Scoreline Does Not Reflect City’s Performance

Published on: 11 Feb, 2025
Updated on: 11 Feb, 2025

AFC Whyteleafe (2) 4, Guildford City (0) 1

By Barry Underwood

AFC Whyteleafe maintained their promotion push with their eighth consecutive victory.

Judging by the score-line it looks as if this was a one-sided encounter, but the game was far from that. Guildford played a full part in the game and on chances created they outscored their high-flying rivals. In simple terms Whyteleafe were clinical, whilst City were not.

Whyteleafe couldn’t have had a better start to the game. In just the second minute a short corner was played low into the box and after hitting both posts, a third attempt entered the net. But almost immediately Reece Robins shot was parried by an outstanding 17-year-old goalkeeper George Hill.

Qasim Khan on the ball Chris Pegman

Following up, Qasim Khan shot goalward only for Hill to get enough on the ball for it to be cleared. On nine minutes Khan broke through the middle of the defence and again Hill saved one-on-one with his legs.

On 18 minutes Reece Robins, seeing Hill off his line, attempted an audacious lob from halfway but his attempt skewed wide. City were playing some good football, and five minutes later Sam Sesay’s header in the box was comfortable saved. Minutes later Qasim Khan got to the byline and from his pull back Ben Gambrah attempted to chest the ball when a header might have been a better option.

The home side were looking to punch balls forward into the right channel which City’s defence dealt with pretty effectively. Jacob Terry saved well from a free kick, whilst a volley from a headed clearance went wide.

As half-time approached Whyteleafe scored their second. A quick break down the left leading to a first-time curling effort inside the back post. For five minutes City were on the ropes. Ben Drake got back to clear an under hit shot off the line, and manager Carl Taylor made the unusual move of introducing substitutes minutes before the half-time whistle.

Manny Acheampong scored Guildford’s only goal.

Guildford came out fighting from the start of the second half. Reece Robins crossed from the byline, but the ball was cleared. But two minutes later Manny Acheampong cut in from the left and his low shot took a slight deflection past Hill and into the net.

Guildford were well in the game at this point, and they should have equalised on 54 minutes when Deven Reid-Solanki jinked past defenders to the edge of the six-yard box but tragically delayed his shot and the golden chance disappeared.

City were made to pay almost immediately. A spate of ping pong in the penalty area led to the ball being converted at the back post. Three minutes later it was 4-1 when a free kick found its way directly into the net from an acute angle.

To their credit Guildford didn’t capitulate. On 72 minutes Qasim Khan again broke through but under pressure he sliced his shot wide. Jacob Terry twice made good saves late in the game, and Guildford were giving as good as they got.

Ellis-Vassell curled a shot just wide of the post, and the same player later burst into the box, but his effort was well saved by Hill. In stoppage time Qasim Khan forced another save from Hill. A 4-1 defeat it might have been but there was still much to admire from City’s performance.

Team: Jacob Terry, Sam Sesay, Benji Gambrah, Ben Drake, Alex Stingelin (Deven Reid-Solanki 43), Joe Atkin (Freddie Robins 65), Reece Robins (Luca Le Page 65), Alex Rodway-Brown (Manny Acheampong 43), Qasim Khan, Jaiden Chang-Brown, Josh Adjei (Keoindre Ellis-Vassell 65).

Referee: Ian Lane

Attendance – 435

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