Guildford City departed Wey Court bitterly disappointed not to have claimed at least a point. In truth it was a game of two halves. City started brightly for the first ten minutes with Laurence Walters on the right flank in particular looking lively. As the half proceeded though Godalming established dominance in midfield, and City were struggling to get the ball, let alone a toehold on the game. Aaron Bufton in the visitor’s goal was in fine form and several times in the opening stages he was called into goal-saving action. Sadly for the large number of Sweeney fans present, the pressure inevitably told. Mark Watkins cut inside from the left and fired a low effort inside the far post. The half continued much in the same vein with City looking to build attacks, but sadly for a derby game, were often outmuscled and out fought. The one saving grace at the interval being that City were just one goal in arrears despite being under pressure for much of the half.
After a desperately disappointing first half performance City stepped up several gears in the second period and were a vastly improved side. Indeed City had a golden opportunity to draw level five minutes into the half. Calvin Thomas’s persistence saw him jinking this way and that into the box, and his right foot effort slid inches wide of the post. In between City pressure, Aaron Bufton made a smart reflex save at the near post in Godalming’s only noteworthy attack of the half. As the game entered its latter stages City pushed Pat Cox forward in an attempt to salvage something from the game. Immediately this had an effect with Kershaney Samuels cross being glanced just wide by Cox. With ten minutes remaining Tuan West found space on the right and probably should have crossed but few would blame him for his thunderbolt effort on goal which cleared the crossbar by some distance. Minutes later following a corner, West drilled a low ball across the six yard box which Pat Cox was unable to convert. As the game entered stoppage time Calvin Thomas, City’s man of the match, showed great skill on the right edge of the box to cut inside but his left foot effort sliced wide. Try as hard as they might City were unable to force the equaliser, and sadly in stoppage time Kershaney Samuels was controversially shown a red card for a hard challenge. A frustrating performance from City but time for Guildford to pick up the pieces and move on to the FA Cup on Saturday.
Team: Aaron Bufton, Josh Clayman, Tuan West, Tom Mudge, Pat Cox, Darren Evans, Laurence Walters (Bruce McPhail 68), Ben Walshe, Calvin Thomas, Andrew Dalhouse (Kambo Smith 68), Dominic Ogun (Kershaney Samuels 58). Unused subs: Mike Woods, Will Dukes.
Red card: Kershaney Samuels
Yellow card: Tuan West
Referee: Stephen Finch
Attendance – 211
