A confident second half performance gave Guildford City the three points they needed to return to the top of the Combined Counties Premier Division. City and visitors South Park contested a tight first half, with the sides going in 1-1 at half time after City’s Austin Gacheru cancelled out Matt Ward’s opening effort. Ben Rayner finished off a neat passing move immediately after the restart, with Dan Moody firing home from close range to put the hosts 3-1 ahead. Ben Camara settled the tie once and for all with a 66h minute penalty, leaving the score 4-1 to Guildford City.
It took until the closing minutes of the first half for either side to fashion a real goal scoring chance, with South Park’s Matt Ward heading in a corner to put the visitors a goal ahead on 37 minutes. The lead lasted only a little over five minutes however, as the goal sparked the home side in to life. Austin Gacheru powered a header against the underside of the crossbar and in to the net to level the scores shortly before the break.
City were much improved in the second half and made their intentions known just seconds in, a tidy set of shorts passes culminating in Ben Rayner racing through to slot past Wastell in the South park goal. The lead was extended in the 53rd minute with Dan Moody, carrying a knock from an earlier challenge, finishing off after South Park failed to clear their penalty area. The visitors were not enjoying as much of the game as they had in the first period, although they still looked dangerous from set pieces – twice going close with headers from corners. Ben Camara put the result beyond all doubt after he was brought down during a surging run in to the penalty area. He stepped up to slot home the spot kick and bag his first goal of the season. There could have been more goals for City in fact, but they found Wastell in good form and had to settle for a 4-1 victory over a decent South Park side.
Guildford City:
Antony Hall, Elvis Defreitas, Ben Rayner (Will Heavey 81), Simon Cooper [capt], Tony Chaplin (Jamie Thoroughgood 68), Corey Holder, Dan Moody, Ben Camara, Jack Guilford, Austin Gacheru, Martin Debrah (Anthony Bridgeman 60).
Unused substitutes: Dan Clayton, James Treherne
Cautioned: Will Heavey
