Guildford City (1) 3, Fleet Town (1) 3
by Barry Underwood
It was a thrilling pre-Christmas encounter at the Spectrum last evening. A resurgent Fleet Town side under new manager Jermaine McGlashan three times took the lead, and on each occasion a stubborn City bounced back to equalise, for what in the end proved to be Guildford’s first drawn match this season. Setting the tone for the evening both sides could have netted in the very first minute. It was Fleet who started the brighter with Guildford a little off the pace in the opening exchanges.
It was just five minutes into the match when the visitors opened the scoring. Nathan Leche sauntered through City’s left side defence and Louis Blake was on hand to net his low cross. Gradually the home side exerted more influence on the game and they got back on terms with a superb goal from Enow Ojong. Receiving the ball near the halfway line Ojong spun past a defender and then outsprinted the covering Fleet defenders before slamming a low shot from an angle into the far corner of the net. It was a goal worthy of being “Goal of the Season”. Soon after Leon Dadey jinked inside on the right before sliding a ball through to Jacob Breckon whose powerful effort was saved well by Dease Kerrison at short range. Shortly before the interval it was Breckon again who fired goalward only to be denied by an excellent defensive block.
The second period continued in the same vein but it was Fleet who pushed ahead on 62 minutes. A long free kick found the impressive Louis Blake in space in the box and his glanced header sailed past Stuart Norman and into the net. Five minutes later it was parity again. Good work on the left flank saw Jack Webb cross threateningly across the six-yard box and Leon Dadey was on hand at the back post to bundle the ball home. The game was still end to end and Stuart Norman saved well on the edge of his box. On 71 minutes though Norman, despite saving an initial attempt, couldn’t prevent Tom Wensley shooting home from an acute angle. Could City come back for a third time? The answer was yes. With nine minutes remaining Leon Dadey crossed low from the left and the lurking Jacob Breckon turned the ball home from close range. It was fine Christmas fare, watched by a decent sized crowd, and both sides should have been content with their share of the points.
Team: Stuart Norman, Stephan Langley, Billy Nutbeam (Campbell Scott 86), Ashley Hitchinson (Neil Roissetter 77), Scott Costello, Jamie Pearce, Leon Dadey, Jamil Saleh (Zeid Hannachi 65), Jacob Breckon, Enow Ojong, Cameron Gyeabour (Jack Webb 65). Unused subs: Dejarhn Grant.
Referee: Nigel Owen
Attendance – 141
Photos by @LJPphotos
