Guildford City advanced to the qualifying stages of the FA Cup after an eight goal thriller with East Preston. A hat-trick for Austin Gacheru, a goal from Dan Moody and a thunderous Simon Cooper free kick settled the tie for the hosts.
Amidst the thunder and lightning circling the ground, it was City who opened the scoring on five minutes, Austin Gacheru pouncing for his first goal of the season.
A defensive error saw Joe Shelley slide in an equaliser, before Guildford took control with goals from Dan Moody and a second from Gacheru.
Late in the half, amid torrential rain, Dan Simmonds capitalised for the visitors to cut the half-time deficit to one.
In the second half Simon Cooper‘s free kick restored the advantage, before East Preston once again reduced arrears through Simmond‘s well-placed strike. At 4-3 the match hinged on a passage of play which first saw Antony Hall pull off a fantastic one-handed penalty save, with the hosts immediately heading down the other end where Austin Gacheru completed his hat-trick.
City held out for the remainder of the game to secure a home tie against Isthmian Premier Division side Kingstonian in the FA Cup with Budweiser First Qualifying Round, on Saturday 8th September.
Guildford City:
Antony Hall, Tom Penson, Ben Rayner (Ben Camara 83), Simon Cooper, Jamie Thoroughgood, Cortey Holder, Dan Moody, Junior Kaffo (Dammy Bada 72), Austin Gacheru, Joel Hughes, Tommy Tydeman (Jack Guilford 53).
Unused substitutes: Moses Spencer, Tommy Rose, Luke Bradnick, Bruce McPhail.
Cautioned: Tom Penson, Corey Holder, Jack Guilford.