Guildford City 0 Badshot Lea 3: Match Report

Guildford City (0) 0, Badshot Lea (2) 3

by Tom Hudson

After a night of wind and rain, the Spectrum pitch fortunately held up for the two teams. Although the pitch was wet, the ball was still able to move rather comfortably on the surface. When the clock hit three, Badshot Lea started the game. It did not take long to see a goal scoring opportunity from the home side, as a sensational ball into the box from the halfway line was curled over a defender by Billy Irving. The ball fell to Kieran Campbell but after taking a touch, the keeper was quick to react and swept up the ball before Kieran could get his shot away. For the first 10 minutes it became a question of who would blink first. Unfortunately, for the City it would be the visitors. After City lost the ball in midfield, Badshot Lea played the ball onto Danilo Cadete on the wing before playing it back onto the opposite edge of the box in an attempt to get a clearer shot on goal. To City’s misfortune Nic Ciardini was left uncovered in the centre of the box where the through ball was played into him and was blasted past Zac Basey. The wet conditions meant that passes in the midfield would be harder to complete, so Badshot looked to move the ball through the air hoping to catch City’s back four off guard. And one minute after Badshot’s first goal, a long ball from the Lea’s centre back caught Billy Irving unaware and Nic Ciardini was charging towards goal and alas it was two goals in two minutes for Badshot

With Badshot now dominating in possession; City scraped and clawed for momentum, with balls being crossed into the box hoping to find a player’s foot. One of these attempts would lead to a corner in the 32^nd minute. A fine delivery from Cyril Ocansey saw Nemo Adams able to find a space to fire a powerful header that was brilliantly saved by Kallum Lunn. City were also reminded of Badshot’s ability to counter attack and moments later Badshot found themselves in City’s final third before the ball came to Danilo Cadete on the left hand side of the box who attempted to curl the ball into the bottom right corner but came agonisingly close. It looked in the final minute of the half that it was going to be three, when a header from a corner hit the inside of the post and bounced along the goal-line into Basey’s hands.

After the break, it was difficult to determine which City we would see. For the first five minutes it looked as if the City players were not going to be taken lightly with Dan Stewart dribbling the ball forward and attempting to find Eli Ogunseye on the wing to put the ball into the box, putting Badshot in uncomfortable situations. Unfortunately, within the first 12 minutes of the second half an unmarked Adam New headed the ball into the net making it 3-0, and City lost the momentum that was slowly building from the home side. However, all was not lost for Guildford. On the 62^nd minute Eli Ogunseye cleverly cut inside to the full back’s inside hip. The shot was powerful but just over the bar, Ogunseye however appealed for handball on the centre back along with Dan Stewart. However, their efforts were in vain and play continued. City would continue to attempt to find goal but nothing of notable value would come of it. The young Dan Hurlow would be substituted onto the pitch in the final period of the match and was hungry to show something positive for the fans. But as the referee gave three chimes of his whistle it was another loss at home for the City. As the days get shorter and the moon’s duration in the sky starts growing, it is hoped that City can return to the form that we all know they can achieve.

Team: Zack Basey, Isy Nzelo, Sean Mason, Ryan Dacres-Smith, Nemo Adams, Billy Irving, Eli Ogunseye, Dan Stewart (Dan Hurlow), Kieran Campbell, Dan Harding (Josh Everard), Cyril Ocansey (Josh Burrowes).

Referee: Imran Khan

Attendance – 68