Guildford City were beaten for the third time in four matches with a 1-0 home defeat against Beaconsfield SYCOB. Ryan Blake was the difference, the lively striker scoring the only goal in the 37th minute after Simon Cooper failed to clear on the edge of penalty area.
The below freezing temperatures played its part, passes bobbled on the surface and ran short numerous times, but that didn’t stop it becoming a heated encounter with the referees decisions continually questioned from both players and fans.
Guildford started the game well; it was a scrappy fast-paced opening, played out mainly in the middle of the pitch, and mainly in the air. Chances were carved out with good link ups from Tommy Tydeman and Austin Gacheru but they were unable to break the deadlock.
The best piece of play in the first half came after fifteen minutes as Corey Holder thundered down the left hand-side, playing a one-two with Gacheru, he stretched to get on the end of the pass before crossing to the back post. Jack Guilford however, could only head wide.
Ten minutes later Tydeman received the ball five yards out of the area, with his back to goal he spun gracefully, and hit his shot hard and low but it was beaten away by keeper Jonathan Nydell for a corner. The corner, swung in by Ben Rayner, resulted in the first of many penalty shouts, all turned away by the official.
Another chance came not long after that, Joel Hughes headed over from almost inside the goal after a Rayner free kick was delivered with precision right on to Hughes’ head. The free kick had come after Jack Guilford had been tugged down by the laboring central defender, Nevin Saroya, who was unable to match the attacking midfielders turn of pace from the wide area.
The deadlock was broken against the run of play. Beaconsfield had looked tidy going forward without creating any threats on Antony Hall’s goal, and were playing on the counter-attack. The goal came from a passage of play out on the left and a soft pass was allowed to slip under the foot of Simon Cooper into the path of Ryan Blake, he finished well, beyond Hall.
From that point Beaconsfield were fired up and forced Hall into two quick saves. Ryan Blake tormented Guildford’s back-line, he slipped past Tom Penson before teeing up Ryan Upward, whose shot was tame and easy for Hall to stop. The sides went into the break just a goal apart.
The second half was much less incident packed as Guildford’s frustrations were aimed mainly at the man in the middle, Malcolm McIntyre, he was fussy when it came to the infringements that could have been played on and baulked when it came to those that ended pieces of positive play for both sides.
The only real moment of inspiration came as Blake, the outstanding player of the game, flew past Holder and delivered into the box. The on-rushing forward however, arrived too late to meet the ball and instead knocked Hall flying into the netting, much to his annoyance.
Guildford rarely threatened in the second period, even the introduction of Junior Kaffo, new signing Scott Elgar and Jaydon Gibbs did little to help the home side. Beaconsfield were well organised and did well protecting their keeper as Guildford tried to knock the ball forward from back-to-front, albeit on occasion outside the rules normally imposed by match officials.
Elsewhere Royston Town lost 3-1 away at Slough and Godalming’s game at Aylesbury was postponed meaning Guildford remain third, two points off the top.
Chipstead visit The Spectrum Wednesday evening in the Senior Surrey Cup, before an away tie at Daventry Town next weekend.
Guildford City: Antony Hall, Tom Penson, Ben Rayner, Simon Cooper [Captain], Jamie Thoroughgood, Corey Holder, Dan Moody, Tommy Tydeman (Junior Kaffo), Austin Gacheru (Jaydon Gibbs), Joel Hughes, Jack Guilford (Scott Elgar).
Unused substitutes: Dammy Bada, Elvis Defreitas.
Cautioned: Ben Rayner, Austin Gacheru.
Match report by Bruce Archer
Click here for the post-match thoughts of manager Kevin Rayner
