Guildford City fell to an emphatic 4-1 defeat at high-flying AFC Whyteleafe in the Combined Counties Premier Division South on Saturday.

Whyteleafe couldn’t have had a better start to the game. In just the second minute a short corner was played low into the box and after hitting both posts, Ryan Hall’s attempt entered the net.

Soon afterwards Reece Robins’ shot was parried by Whyteleafe goalkeeper George Hill.

Qasim Khan followed up and shot goalwards, but Hill got enough on the ball for it to be cleared.

On nine minutes Khan broke through the middle of the defence and Hill saved one-on-one with his legs.

On 18 minutes Robins, seeing Hill off his line, attempted an audacious lob from halfway but his attempt skewed wide.

City were playing some good football, and five minutes later Sam Sesay’s header in the box was comfortable saved.

Minutes later Khan got to the byline and from his pull back Ben Gambrah attempted to chest the ball when a header might have been a better option.

Whyteleafe scored their second on 40 minutes when Hall’s first-time curling effort beat City keeper Jacob Terry.

Guildford came out fighting at the start of the second half.

Manny Acheampong cut in from the left on 48 minutes and his low shot took a slight deflection past Hill and into the net to make it 2-1.

Guildford were well in the game at this point, and they should have equalised on 54 minutes when Deven Reid-Solanki jinked past defenders to the edge of the six-yard box but delayed his shot and the chance disappeared.

City were made to pay almost immediately when Hall converted at the back post to complete his hat-trick.

Three minutes later it was 4-1 when Helge Orome’s free kick found its way directly into the net from an acute angle.

By Barry Underwood