Super Danny Taylor demolished Guildford City in Tuesday evenings’ Premier challenge Cup fixture against our local rivals. He has been threatening to run riot in recent games with plenty of endeavour but frustratingly, being unable to find the back of the net.
This threat came to fruition with three well taken goals displaying: speed, strength, an eye for goal and sublime finishing. One goal in the first half and two in the second took the game away from Guildford, who themselves contributed to an entertaining spectacle and started brightly with Williams being thwarted by the alert, Aaron Bufton, making his first start in goal, in for the injured Richard Shelley.
Taylor soon got in on the action nipping in to cut out a headed pass back to Badiali and skipped past him before firing home for 1-0.
Guildford were soon on level terms when Campbell, another speedster, surged clear in the box and was met by the onrushing Bufton who took man and ball with the Referee deeming it a foul and a penalty. Campbell dusted himself down and made no mistake, claiming his 15th goal of the season.
The second half started well for both sides but Knaphill had a good spell of pressure with Jacob Mcdonald and Ross Cheek putting Badiali to work. Then, on fifty five minutes Jimmy Norman was upended in the box and a second penalty of the evening was awarded. Norman took responsibility but Badiali guessed the right way and made the save. Would this turn the tide in Guildford’s favour, they pressed forward and Siaw put a great ball across the six yard box but luckily it evaded everyone and soon after he went for goal himself and saw the effort deflected for a corner.
Danny Taylor then took centre stage in devastating fashion. On sixty three minutes he got clear but Badiali saved well and Nemo Adams did exceptionally well to block Cheek’s follow up. Minutes later and Connor Close threaded an inch perfect ball into Taylor and this time he found the bottom corner right footed. Close then put another ball through with Taylor again getting clear and this time a left foot shot gave Badiali no chance. 3-1 to the Knappers, the same score as in our earlier meeting in the FA Cup. 6-2 on aggregate so far from two encounters against a very good side and a league game at Guildford to come, in the not too distant future.
Bufton, Parrott, Leighton, Norman, Watkins, Rowley, Cheek, (Kersley) Close,(Whiddett) D Taylor, Mcdonald, (Blanchard) T Taylor.
Unused – Roffey, Collins.