Guildford City (0) 0, Tooting & Mitcham United (1) 4
by Barry Underwood
Guildford’s run without a win was extended by one further match at a wet and windy Spectrum. With this victory the visitor’s Tooting & Mitcham returned satisfyingly to the play off positions. Tooting enjoyed more of the early play, but it was City who had the first sight of goal when Kai Zini jinked past a defender, but his shot was saved comfortably by Toby McKimm. Zini later intercepted a loose pass and driving forward there was a sense of anticipation, but it came to nothing. Tooting had a shot that deflected for a corner and on 24 minutes a high ball into the box caused confusion in the home defence, but Marvin Wood claimed the ball under pressure. There was little between the sides, but it was Tooting who nudged ahead on the half hour. A cross from the right was headed home by the unmarked Ashley Shepperd. Nine minutes later City might have gone further behind when keeper Marvin Wood was very harshly judged to have brought a Tooting striker down in the box. But justice was done when for the second consecutive game Wood made an excellent save low down in the corner.
Guildford’s offensive display was largely limited to Kai Zini’s forward runs. From one the ball fell loose to Naison O’Neill who shot just wide. The visitors did see a bouncing ball hooked over the bar, but on 58 minutes they scored their second to put real daylight between the sides. A cross into the box saw players backing off and Freddie Jones ghosted in to rifle the ball home. City couldn’t generate any momentum going forward and with 20 minutes remaining they conceded a third. Possession was conceded right in front of goal and after two blocked efforts the third shot found the net. Guildford became ragged in the late stages. On 87 minutes the powerful Timothy Obisanya burst through the defence and slid a shot inside the far post. In stoppage time Obisanya again burst through but this time his powerful effort clipped the top of the crossbar. It was another very disappointing day for the host club.
Team: Marvin Wood, Naison O’Neill, Callum Hope (Josh Adjei 72), JoJo Ampah, Alexander-William Nwadike, Tre Woolliscroft, Glenn Gabriel (Sonny Cooper 42), Alex McLean (Reece Samuels 66), Bryan Edwards (Daniel Emmanuel 65), Kai Zini, Daniel Fosu (Alex Rodway-Brown 65).
Referee: Josh Whittall
Attendance – 179
Photograph by Luke Davidson