Ten-man Guildford City exited the Southern Combination Cup with a 2-1 quarter-final defeat at Camberley Town.

In a fast start City dominated the early stages but crucially they didn’t score during that period. Alex McLean put his volley wide, and Joel Oppong twice cut into traffic when well positioned in the box. Tyrese Agbontaen saw an effort saved at the near post, and from a counter-attack George Burgess-Allen’s shot was saved low down by Max Holman.

After the initial threat the game settled into a midfield battle. From a corner Bertie Saunders headed wide, and at the other end City keeper Marvin Wood was sent off for handling outside his box while attempting to clear the ball. Full-back Josh Adjei donned the gloves.

From the resulting free-kick Arya Rajabali thumped the ball through the wall and into the net.

For City Luca Le Page curled an effort just wide and after 37 minutes they were level. Holman delayed his clearing kick, and Kai Zini charged the ball down, then reacted first to run the ball into the net.

On the cusp of half-time stand-in keeper Adjei saved well from Joel Onu at the expense of a corner.

The match after the break was a scrappy affair but still Guildford weren’t unduly troubled.

On 55 minutes Camberley scored again. Onu shot tamely from wide and somehow and inexplicably the ball found the net. The first substitute keeper was at that point replaced from the bench by a second, Kallum Peart.

On the hour Zini swivelled in the box and his effort was blocked for a corner. It appeared that a home defender handled the ball while clearing the ball, but nothing came of City’s appeals.

Peart saved well at the lively Shane Qoloni’s feet, and the match ended in driving rain as Camberley progressed.

By Barry Underwood