City Kick Off New Season with an Away Point

Published on: 9 Aug, 2024
Updated on: 10 Aug, 2024

Sandhurst Town (0) 1, Guildford City (0) 1

By Barry Underwood

This time last year Guildford’s Keoindre Ellis-Vassell was preparing for another season with City’s U18 side.

On Tuesday (August 6) at Sandhurst’s Bottom Meadow stadium, Ellis-Vassell came off the bench to fire home a 25-yard equaliser to ensure City came home with a point.

On another day it might have been three points as Guildford played impressively but suffice to say a point in the season’s opening league game wasn’t to be sniffed at.

In a free-flowing game, Sandhurst themselves had chances. In the opening exchanges, the home side dragged an effort wide of the post, while City’s Malachai Cole sliced an effort wide from the edge of the box.

The rest of the first half was played in a similar vein. Yomi Obafemi shot just wide and on 16 minutes a fine through ball gave Sandhurst a glorious chance but the effort was blazed over the bar.

Darnell Jon-Peter, returning after a period out of the game, looked especially lively and his low cross through the six-yard box evaded his forward colleagues. On 33 minutes City were indebted to goalkeeper Sam Bell who got a vital touch on a chipped effort that hit the crossbar and was cleared.

City dominated the period just prior to the break with Ben Drake and Freddy Robins excellent in the middle of the park. Darnell Jon-Peter curled an effort just wide of the post, and Jake Brown twice won headers from corners but couldn’t hit the target.

Manny Acheampong

The lively Manny Acheampong saw a shot blocked, and then in the halves closing moment he smashed an effort against the crossbar following a corner.

The second period was played in a similar vein. Darnell Jon-Peter latched onto a through ball into the box but Sandhurst keeper Joe Hill saved at his feet.

Sandhurst’s wide men Shane Qoloni and Fiifi Carter were lively and give City’s defence plenty to think about, and on 53 minutes they created a shooting chance that went wide.

Joshua Adjei blazed an effort enthusiastically over the bar, and Freddie Robins’s effort was comfortably saved.

A little against the run of play the home side took the lead. A cross shot in the box could only be parried by Bell and Charlie Sell turned the rebound in from close range.

City came under some pressure and the City keeper kept Guildford in the game with a fine blocking save. Midway through the half, it was time to cue Keoindre Ellis-Vassell.

With almost his first touch his run took him to the byline where his pullback was intercepted. Then on 76 minutes, he picked the ball up deep before letting fly a low shot that evaded Hill and nestled in the bottom corner.

In the late stages both sides fired efforts over the bar.

On 85 minutes Malachi Cole forced Hill into a flying save. Deep into stoppage time with the last action of the game Sandhurst saw an effort land on top of the bar. But a goal then would have been grossly unfair on Guildford whose football throughout had excited their sizeable travelling support.

Team: Sam Bell, Joshua Adjei, Tobi Falodi (Benji Gambrah 79), Ben Drake, Jake Brown, Alex Stingelin, Freddie Robins, Malachai Cole, Yomi Obafemi (Kainen Oragbade 66), Manny Acheampong, Darnell Jon-Peter (Keoindre Elis-Vassell 66). Unused subs: Mo Sabek, Elvis Kwashie.

Referee: Ioannis Christodoulou

Attendance – 91

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

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