City’s Need for a Win Has Become Urgent

Published on: 3 Dec, 2023
Updated on: 3 Dec, 2023

City’s Kai Beck looks on as No 9 Naz Regragui has already turned away to celebrate City’s only goal.

Guildford City (1), Tadley Calleva (1) 4

By Barry Underwood

Once again Guildford found a way to lose a game, by some margin, that they had had within their grasp for a considerable period.

This has been the mantra too often in recent weeks and the need for some morale-boosting victories is urgent.

It wasn’t a good start when James Batchelor put Tadley ahead in just the third minute. A shot wasn’t held, and the ball was turned in from eight yards. Niall Stillwell saw a 30-yard effort go wide, but Tadley looked dangerous early on and twice more came close to extending their lead.

But once City settled there was little between the sides, and on 22 minutes the home side drew level. A free-kick hit a defender and ballooned high into the air. Caleb Wright got his head to the ball and forced Craig Atkinson to parry the ball which Naz Regragui forced over the line from close range.

In the final moments of the half Regragui chased a through ball into the box but he was tackled superbly in the act of shooting.

At times, the mist made it difficult for spectators in the main stand to follow play.

In the gathering Spectrum gloom with a swirling mist, City opened the second half brightly. Naz Regragui’s shot forced Atkinson into a diving save but the stretching Caleb Wright could only turn the ball wide.

Minutes later Kai Beck burst free on goal. His effort beat the goalkeeper but also sadly the post rolling inches wide. On the hour Will May, fresh off the bench, raced free on the right but his shot from an angle was saved by Atkinson’s legs. Tadley’s keeper did well from the resulting corner to punch clear from under the crossbar.

On 63 minutes the visitors went ahead when former City captain Scott Costello headed home with the goalkeeper stranded. Guildford now had it all to do.

On 78 minutes City saw the ball fall narrowly wide of the Tadley post, and on 84 minutes Callum Wilson’s header was saved at close range.

A minute later a slip resulted in a miskicked corner allowing the visitors break quickly leaving Alex Miller in a one-on-one with City’s keeper Adam Longman who could not prevent a goal, only getting his fingertips to a neat chip from Miller.

With a minute left of the 90, Scott Costello scored again for Tadley cutting in and shooting low into the corner as if to emphasise the quality of finishing needed to win football matches.

Team: Adam Longman, Jake Heighes, Darnell McDonald, Callum Wilson, James Glover, Niall Stillwell, Anthony Ogbanufe, Finley Warren (Conor Stillwell 70), Mohamed Regragui, Caleb Wright (Owen Tanner 88), Kai Beck (Will May 58). Unused subs: Ben Thompson, Chris Adams.

Referee: Richard Marus

Attendance – 101

Listen to Ian Pleasted’s post-match interview here…