Guru unenthusiastically travelled to Penge for the last game of the season and promotion decider against Seymour Villa, with both teams sitting at the top of the table.

It seems like every time these two come up against each other, it's on the hottest day of the year.

In the baking sunshine, both teams started cagily.

Guru wanted to play out from the back and Seymour set out with intent and pressed them everywhere across the pitch. Any time they had the ball, they were swarmed by blue shirts.

Both sides were probing, but there were no clear-cut chances. Both Villa’s full-backs squeezed high into the Guru's half, pinning their wingers back and forcing mistakes.

Villa's first real effort can when Guido won the ball and played it through to Lee who was fouled right on the edge of the box and from the resulting free kick Cookie fired just wide.

Guru had looked to mount their attacks down their left-hand side and a good through ball caught Marc on his heels and in trying to get to it, he fouled their winger just inside the box.

Penalty.

The penalty was fired home past Alan's dive into the right-hand corner.

Advantage Guru.

Outside of that, Guru offered very little and kept hitting the ball forward. Their long balls were intercepted by Marc and Duane and all their attacks thwarted in the middle by Andy and Tolga.

On 34 minutes Guru have a calamitous 60 seconds. A through ball by Andy was dropped through his legs by the keeper and Cookie was on hand to dribble into an empty net.

From the kick off, Guru played it to their left-back who squared it to the centre-back who just stopped running, leaving Cookie to pick up the short pass and slot past the keeper.

What a turnaround, 2-1.

From there, Guru started to get at each other, and Seymour got even stronger as a team.

Arguably, Villa's clearest chance came from a ball won down the right-hand side by Ruben, who played it through to Dave, who got to the byline squaring to Luke on the edge of the 6-yard box. He was tackled and the clearance fell to Lee, who feinted inside beautifully, but his effort was deflected wide.

Seymour continued the dominance across the pitch and were worthy leaders at the half-time break.

Seymour started the second half on the front foot. Guru reverted to three at the back pushing more players forward and looking to hit more long balls, which meant that Seymour were going to have more opportunity on the break in the second 45 minutes.

The first one of those chances came to Dave from a square ball from Cookie that Dave dragged wide of the left-hand post.

Duane was next, running through from the defence and putting his right foot shot wide of the right-hand post.
The counterattack finally brought a deserved third from a through ball by Luke to Cookie, who one-on-one, rounded the keeper who'd come outside his box and he tapped home into an empty net.

Guru was starting to tire and it was evident that Seymour's fitness was superior.

In their tiredness, Guru continued to hit the ball long and having won a corner, they rose to head home.

3-2.

Lucian and Jamil brought fresh legs into the Villa’s midfield, but Andy and Tolga remained tireless still, closing down everything and everyone.

Villa were unlucky not to have had a penalty as Cookie looked to be pulled down as he burst into the area.

As Guru continued to hit their long balls, Marc and Duane dealt with the threats.

Villa's fourth came from Dave breaking from his own half. Cookie took away a defender with his run, opening up the space for Lucian coming through the middle. Dave found him and Lucian took a lovely first touch and calmly right footed into the left-hand side of the goal.

4-2.

Dave should have added a fifth as Guido hit a ball over the top to him. Dave, one-on-one with the keeper, had his left foot shot saved down low.

Villa kept on running and had to be switched on.

Guru hit a long ball into the left channel and their striker fired across Alan, who produced a fine save, pushing the ball away to his left.

Villa continued to press and for the first time in the match, they switched off and were caught out by a long ball over the top, which was nicely brought down onto the right foot and fired home for Guru's third.

4-3.

It was a nervy end to the game, but Villa's efforts were relentless.

Guru continued to hit long. Every time Seymour broke and it got through to Guru's keeper, they quickly kicked to try and put more pressure on an isolated back four.

But Villa’s back line put in an epic performance.

When the final whistle went, Villa had secured promotion with an emphatic victory. An incredible team performance.

Now they wait for the outcome of Bromley's remaining fixtures to see if they can secure the league title.
Dave M