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Guildford City 0 - 3 Alton

06 MAR 2025

Match report by Wayne Dickson

Alton travelled to Guildford for a rare Wednesday night league game and came away with another victory from a match that they never really looked like losing.

On a pitch with more bumps than Kenny [one for the oldies amongst us] the usual free flowing football we are used to was difficult to play.

A side showing a number of changes from Saturday were on top most of the game and were unlucky not to go ahead in the first few minutes when Alex Macallister got through on goal but was denied by a fine save by Davies in the Guildford goal.

Adam Poynter tried his best to get things going down the left side, but all to often the ball bobbled allowing a defender to clear.

Evan Andreson had a shot blocked and one sailed over, Guildford's main attacking ploy was to hump the ball down their left wing, but Jamie Phillips was equal to almost everything they threw at him, and on the odd occasion he was beaten Tolu mopped up behind him.

Adam Melville in the Alton goal was rarely troubled before we headed for a half time cup of tea.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first with Alton in the ascendancy without being able to find the break through, this all changed on the hour mark, when Ed Dryden stroud out of defence with the ball, causing panic in the Guildford defence, the ball bobbled about and Anderson had a shot which was blocked, but there was Ed to stroke the ball home to give Alton a deserved lead.

Kev Adair rang the changes, but if anything this just made Alton stronger as sub Liam Marshall cut in Salah like and bent a left foot shot that forced a fine save from the keeper with the ball destined for the far corner of the goal.

Guildford pressed a bit and forced a number of corners, one which sailed over everyone and somehow the forward unmarked at the far post poked it wide, when it looked easier to equalise.

Alton should have had a penalty when Macallister got through the middle into the area and as he was about to shoot, was clearly pulled back by a Guildford defender, the only ones at the Spectrum who didn't appear to see it were the ones that mattered in black.

Alton weren't to be denied a second goal and it was Marshall who got it, when he again cut in from the right and this time Mbeumo like deceived the keeper with his shot to make the game safe with Alton' second.

With time running out and ninety plus four on the clock, Tommy Whitby was played through the middle and his delightful lob put the icing on the cake to give Alton a victory by three goals to nil.

All of the players can be commended for their efforts and trying to play football on a surface that suited hoof ball - The travelling supporters Alton Man of the Match was Tolu - who won everything in the air and seemed most at ease repelling anything else Guildford could muster - a well earned three points and clean sheet - Up the Brewers.

Next up for Alton is a rescheduled trip to Corinthian Casuals on Saturday 8th March, 3pm kick off.