Guildford City consolidated their 2nd place position in the table with a solid performance against a well organised but un-enterprising Camberley side. An excellent first half strike from Reece White sealed the points for the visiting side in a match which offered little in the way of spectacle.
City lined up at Krooner Park with very much a scratch eleven. Watching from the sidelines with a wide variety of ailments were Scott Cannie, Aneel Azeem, Marc Kleboe, Tony Mukabaa, Simon Shepard and Marc Mercer and they were also missing Paul Andrews and Scott Steele. The match started with an anxious moment when Jay Gindre dropped the ball in front of an onrushing Camberley forward but was luckily able to retrieve it. Guildford quickly gained in confidence however and were soon dominating possession and moving the ball around the pitch well. Unfortunately they were hampered by a well organised Camberley defence. It was clear that there was every chance of the match remaining goal-less and that it would take an excellent piece of skill to open it up – this was duly provided. Having just been booked for back chatting the referee, Reece White redeemed himself in the 42nd minute with a fabulous volleyed strike from the edge of the area which rose over the keeper and settled in the back of the net. 1-0 and it was fair to say City deserved it. Camberley had two chances just before the break, shooting wide from the edge of the box and putting a shot over the bar, but the visitors held onto their lead.
Half time arrived and there was opportunity to find out what had happened to the SDACS and Southway supporters who had been distinctly absent from the match until about half an hour into the game. It turned out they had made the mistake of letting Matt the Southampton fan map read. Despite a good start, the traumatised Saints fan (whose team had just been ignominiously dumped out of the cup by Bristol Rovers) guided the motley team of supporters to a big pond near a motorway and then declared they might be lost! Luckily a kindly local was able to guide them to the ground. Elsewhere the clubhouse was alive with discussion of the FA Cup scores with Chelsea drawing 1-1 at home to Huddersfield and Barnsley playing well against Liverpool.
The second half kicked off with more of the same – City moving the ball smoothly round the pitch and for the most part retaining possession but unable to make it count. City’s midfield were playing particularly well with both Sam Pothecary and Dan Rice catching the eye with their composed play. They were supported by Barry McCoy, Mark Tomlinson and Lee O’Donnell in the centre of defence. That said, the home side had a few good chances, heading wide from a corner on 53 minutes and unleashing a superb curling freekick which bent just wide of the post in the 65th minute (although Jay Gindre seemed to have psychically guessed it would do this as he remained calm throughout!) City themselves were starting to find space too with Dean Peltohaka having two excellent chances to put the match beyond doubt – shooting across the face of goal on 73 minutes and smashing the ball just over the bar with five minutes remaining. They were being cheered on by the City fans, one group of which were engaging in some witty repartee with Camberley supporters! There was time for Warren Cobourne to shoot wide a clever interplay of passes and for Reece White to attempt to double the lead with another thunderous shot which went over the bar, before the final whistle was blown.
GUILDFORD CITY: J. Gindre; B. McCoy; M. Tomlinson; L. O’Donnell; D. Rice (sub D. Mason); R. White; S. Pothecary; L. Allum; R. Parrot; W. Cobourne; D. Peltohaka (sub A. Wylde).
