City Earn Deserved Draw with Last-minute Goal

Published on: 6 Jan, 2025
Updated on: 6 Jan, 2025

Guildford City (0) 1 Sheerwater (1) 1

By Barry Underwood

Guildford grabbed a late equaliser in this derby match at the Spectrum to maintain their run of positive results.

It was a cold day with the majority of other fixtures succumbing to the overnight frost.

Sheerwater opened the match brightly and indeed throughout the game they looked an impressive side. City manager Carl Taylor had made changes going into the game, and perhaps as a result the team didn’t fire as they had in recent matches.

City had an early chance on eight minutes when Qasim Khan mistimed his header and didn’t trouble the goalkeeper from Isaac Collins’ pinpoint cross. Sheerwater looked threatening down either flank with Theo White especially impressive.

City’s Joe Aitken on the ball.

On 22 minutes the visitors went ahead; a low shot into a crowded box being turned in by White.

Soon after Darnell Jon-Peter ran strongly at the Sheerwater defence but was finally stopped with an excellent last-ditch tackle.

Twice Sheerwater shot wide from outside the box as Guildford struggled to keep possession. City did come close however on the cusp of the interval when Qasim Khan shot narrowly wide of the post.

An early defensive error gave possession away deep in City’s half, but Sheerwater allowed City to escape by shooting over the bar. Minutes later Eliott York’s header was comfortably saved by City’s new keeper Monty Conway.

City’s new keeper Monty Conway.

But Guildford did respond. Qasim Khan escaped down the right and following his cross Darnell Jon-Peter unfortunately blazed the loose ball over the bar.

Ten minutes into the half City introduced Manny Acheampong, Reece Robins and Sam Sesay from the substitutes bench. Almost immediately Guildford looked a different side.

From a free-kick City defender Nik Krokhin played a low ball into the box and amidst a flurry of bodies Sheerwater somehow managed to clear the ball.

On the hour, City’s defence switched off for a second and Elliot York had a chance to lift the ball into the net. But the imposing Monty Conway stood tall and plucked the ball out of the air.

Nik Krokhin: scorer of Guildford’s goal.

Reece Robins looked dangerous on the left and on 69 minutes his 30-yard effort went just wide. It was Guildford pushing forward now, and from a free-kick Reece Robin’s effort was spectacularly saved by Fabio Suarez in the visitor’s goal. From the resulting corner Nik Krokhin headed wide from close range.

As the game entered stoppage time Guildford scored their equalising goal. Isaac Collins deep cross was met at the back post by Krokhin who netted at the second attempt to secure a well-earned draw a relief for supporters after a season when so many late goals have gone against City.

Team: Month Conway, Deven Reid-Solanki (Alex Rodway-Brown 67), Isaac Collins, Ben Drake, Nik Krokhin, Alex Stingelin, Joe Aitken (Reece Robins 53), Qasim Khan (Freddie Robins 72), Dominik Vakulya (Manny Acheampong 53), Jake Brown (Sam Sesay 53), Darnell Jon-Peter.

Referee: Louie Chaisty

Attendance – 105

Listen to Ian Newson Plested’s post-match interview with team manager Carl Taylor here:

Next match…

Spelthorne Sports vs Guildford City 3pm, January 11

Table from Non League Matters website.

Form Guide (based on last six matches)

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