Frimley Green (2) 4, Guildford City (0) 1
by Barry Underwood
It seemed for much of the first period that this would be the match that got Guildford City back on track after a run of eight defeats. There was little to chose between the sides and unlike recent matches City looked a potent force in attack. Chances were exchanged early on. Gianluca Botti glanced a header wide for the visitors, whilst Jack Coleman saved well from Frimley’s Ross Murdoch. On 24 minutes the impressive Lewis Inglis gave Botti a shooting chances which cleared the crossbar, whilst minutes later two City forwards went for the same ball causing Nat Mensah to sky an effort high and wide. Jack Coleman then saved brilliantly from a point-blank header, before immediately at the other end Ethan Etukudo set strike colleague Gianluca Botti up with a great chance that somehow was miraculously blocked at full stretch. Frimley nudged ahead on 36 minutes. The ball was lost cheaply in the middle of the park and was moved forward quickly to Ross Murdoch who fired into the top corner from the edge of the box. Two minutes later Frimley extended their lead when young keeper Jack Coleman misjudged a corner and Adam Sewell had the simple task of heading into an empty net. From deserved parity City, to the bemusement of their fans, were now chasing the game. In the half’s final moment City three times fired power shots toward goal and three times the Frimley keeper heroically dived this way and that to prevent the ball entering the net.
Guildford suffered a killer blow seconds after the start of the second period. A deep corner was missed by Coleman and the ball cannoned into an unsighted Frimley players chest and slowly into the goal. On the balance of the game, it was hard to accept the score line. On 52 minutes City had a great chance to get back into the game. A brilliant turn in the box by Gianluca Botti gave Nat Mensah a great shooting chance just six yards out. But again, the Frimley keeper excelled and kept the ball out of the net. To really rub things in Frimley soon went four ahead. Again, it was from a set piece that caused confusion at the back and the goal came from another straight forward header. Guildford still looked dangerous in attack. Immediately Ethan Etukudo fired just over the bar. Etukudo had better luck moments later when he drove into the box and shot home past the advancing goalkeeper. Gianluca Botti somehow headed a close-range effort wide and there was just a thought that possibly City might mount a comeback. But a batch of substitutions took the sting out of City’s attack and the game petered out as a spectacle in the late stages.
Team: Jack Coleman, Adam Green, Kyrell Palmer, Kailan North, Lawson Bright, Campbell Scott, Billy Connor, Lewis Inglis (Adam Williams 84), Ethan Etukudo (Zac Seys 82), Gianluca Zanre Botti, Nathaniel Mensah (Kyron Richards 63). Unused subs: Faris Khallouqi, Sopula Ubah.
Referee: Daniel Bishop
