Tooting and Mitcham United 3 Guildford City 1
Combined Counties - 09/09/2025
Report by: Ed Parlett
Match Report
The Terrors eased into a play-off berth thanks to a comfortable home victory against struggling Guildford City, leaving the visitors rooted to the foot of the table, and not exactly relishing another trip to Imperial Fields for an FA Vase engagment ten days after this fixture.
Tooting were on the front foot straight away, knwoing their visitors were low on confidence, and probably ripe for the taking; with just six minutes registered, the ball fell kindly for in-form Max Oldham, who was lurking on the edge of the City penalty area. A perfectly struck shot flew past Bill Wilson in the Guildford goal, and we had the dream start we’d been looking for.
Credit to the Sweeney (whenever I write a report, I have to remind everybody that is Guildford’s nickname – nobody seems quite sure why!) who might have been expected to go into their shell somewhat after such an inauspicious opening. They regrouped well, and actually started to force Tooting back at times during the first period. They carved out the next chance when a free-kick into the box found Manny Acheampong unmarked. The brother of our former full-back, Gideon, seemed in two minds as to whether to head or volley it as it fell; in the end, he plumped for the latter – and probably wished he’d gone for the other option as the ball skewed horribly wide.
A nicely flowing match then saw action switch back to the other end, with Max coming close to his second of the evening, only to be foiled by the post after a shot on the turn.
Just two minutes later, the lead was doubled – and the visitors were not exactly thrilled by the award of a penalty after a City defender was adjudged to have handled in the box. There was no doubt he’d touched the ball with a hand, but with his back turned and the ball merely headed onto his hand, it did look a touch on the harsh side. Certainly it was a case of ball to hand, rather than the other way round. Still, when you’re stuck at the foot of the table, this is exactly the sort of decision that seems to go against you more often than not, and Shay Brennan showed little sympathy as he drove the spot-kick home emphatically to make it 2-0.
The chances continued to come at both ends as an entertaining half meandered to its conclusion; former Tooting Academy graduate Deven Reid-Solanki curled an effort just wide, and Max Oldham’s eye-catching diving header didn’t miss the post by much. Just past the half-hour, Toby McKimm made his first save of the evening from Aceampong, but could do little about the goal that went past him shortly after as Kai Zini finished off a neat passing move instigated by Redi-Solanki, to leave the game in the balance at the break.
Guildford started the second period strongly, and Zini was close to his second, once again forcing a smart stop from Toby, and half-time substitute Malachi O’Connor was providing the width City had lacked at times during the first half, firing in some dangerous crosses from either flank. But skipper Antonio Simeone almost helped himself to a first goal of the season, only to see his powerful header well saved by Wilson.
A third goal did arrive, though, and once again it was one of those moments that tend to go against you when you are struggling; Conor Melody’s corner was whipped in dangerously to the near-post, and O’connor’s attempt at a headed clearance was badly misjudged, with the ball finding its way into the net instead of away from danger. Either side could have added further goals late on, but both keepers made good saves and it finished 3-1.