shot but collecting on the second attempt. Carnegie turned provider a few minutes later, beating his man down the right wing and seeing his cross headed to Danny Elgar whose shot was blocked. Desultory attacks from both sides rounded off the half – a deflected Camberley shot from outside the box trickling through to Hall prior to Elvis Defreitas making one of his trademark rampaging runs after an excellent tackle and Ben Rayner sending a decent effort wide from an extreme angle. The second half picked up where the first had left off with both sides making chances for themselves. Camberley were asking a lot of questions of the City defence but Guildford’s back four, as so often this season, soaked it all up allowing some pacey counter attacks at the other end. At the centre of it all was Simon Cooper, putting in a real captain’s performance, making perfectly timed tackles and even, in the 59th minute, going on a mazey run up the pitch – his shot unfortunately looping wide. On the hour mark came an excellent chance for the visitors, a forward beating the offside trap down the left hand side and with just Hall to beat, pulling the trigger from around 15 yards out: Hall advanced to meet him though and brilliantly saved the shot with his feet. Many of us could see this game finishing 0-0 or worse 0-1 with Camberley nicking a goal and then shutting up shop. We should have had more faith in the team. The goal when it came was astonishing. Some good work down the left wing resulted in the ball being crossed into the box and headed as far as Tommy Tydeman who was lurking some 25 yards out. The City defender instinctively volleyed the clearance straight into the top corner – a goal as soon as it left his boot. To their credit the visitors responded immediately and went close from a header – although not as close as Antony Hall’s hilarious comedy dive suggested! What happened in the 71st minute caught us all by surprise. Tommy Tydeman and Lee Riddell got into a scuffle, caused allegedly by Riddell spitting in Tommy’s face, and the ref with admirable control and consideration of advice from the assistant referee sent both players off. As expected the dismissals cancelled each other out and the match continued to be close. Camberley made some substitutions in a bid to inject some life back into their attack but it was City who started to look the sharper. In the 84th minute Jamie King played a wonderfully weighted ball through to Carnegie who attempted to lob the keeper but sent his shot just over the bar. The home side continued to press and some excellent harrying by Carnegie (no pun intended) on the right hand touchline led to the City striker intercepting the ball before sending an ambitious and ultimately poorly directed cross in the direction of Danny Elgar. It should have been bread and butter to clear but two defenders went for it at once allowing Danny Elgar to intercept, steal past them and fire clinically past the advancing Gray. There were only two minutes of normal time remaining but we all suspected the delay caused by the sending off would mean lots of time added on and so it proved. In the 90th minute the Krooners nearly gave themselves a lifeline, a great strike from the edge of the area being met by an equally impressive diving save from Hall – the ball being pushed round the post for a corner which was cleared. Three minutes later Jamie King tried his own piledriver but his shot was easily caught by the Camberley keeper. The visitors had two more chances – a powerful header from a freekick being held smartly by Hall and a long range effort going into “Row Z” a few moments later. Harrison had an excellent chance to make it 3-0 with the last kick of the game (in the 9th minute of stoppage time!) but his shot went well wide. GUILDFORD CITY: A. Hall; T. Penson; C. Knight; S. Cooper; J. Thoroughgood; J. King; E. Defreitas (J. Brown, 51); B. Rayner (T. Tydeman, 58); Luke Simpson (R. McCarry, 79); H. Carnegie; D. Elgar Subs not used: L. Bradnick; A. Greenland Booked: L. Simpson Sent off: T. Tydeman CAMBERLEY TOWN: J. Gray; J. Short (D. Webb, 78); A. Millerick; L. Riddell; J. Sills; J. Hoppit; R. Green (D. Smith, 83); D. Ker; H. Amara; L. Wright; M. Girling Subs not used: D. Barnard; J. Finnieston; J. Peace Booked: J. Gray; D. Ker Sent off: L. Riddell Referee: S. Borham Attendance: 45
Combined Counties Premier League GUILDFORD CITY 3 Banton-Brown, 10; Elgar, 32; Carnegie 90+3 EGHAM TOWN 0
