Guildford City (0) 0, Alton (1) 1
by Barry Underwood
City went into this game after two consecutive victories and were confident of extending their run. But with key players missing including Kai Zini (six goals in the last three games) the task proved beyond them. For all that though it wasn’t a poor performance by the home side, and in the second half especially they dominated much of the play. But the problem as before was converting the possession into efforts on goal which again was lacking. In the first period Alton looked the more dangerous of the sides and an early shot went just wide. City’s new striker Emeka Okakpu, signed from Sheerwater, looked energetic up front and using his pace he managed to get a shot away on goal which was well blocked. On 17 minutes Alton went ahead. A ball into the box found Matt Benham in space and with time to shoot past Marvin Wood. Shortly after the visitor’s might have scored a second but the shot from a good position went over the bar. Guildford had forays forward without worrying debutant keeper Henry Woodcock. On the half hour Marvin Wood made a flying save from Benham’s 20-yard shot, whilst on the stroke of half-time Joel Oppong had a clear shooting chance for City but he delayed and the chance was gone.
Guildford enjoyed plenty of possession after the break but in the last third of the pitch they were lacking a cutting edge. Ten minutes in Alton crossed from the byline but good defending averted the danger. As the game developed so City started to push players forward in search of an equaliser. Exploiting the gaps Alton’s Zak Nash shot just wide, and another effort on the break went wide. For City Kallum Peart took the ball to the byline after a great run, and his low cross caused a flurry of activity in the six-yard box but there was no magic touch. In stoppage time Ben Drake’s shot from the edge of the box was comfortably saved and the chance of an equaliser slipped away.
Team: Marvin Wood, Naison O’Neill (Alex Rodway-Brown 90), Tobi Falodi, Ben Drake, Alexander-William Nwadike (Jojo Ampah 57), Tre Woolliscroft, Joel Oppong, Luca Le Page (Robbie Mundow 85), Emeka Okakpu (Kallum Peart 72), Joe Atkin, Alex McLean. Unused sub: Josh Adjei.
Referee: Charlie Balcombe
Attendance – 78
Photograph by Dan Eicke