Cup Run Ends After City Fade in Second Half

Published on: 22 Jan, 2025
Updated on: 22 Jan, 2025

Redhill (0) 4 Guildford City (1) 1

By Barry Underwood

In their first competitive game for 18 days, Guildford City departed the Surrey Senior Cup competition at promotion chasing Redhill.

Both sides had made changes to their “normal” starting line-up. Redhill went into the match in a confident mood having scored 10 goals in their last two matches.

City meanwhile have been in improved form in recent matches and an intriguing match was on the cards. In the event, Guildford played superbly well in the first period looking impressive indeed.

Chances were created and but for woeful finishing City might have put the game to bed by the interval. In the end, an enforced change at the break changed the visitor’s dynamic and Guildford weren’t the same side in the second-half.

From early both Deven Reid-Solanki and Darnell Jon-Peter had space to run at the home defence and both players spurned good shooting opportunities. On 20 minutes a fine move should have resulted in a goal. Reece Robins and Sam Sesay combined but Manny Acheampong at the back post managed to lift his shot over the bar from close range with the goal gaping.

Incredibly, just a minute later, poor Acheampong nudged the ball past the Redhill keeper, and again with the goal gaping his slight delay allowed a desperate block.

Reece Robins in a previous match

On 25 minutes Guildford finally got the ball in the net. A long throw was flicked on and after two blocked efforts Reece Robins was able to shoot low into the corner.

Redhill were on the ropes and two minutes later from a corner City couldn’t bury the ball in a manic goalmouth scramble. The home side came close on 36 minutes; a low cross into the six-yard box was
superbly toe-ended away from a Redhill player by Nik Krokhin.

In first-half stoppage time, Guildford again came close to scoring. Following a low cross, Acheampong’s effort from close range was first blocked by Roberts, and then by a defender prostrate on the ground.

An enforced switch to the line-up at the interval cost Guildford dear. Within seconds of the restart, Redhill were level with Javon Dyer in plenty of space driving a low shot inside the far post.

Eight minutes later the home side took the lead when Adam Grant volleyed home from six yards. City still looked dangerous going forward. Manny Acheampong headed just over from a corner, and later the same player hit the crossbar from another corner, after Deven Reid-Solanki’s effort was brilliantly saved by Roberts.

On 68 minutes Redhill’s third finally knocked the stuffing out of City. Monty Conway saved initially but somehow Nathan Hogan finished by shooting through the eye of a needle and into the tiniest gap at the near post.

Substitute Qasim Khan had a late chance from a low cross but couldn’t get his feet in order.

Redhill’s fourth came from the penalty spot via Callum McAllister, and Monty Conway performed well in the later stages to prevent the scoreline blowing out further.

Team: Monty Conway, Sam Sesay, Ben Gambrah (Josh Adjei 45), Luca Le Page (Qasim Khan 62), Nik Krokhin, Joe Atkin, Deven Reid-Solanki (Josh Fitzgerald-Smith 78), Jaiden Chang-Brown (Keoindre Ellis-Vassell 78), Reece Robins, Manny Acheampong, Darnell Jon-Peter (Freddie Robins 45).

Referee: Ben Maskery

Attendance – 70

Next match…

Camberley vs Guildford City at 3pm on Saturday, January 25