Guildford City drew 1-1 at Spelthorne Sports in the Combined Counties Premier Division South on Saturday.

Relegated Spelthorne Sports will be disappointed that they didn’t add to their meagre total of wins at Staines Road.

The side at the foot of the able matched Guildford throughout and could have snatched the win with a header in the last action of the game.

For Guildford it looked an end of season encounter, and indeed their side was missing six starting players.

Throughout Manny Acheampong looked City’s liveliest player causing problems on the right-hand side.

Within minutes of the start Dom Vakulya’s effort from Acheampong’s cross was tipped over by Spelthorne Sports keeper Emerson Butcher.

In response Spelthorne it seemed should have had a penalty when City keeper Jacob Terry appeared to bring down a Spelthorne player in the box. But the referee waved play on, and City supporters heaved a sigh of relief.

Spelly were defying their lowly league position and had started the match positively.

On 21 minutes though City had an excellent chance to go ahead.

Reece Robins timed his run to perfection and galloped through the middle with the ball. He rounded home keeper Butcher, who still managed to make an outstanding save to keep the game goalless.

On the half hour Terry saved well low down, and minutes before the interval Acheampong spectacularly headed wide.

Early in the second period Reece Robins fired in a long-range effort that was comfortably saved.

Shortly afterwards Reece Robins’ brother Freddie worked a fine move with Acheampong, but his cross wasn’t met by a City player.

On 56 minutes the home side took the lead. Chances to clear the ball were spurned and Oli Jovanovic fired a low shot under Terry’s diving body.

Having gone ahead Spelly lifted in confidence and another shot went narrowly wide.

In an isolated Guildford attack Vakulya glanced a header over the bar from Jake Brown’s cross but it was looking like it was going to be an afternoon to forget for City.

On 65 minutes Terry made an excellent save from a close-range volley to keep the visitors in the game.

City substitute Azeez Elegushi had a lively cameo and on 82 minutes he gave Vakulya a shooting chance from distance, but his effort drifted across goal.

With five minutes remaining City equalised. A free kick was fired forward into the box where debutant Salvatore Federico turned the ball in.

With the last action of the game – in stoppage time – Spelthorne headed the ball against the crossbar and they will have been disappointed that they didn’t pick up a rare victory.

The point leaves Guildford in mid-table in 12th place in the Combined Counties Premier Division South table with 42 points from 37 matches, after winning 11 games, drawing nine matches and falling to 17 defeats.

City have one league game left, and will face a tough test when they host title-chasing Redhill at The Spectrum on the final day of the season on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

Guildford City: Jacob Terry, Jake Brown (Keoindre Ellis-Vassell 80), Alex Rodway-Brown (Josh Adjei 68), Freddie Robins (Luca Le Page 68), Alex Stingelin, Joe Atkin (Azeez Elegushi 68), Reece Robins, Jaiden Chang-Brown, Dominik Vakulya, Manny Acheampong (Salvatore Federico 80), Kai Zini.

Referee: Adam Shimmin.

Attendance: 62.

By Barry Underwood