Guildford City lost 5-2 at Cobham in the Combined Counties Premier Division South.

Cobham came out of the blocks quickly and were 3-0 up within 27 minutes.

In an early goalmouth scramble City twice blocked the ball on the line, and 18-year-old keeper Marvin Wood saved brilliantly.

The floodgates opened on 13 minutes when Derick Hayford found himself in space to tuck the ball home.

Just a few minutes later Elijah Simpson beat the offside trap to fire home Cobham’s second.

Guildford were on the ropes and Jaiden Chang-Brown and Wood both did well to prevent a further score.

On 27 minutes Cobham scored their third goal when Louie Toussaint volleyed home following a corner.

City manager Carl Taylor had seen enough and both full-backs were replaced on the half hour. The move provided stability but City’s best efforts on goal were a Sam Harper header and Deven Reid-Solanki shot that both went well wide of the target.

Cobham scored their fourth of the game on 58 minutes when Nic Osbourne tucked a loose ball home from close range.

But then against the odds Guildford mounted a spirited recovery.

On 60 minutes Charlie Robertson ran impressively forward being feeding Reid-Solanki, who drove into the box before firing into the top corner.

Two minutes later following sustained pressure in the box Joe Atkin turned the ball home for his first goal for the club to make it 4-2.

Darnell Jon-Peter’s free-kick then whistled just wide of the post and into the crowd. Manny Acheampong shot just over, and twice Cobham cleared efforts off their own goal line.

On 77 minutes Jon-Peter muscled through on goal, but home keeper Harry Cawdron saved well at the expense of a corner.

Guildford’s fightback ended when Ryan Marklew headed in the home side’s fifth.

By Barry Underwood