Guildford City slipped to a 2-0 defeat at home to Tooting & Mitcham United in the Combined Counties Premier Division South on Saturday afternoon.
Once again Guildford disappointed their loyal supporters at the Spectrum with another below-par performance. After some promise in recent weeks hopes were high for success against a side who themselves have struggled for form in recent weeks. But City just didn’t fire during the first period. There was little cohesion to their play and the visitors’ goal was seldom threatened. Tooting had a number of shots on goal during the first half, although most were from distance and passed harmlessly wide. On 23 minutes Jamie Hilton’s cross to the back post was just too high for the lurking Leon Dadey. Two minutes later Tooting took the lead, and it came from another long-range effort. Conor Melody was allowed too much space, and he smashed the ball home, giving Mac Chisholm little chance. City were a little unlucky to go two behind on 31 minutes. Hilton went to ground to block a cross, the ball hit his arms on the ground and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Up stepped the division’s top goal scorer Shay Brennan, who converted with aplomb.
As often seen this season Guildford were an improved side after the break, but starting to play when already two goals down was far from an ideal situation. Clear-cut chances at either end of the pitch were hard to come by. A Hilton free kick caused alarm in the Tooting box, but no one was able to get the vital touch. Chisholm made a good save for City, while on 70 minutes Leo Anthony’s cross saw Shane Johnson glance a header wide. George Fox was a fine addition off the bench for City after a lengthy absence through illness and work commitments. It was Fox’s free kick that forced Jack Minchin to tip the ball over late on. Young defender Callum Sullivan almost capped a fine individual performance when his cross-shot beat Minchin but went narrowly past the far post. Despite an improved second-half performance City couldn’t get on the scoreboard and they again slipped to defeat.
Guildford City: Mac Chisholm, Jake Heighes (George Fox 45), Callum Sullivan, Tolu Ajayi-Obe, James Glover, Shiloh Ndiulor, Anthony Ogbanufe, Jamie Hilton (Conor Stillwell 76), Ben Mitchell (Shane Johnson 45), Leo Anthony, Leon Dadey. Unused substitutes: Frankie Jamieson, Chris Adams.
Referee: Matt Funnell.
Attendance: 120.
Guildford followed up Saturday’s defeat with a 2-0 defeat at Isthmian League South Central Division outfit Badshot Lea in the Aldershot Senior Cup on Monday evening.
Goals from George Hedley and Baback Dehghani sealed the Baggies’ place in the last four. The hosts started brightly and took the lead on 20 minutes through Hedley’s powerful header. The Baggies continued to press for the rest of the first half, but were unable to add a second before the break.
City were reduced to ten men on 55 minutes when Frankie Jamieson was sent off for dissent. The Baggies soon made their numerical advantage count and doubled their advantage in spectacular finish on 61 minutes when Dehghani’s thunderbolt from 25 yards out found the top right-hand corner of the net. The hosts enjoyed plenty of possession and territory as they pushed for a third.
By Barry Underwood