1st Team v Guildford City

Following on from the team’s away win at Colliers Wood and the midweek home draw against Abbey Rangers this narrow victory over Guildford City, at the end of another hard-fought competitive contest, extended North Greenford’s unbeaten run to three games moving the club up to 13th place in the CCL Premier Division to keep United on course for a top ten finish.
 
Despite a swirling wind causing tricky playing conditions, the match was played at a high tempo throughout with both teams doing their best to play flowing, passing football.  Guildford made the livelier start with two strikes on the Greenford goal narrowly missing the target in the opening minutes.  United rode the early City storm and on five minutes mounted their first attack which saw Alfie Cain firing in an on-target shot that was well saved by City keeper Kallum Lunn. 
 
From that point the contest flowed from end-to-end, raising the possibility of a repeat of the high-scoring draw at Guildford’s Spectrum Stadium back in October.  Determined, committed defending and some poor finishing at both ends of the park made sure that didn’t happen.  The deadlock was broken just after the half-hour when Greenford’s left-winger Sandro Costa was fouled after making a brilliant, penetrating run into the City area.  Referee Alastair Higgs had no hesitation in awarding the penalty, with Cain taking responsibility for the Blues and making no mistake with a well-taken, firmly struck spot-kick that sent Lunn the wrong way.
 
Within five minutes, and in controversial circumstances, Guildford got themselves back on level terms.  During a promising City attack, assistant referee Terry Pusey flagged for offside and the Greenford defenders pulled up expecting the decision to be given.  However referee Higgs overruled his assistant, the ball was played across the area to the lively Evan Lopes, and Lopes unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner of the Blues net.
 
Although United came close to scoring a crucial second goal on the stroke of half-time the score remained at 1-1 as the two teams returned to the changing rooms at the interval with both having everything to play for in the second period. Playing towards the clubhouse Greenford raised their game at the start of the half, winning several set pieces in dangerous positions, with Lunn dealing comfortably with a Josh Lewis-Evans strike on 50 minutes. 
 
At the other end though the United defence was also called into action as Guildford again began to mount threatening attacks and create chances of their own.  Like Greenford, City were themselves awarded several corners and free-kicks but, as it was for the Blues, they were unable to convert their scoring opportunities into goals.  Greenford came closest to doing so on 65 minutes when a clever Carl Bower lob beat Lunn but struck the City crossbar and rebounded back into play.
 
As it happened Greenford’s winning goal, scored three minutes later, was a scrappy affair. From a throw-in the ball was played into the visitors’ six-yard box where, during a goalmouth scramble, it bobbled around with Guy Ansah-Palmer, Anthony O’Connor and Bower all having efforts blocked as they tried to find the back of the net.  Eventually it was O’Connor who was able to apply the finishing touch.
 
Ten minutes from time O’Connor had a good chance to give the Blues a two-goal cushion when he was played through on goal, only for his effort to be denied by Lunn, who pulled off another fine save.  With their narrow advantage Greenford were again faced with another nerve-racking finale as Guildford continued to press for a share of the spoils.  The visitors nearly did so on the stroke of full-time when Blues keeper James Harry pulled off a brilliant save to prevent a sliced Lewis-Evans clearance finding the back of his own net.
 
NGU Team: James Harry, Tayo Davis-Coker, Ryan Murphy, Josh Lewis-Evans, Guy Ansah-Palmer, Matt Travis (captain), Carl Bower, Charlie Conner (Daniel Vincent 60), Anthony O’Connor, Alfie Cain, Sandro Costa