Guildford City slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Alton in the Combined Counties Premier Division South.

City went into the game after two consecutive victories and were confident of extending their run, but the task proved beyond them.

It wasn’t a poor performance by the home side, and in the second half especially they dominated much of the play. But the problem as before was converting the possession into efforts on goal, which again was lacking.

In the first period Alton looked the more dangerous of the sides and an early shot went just wide.

City’s new striker Emeka Okakpu, signed from Sheerwater, looked energetic up front and used his pace to get a shot away on goal which was well blocked.

On 17 minutes Alton went ahead. Josh Millo’s ball into the box found Matt Benham in space and with time to shoot past City keeper Marvin Wood.

Guildford had forays forward without worrying debutant Alton keeper Henry Woodcock.

On the half hour mark Wood made a flying save from Benham’s 20-yard shot, while on the stroke of half-time Joel Oppong had a clear shooting chance for City but he delayed and the chance was gone.

Guildford enjoyed plenty of possession after the break but in the last third of the pitch they were lacking a cutting edge.

City pushed players forward in search of an equaliser, and Alton’s Zak Nash exploited the gaps but shot just wide.

For City Kallum Peart took the ball to the byline after an excellent run, and his low cross caused a flurry of activity in the six-yard box but no one was able to add the final touch.

In stoppage time Ben Drake’s shot from the edge of the box was comfortably saved by Woodcock as the chance of an equaliser slipped away.

By Barry Underwood