The opening minutes were fairly even but it was City that drew first blood in the 10th minute – Lance muscling his way into the box to head home after a goalmouth scramble. The Sarnies could have levelled just a few minutes later but Charlie McCarthy drove his shot well wide. The next twenty minutes were scrappy with neither side able to really test the opponents’ keeper. Guildford certainly weren’t sitting back however, playing some nice one touch which Egham’s organised back four were just about able to contain. With the match in stalemate this looked like being quite a nervy encounter until City scored their second on the half hour mark. The move started with an excellent slide rule pass from Jack McLeod in the centre to Danny Elgar who was running down the left wing. With no obvious pass, Danny opted to go it alone, cutting inside before unleashing a perfectly judged shot from the corner of the area which evaded everyone and nestled in the bottom right hand corner of the net. The next ten minutes or so belonged to City as the Surrey side continued to outpass their opponents without creating any killer chances. Nevertheless Elvis Defreitas went close in the 38th minute, after a nice move, whipping in a cross which hit the corner of the goalframe. A few minutes later the Barbadian was fouled and the resulting freekick resulted in an accurate but weak header into the mitts of Sarnies keeper Lee Pearce. With halftime approaching though, Egham upped the pace in a bid to give themselves a lifeline. They went extremely close – breaking down the pitch from an excellent goalkick with Jamie Thoroughgood tracking back just in time to block a shot and Cory Knight heading behind for a corner, from which Sarnies midfielder Karle Andrews fired well over. Two minutes later came Egham’s best chance following rather a confusing incident in which James Brown clearly handballed and Evlis Defreitas was clearly fouled without a freekick being given to either side! In the confusion, Anthony Oaks stole in and fired a curling shot which flashed past Hall and smacked back off the post before being claimed by the City keeper. Both sides continued to forge chances in the second half with McLeod heading wide from a corner in the 51st minute with an Egham forward then making a pacey run down the left of the pitch before pulling his shot wide. In the 56th minute both Danny Elgar and Lance went close before a Sarnies freekick on the hour mark was easily caught by Antony Hall. A minute later Lance beat the offside trap and powered through on goal – Pearce arriving just in time but receiving Lance’s boot in his stomach as the two collided. The City striker received a booking for his trouble and Kev Rayner clearly decided fresh legs were needed – Anthony Bridgeman replacing him in the 70th minute, Carnegie having replaced Ben Rayner a few minutes earlier. Bridgey proceeded to tear down the right wing before firing a shot wide of the far post. Sarnies defender Jamie Keefe then tried an effort of his own, firing a wayward long range shot off target in the 75th minute. City were containing Egham quite effectively by this point and what happened a minute later allowed them the breathing space they needed. Seemingly out of nothing Luke Muldowney was sent off for allegedly stamping on a player – it appeared that this had been accidental and Muldowney looked pretty miffed as he trooped off the pitch. This effectively spelt the end of the game as a spectacle with City containing the visitors as they tried with rapidly diminishing confidence to claw a goal back. A few speculative crosses from the Sarnies were easily claimed by Hall and a corner cleared to safety before Guildford put the icing on the cake with the last kick of the game – Carnegie powering to the edge of the area before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the back of the net. GUILDFORD CITY: A. Hall; E. Defreitas; C. Knight; S. Cooper; J. Thoroughgood; J. King; J. Brown; B. Rayner (H. Carnegie, 65); J. McLeod; L. Banton-Brown (A. Bridgeman, 70); D. Elgar (S. Elgar, 86) Subs not used: T. Tydeman; L. Bradnick Booked: L. Banton-Brown EGHAM TOWN: L. Pearce; J. Rowley; M. Lacey; W. Noad; J. Keefe; N. Patel; L. Muldowney; A. Oaks; C. McCarthy; F. Driver (K. Siabi, 52); K. Andrews Subs not used: T. Bentley; S. Baker Booked: W. Noad; A. Oaks; K. Andrews Sent off: L. Muldowney Referee: V. Penfold Attendance: 55
Combined Counties Premier League GUILDFORD CITY 3 Bradnick, 11, 16; Bridgeman 19 DORKING 0
There were a number of reasons for us to be pessimistic prior to this match. First with all the rain in the week, it seemed unlikely that the pitch would be playable: luckily some hard work ensured it could go ahead. Secondly Guildford faced selection dilemmas with strikers Harrison, Lance and key defender Cooper all suspended and Tom Penson and Tom Tydeman unable to attend. Kev Rayner was not phased however - putting Bridgey at right back once more to counter any pacey runs and giving a start to Luke Bradnick with new signing Glenn Phillips ready to come on from the bench. Guildford began the game positively and within the first five minutes Jack McLeod almost latched onto a well executed through ball – Chicks keeper Sam Freeman just gathering in time. City continued to dominate possession – Dorking struggling to come to terms with the home side’s high tempo – and the first goal was not long in coming, although it was rather a scrappy affair. Luke Bradnick received the ball down the left side and powered through on goal with the Chicks defence static. The City striker beat Freeman and with a Dorking defender about to close him down, fired home from close range. The visitors looked stunned and City gave them no time to regain their bearings. Just five minutes later came Guildford’s second and it was a beauty. Luke Bradnick received