Guildford City 2 – 3 Bedfont Sports: Match Report

Guildford City (2) 2, Bedfont Sports (1) 3

Match Report by Barry Underwood

The report from the previous Guildford City match read “Not for the first time this season, or indeed the second time, Guildford City managed to lose a game after having held a winning position”. Sadly once again, against a workmanlike Bedfont side, City found a way to lose a match that they had led at the half-time interval. Guildford indeed started brightly and right from the opening whistle they caused the visiting defence problems. Firstly Anthony Baker broke free on the right and his shot as he burst into the box was saved by Josh Richardson’s legs. An opening goal wasn’t long delayed and on four minutes a delightful cross into the box was powerfully headed home by Carlton Murray-Price. With the visitors taking time to settle Guildford were creating opportunities. In particular Sam Spencer and Jordan Phillips on the left were interacting well and George Baldwin was just unable to put his header on target from another beautiful curling cross from Phillips. On 15 minutes City should really have gained that important two goal margin. From another Phillips ball into the box, Anthony Baker took the ball on with his first touch but crucially his powerful shot from 15 yards scorched just over the crossbar.

 

As the half progressed Bedfont visibly grew in influence and it was no great surprise when they equalised after 36 minutes. A deep cross into the penalty area was met by Julius Mngada who took the ball on and hammered a low shot into the far corner beyond the dive of debutant keeper Kieran Campbell. The visitors were looking dominant as the interval approached and in a goalmouth scramble a shot was deflected inches wide of the City post. It was though City who went into the dressing rooms at half-time with the lead. Against the run of play Stefan Joseph showed his strength by collecting the ball on the half-way line and then running 40 yards into the box, shaking off challenges on the way, before having the composure to slide the ball home inside Richardson’s near post.

 

The Bedfont management team had evidently not been impressed with their first half performance if the “hairdryer treatment” given on the pitch at the interval was anything to go by. The “treatment” did seem to work though as the visitors looked more settled and cohesive after the break. It didn’t prevent Sam Spencer and Stef Joseph having shots saved in the same passage of play but on 56 minutes the scores were brought level. Good interplay on the edge of the box led to the impressive Tom Mooney drilling a low shot inside the near post. As an attacking force City were fading although on 63 minutes Sam Spencer saw a brilliant effort fly inches wide of the angle between post and bar. The hardiest of Sweeney fans present amongst the lowest home crowd of the season would have settled for a point at this stage but almost predictably it was Bedfont who were to score a winner. After a warning from a corner just minutes earlier, Lloyd Nwag rose unchallenged in the box to power home a header from 12 yards. Try as hard as they might Guildford were unable to make any further headway as the game came to its conclusion, and despite this being far from the worst of performances, it was nevertheless yet another defeat.

 

Team: Kieran Campbell, Liam Talbot, Jordan Phillips, Tom Penson, George Baldwin, Edward Boateng (Ryan Wallis 87), Anthony Baker, John Symons (Junior Alade 72), Carlton Murray-Price, Stefan Joseph (John Barrow 85), Sam Spencer. Unused subs: Navid Zandi

 

Referee: Shelby Elson

 

Attendance – 68