Whyteleafe 1 Guildford City 0 (aet)

Surrey Senior Cup quarter final
Tuesday 26th February 2008

Whyteleafe progressed to the semi-final with an extra time winner against a strong Guildford side who currently lie second in the Combined Counties League.

The visitors opened brightly and Scott Steele forced a good save from Rob Tolfrey with a second minute free kick following handball by Moses Spencer. In the 16th minute Tolfrey made another good save to tip over a shot from Aneel Azeem.

Guildford thought they had opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Lee O'Donnell put the ball in the net from a corner but the referee had spotted a foul in the box. Although 'Leafe struggled to get into the game in the early stages, Joel Greaves nearly gave them a 24th minute lead with a great 30 yard chip that beat keeper Joaquim Gindre, but it hit the bar and bounced clear.

Six minutes later Sam Clayton hit a 25 yard free kick that was well held by Gindre and a minute after that Greaves headed over from a Chris O'Flaherty free kick. On 35 minutes Mamadou Méité made a good run down the right. His cross was headed over the bar by Adam Broomhead. Then three minutes later a Sam Clayton 25 yard effort was deflected away for a corner.

The visitors had the last chance of the half when Tolfrey made a good save to deny Steele.

Clayton put a fine ball through to Méité in the 55th minute and his shot was saved. Méité had another good effort in the 59th minute when Gindre managed to hold onto the ball at the second attempt. Four minutes later, O'Flaherty took a free kick from the left which found Spencer in the box, but his header was caught by Gindre.

Gavin Dilley, now on for the injured Tolfrey, made a great save to turn a Mark Mercer shot onto the bar and three minutes later Clayton went close, shooting across the face of goal from an Alhajie Jabbie cross. Shortly afterwards Sean Rivers came on and was immediately yellow carded for handball with his first touch of the game.

Mercer should have scored for the visitors when he broke clear in the 75th minute, but his shot hit the post with the goal at his mercy. Four minutes later Broomhead tried his luck from 25 yards and forced a good save from Gindre. On 83 minutes 'Leafe were reduced to ten men when Rivers repeated his handball offence in the box and received a second caution. Dilley kept 'Leafe in it near the end with a fine save from Mercer.

The first period of extra time saw little action with both teams appearing to tire. The best effort was a 40 yard chip from Daniel Rice who spotted Dilley off his line, but he got back to catch the ball. Méité was brought down on the edge of the box in the 106th minute an O'Flaherty's well struck free kick forced a great save from Gindre, fingertipping the ball over the bar.

Four minutes later 'Leafe were denied a strong penalty claim when Clayton was brought down in the box but just a minute later they got the winning goal when Jabbie's hard hit cross into the box was turned into his own net by O'Donnell who got in front of keeper Gindre but could only deflect the cross into his own goal.

Frustration soon got the better of Rob Parrott who was dismissed for what can only be described as a vicious two footed assault on Ali Reeve. Robbie Smith was so incensed by the challenge that he tried to attack Parrott and received his customary yellow card.

Clayton had a great chance to put Whyteleafe two up in the 119th minute when he beat two defenders and the keeper, but Gindre was back quickly to make the save.
 
Whyteleafe: Tolfrey (Dilley 45), Boxall, Jabbie, Reeve,  Spencer, Cartledge (Broomhead 4), Méité, Smith, Greaves (Rivers 67), Clayton, O'Flaherty.