the ball inside the area and with no apparent options proceeded to beat the defender with a skilful turn and fire into the roof of the net before the keeper could react. Heads were dropping among the Chicks players but the home side were not in the mood for mercy, notching their third three minutes later. A cross was lofted high into the box and who should get his head to it but the makeshift rightback Anthony Bridgeman – the ball curling in at the bottom of the far post. It would have been tempting fate to say that the match seemed already won at this point (especially in the light of the East Preston experience) but that must have been in the minds of the Dorking players. Certainly Guildford dominated the remainder of the half but without forging any further clear cut chances. In the 28th minute Bridgey nearly latched onto a wonderful raking pass but could not quite keep the ball in at the byline. Four minutes later another crossfield ball found James Brown – the City midfielder getting his shot away but the ball being deflected for a corner. With so little happening at the other end, Jamie Thoroughgood tried to get in on the act in the 38th minute – just missing the target from inside the area. The half concluded however with signs that the Chicks were starting to believe again – a well taken freekick from the edge of the area being claimed by Hall. If we thought Dorking were going to give us an easy time of it in the second half we were mistaken. The Chicks shook things up a bit with a double substitution and with City clearly looking to have taken their feet of the pedal, the play for the first 20 minutes or so was almost entirely one way. Three minutes in, Dorking won a freekick on the edge of the box which was swung in onto the head of the unmarked Scott Harrison – the right back’s effort flying over the bar. Another freekick followed before some excellent work down the right from Andy Millar resulted in a shot hitting the side-netting. Guildford were getting sloppy and Antony Hall did not help matters with a poor throw out on the hour mark nearly put a Dorking forward clear on goal. The Chicks best chance came in the 65th minute from yet another freekick – Taylor Mollatt’s low shot being deflected upwards and Hall reacting just in time to push the ball onto the bar and behind. The home side at last seemed to awaken from their slumber, helped by some substitutions. With wing play limited due to the heavy pitch, Guildford started to play long balls up to Bridgey and Adrian Greenland and the home side looked threatening once again. In the 80th minute Greeno made a pacey run down the right before unleashing a thunderbolt zeroed in on the top corner but somehow Freeman got his fingertips to it and the ball was cleared. Two minutes later the Chicks keeper was under siege again – McLeod seeing his shot blocked before a long range shot was gathered. Bridgeman got in on the act at this point, firing wide of the post and then in the 85th minute drawing another outstanding save from inside the box. Dorking then won a freekick which Hall caught at his near post. City could have scored twice more before fulltime but Freeman was on fire by this point – blocking a Jack McLeod shot with his feet and getting his fingertips to yet another Greenland shot. The home side had to be content with 3-0 and a league placing in single figures for the first time this season. GUILDFORD CITY: A. Hall; A. Bridgeman; C. Knight; E. Defreitas; J. Thoroughgood; J. King (Glenn Phillips, 86); L. Bradnick (A. Greenland, 63); B. Rayner; J. Brown; J. McLeod; D. Elgar (R. McCarry, 74) Subs not used: T. Arnold; S. Elgar Booked: None DORKING: S. Freeman; S. Harrison; M. Farrell; T. Mollatt; A. Moore (A. Gallimore, 46); S. Murphy; A. Millar; M. Meite; J. Pendrill (D. Zada, 46); J. Bwantou (R. Perry, 46); I. Elusade Subs not used: M. Waldren Booked: S. Murphy Referee: L. Smith Attendance: 60
Combined Counties Premier League CAMBERLEY
TOWN
1 GUILDFORD CITY 0
GUILDFORD’s nine game unbeaten league run
finally came to an end in this frustrating encounter with promotion
hopefuls Camberley. The Krooners really only had one shot on target –
their penalty – with City pegging them back for almost the entire game.
Guildford themselves should arguably have won a spot kick in the first
half but as with many of the key decisions, did not get the rub of the
green. The visitors’ chances were limited as well, as Camberley’s
organised back four made life difficult, but James Brown, Lance Banton-Brown
and Jamie King all went close. |
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CITY continued their sensational league form
with this routine victory over struggling Dorking. This was very much a game of two
halves. The first 45 was a tale of men against boys as City took their opponents
apart courtesy of some fantastic finishing – Luke Bradnick and Anthony Bridgeman both
scoring their first league goals for the club. The second period was far closer as
the Chicks pegged the home side back but could not find back of the net. The game
finished with more chances for City and Dorking’s keeper pulling off some superb
saves. 