City Exit Aldershot Senior Cup on Penalties

Published on: 7 Oct, 2026
Updated on: 7 Oct, 2026

Cove 0

Guildford City 0
(Cove won 5-4 on penalties)

By Barry Underwood

It was Cove who progressed in the Aldershot Senior Cup after emerging as winners in a deciding penalty shoot-out.

The first half was a quiet affair with the home side shading the possession, but Guildford looked threatening on the counter.

Josh Williams especially looked lively up front although he did often look isolated.

City’s Josh Williams, lively as ever. Chris Pegman

Early on, George Bamgboye did well on the left but he elected to pass the ball when a shot might have been a better option.

Moments later Williams chased a ball into the channel where he cut the ball back to Harry Hennem whose first time effort went over the bar.

Cove’s best efforts came from set pieces.

Following a long throw a shot curled wide and from a free kick in a dangerous position Jacob Slyfield saved impressively at the expense of a corner.

City looked a more dangerous side in the second half. Almost immediately they fashioned an opening for Rory Cornelius whose effort was excellently saved by Sam Allison.

Cove were becoming rather feisty and the referee had shown them a number of yellow cards.

In the 52nd minute this culminated in Cove’s Kay Hampson being shown a red card. But as so often happens the team down to 10 players raised their game and they looked a different side.

Jacob Slyfield saved spectacularly from a free kick on the edge of the box, and City responded well, Rory Cornelius and Oliver Kimble combining to give Luke Mitchell a half chance at the near post.

Cove did have chances with a powerful shot just clearing the bar, and another effort going wide. George Bamgboye gave Josh Williams an opening on 76 minutes but his low effort was well saved low down by Allison at the expense of a corner.

Both sides came close in stoppage time. An almighty scramble in Guildford’s six-yard box eventually saw the ball cleared, and at the other end a succession of City efforts on goal were blocked by desperate defenders.

Goalless at the final whistle the match moved to a penalty shoot-out. In what was largely a masterclass of penalty taking Dan Roach, Rory Cornelius, Luke Mitchell and Dan Way scored for Guildford. The fifth penalty though was well saved by Allison and so it is Cove who successfully scored all five penalties, go forward to the next round.

Team: Jacob Slyfield, Oliver Kimble, Dan Rolland, Jake Bellmaine (Cameron Honarvar 90), Reece Killick (Dan Way 81), Andrew Hewitt, Harry Hennem (Ronnie Lee 75), Rory Cornelius, Josh Williams, Luke Mitchell, George Bamgboye (Dan Roach 87). Unused sub: Tyreke Martin.

Referee: B. Knights

Attendance – 100