Goals: Smith 7’; Gauvain 89’ – Stannard 90’.

Guernsey got their teenage kicks at Footes Lane on Saturday as Charlton Gauvain’s outrageous halfway-line lob was enough for them to edge out Ramsgate – just.

In the 89th minute, with his side under the cosh and desperately protecting their lead, Gauvain – having been thwarted by Rams stopper Luke Watkins with a similar effort in the first half – picked the ball up in the centre circle and took aim, his chip inch perfect and just out of reach of the keeper’s outstretched arms (pictured) – you can close the goal-of-the-season competition already. It may even be the finest Guernsey goal ever seen at Footes Lane.

Despite the slender scoreline, this one seemed like a significant win – and an entertaining one to boot. Ramsgate have become a real bogey side for GFC, having been beaten just once in the 10 previous meetings between the two.

Last season, Guernsey’s strong first half against Ramsgate, in which they took the lead, was quickly wiped out by a four-goal blitz after the break as the Green Lions struggled to cope with Ramsgate’s blistering speed in attack.

Having led again, this time thanks to a tidy Kyle Smith finish early on, Guernsey were on the back foot after the break as the visitors came out for the second period with menace. Some nervy moments, a bit of desperate defending and some customary fine stops by Callum Stanton, had the Footes Lane crowd chewing their nails.

But this time, the Sarnians didn’t crumble and by the time Harry Stannard leathered one into the top corner in the 90th minute, Tony Vance’s side had edged far enough ahead for all three points, which pushed them up to ninth in the Bostik South East table.

It had been a very bright start from Vance’s men as soon-to-be matchwinner Gauvain sliced wide in the area inside three minutes after Smith had pulled back from the left byline. Will Fazakerley then met a high corner with his head but it bounced down and into the arms of Watkins.

Just a minute later, GFC had the lead their early intent had been threatening. Kyle Smith sprung a poorly-set offside trip and ran onto Dave Rihoy’s throughball, composed himself and struck the ball low past Watkins in at the near post.

Smith was nearly in again on 12 minutes as Tom De La Mare’s overlapping run met a pass from Gauvain. His pullback was met by Smith but the low shot was blocked.

Stanton wasn’t called into action until the 18th minute, when he first fisted a ball away from under his cross bar after it had looped off Fazakerley’s head, then reacted quickest to push away Sam Lawford’s downward header into the six-yard box from the far post before any Rams attacker had a sniff at goal.

Fazakerley made the most of his significant height and leapt to meet another corner than he headed down, but a combination of Jamie Dodd and Frank Tobin flicked the ball over the crossbar.

It took a good half-hour for the visitors to really impose themselves on the game and when they did, Thomas Dodds was on hand to charge down a shot in the area from Aaron Millbank, who had been played in by Jake MacKenzie.

Another block from Dodds saw the ball fall kindly for Lawson a minute later, but a vital block from the Guernsey defence sent the ball looping over.

Two minutes before the break saw Gauvain’s first speculative effort as Watkins miskicked a clearance under pressure from Fazakerley. Gauvain was all of 40 yards out when he let fly and the lob was on target but Watkins scrambled back just in time to stretch out an arm and tip the ball wide.

Lawford’s volley that was deflected over the bar was the final offering from Ramsgate before the break, but they had a completely renewed purpose about them when the re-emerged for the second half.

Within two minutes, they had a significant sniff of goal as Stanton’s goalkick was intercepted in midfield and fell for Rory Smith. He had space to run into courtesy of Tobin and Dodd being wide of the penalty area for a short distribution. Smith squared for Millbank, but Stanton got a strong hand to the shot to beat it away, with Millbank skewing the rebound past the left angle.

Billy Munday then volleyed well over from range and Smith’s poor free-kick bounced easily for Stanton, either side of a promising Guernsey chance. Young had played in Rihoy with a lovely ball into the left channel, then seen his shot blocked as he headed into the area to be teed up by Kyle Smith.

On the hour, great work in midfield from Kieran Mahon saw him find Rihoy, who teed up Gauvain. The teenager’s curler from the edge of the area was goalbound but Watkins again stretched enough to get a hand to it, grabbing it at the second attempt.

Another important deflection from Thomas Dodds sent Rory Smith’s shot wide after he found space in the area. Millbank then latched onto the ball following De La Mare’s loose header, but his volley lacked power and Stanton was able to get across and parry wide.

The Rams were getting closer, with Stanton seeing Tom Chapman’s bobbler trickle wide after the winger had glided past three Guernsey challenges. His next contribution saw him clear the crossbar after he had again cut in from the left.

Stanton proved his worth again on 82 minutes, blocking at his near post when MacKenzie had ghosted in from right back to meet a cross just a couple of yards out from goal. Stanton then managed a firm hold on a rising drive as Jack Penny let fly with a sweetly-struck shot from all of 40 yards.

The stopper saved his best of the lot for just a minute later. Munday caught everyone by surprise as he smashed a dipping volley from 35 yards out, which was set to fly into the corner had Stanton not moved quickly to his left and dived to push it away.

Penny fired well over as Ramsgate sensed a leveller, but then came Gauvain’s moment of magic, having been found in the centre-circle by substitute Carlos Canha.

There was as much relief in the roar from the Garenne Stand as there was delight at such an audacious strike. It looked like the Green Lions had weathered the heavy Ramsgate storm and put the game beyond them.

There was still time for a late scare, though. The Garenne Stand hadn’t even finished celebrating as substitute Harry Stannard was given too much room from a short corner from the left side of the penalty area and lashed into the top right corner a minute later. A fine strike that went under the radar due to the quality of Gauvain’s effort just a minute earlier, it suddenly put the Sarnians on edge again.

Luckily Vance’s side showed the maturity to see out stoppage time, with Gauvain leading the charge as he held the ball excellently in the corner. There was even time for Canha to force a save out of Watkins as he was picked out by fellow replacement Seb Skillen from the left.

One more dipping shot from Millbank, who had outsmarted Tobin, was dealt with by Stanton and the final whistle brought a mixture of relief and joy as Guernsey doubled their points haul from this stage last season.

Saturday’s other Bostik South East results were as follows: Cray Wanderers 2-0 East Grinstead Town, Faversham Town 3-1 Sevenoaks Town, Hastings United 3-0 Phoenix Sports, Haywards Heath Town 0-1 Hythe Town, Herne Bay 1-2 Greenwich Borough, Thamesmead Town 5-4 Sittingbourne, VCD Athletic 2-1 Three Bridges, Whitstable Town 1-0 Ashford United, Whyteleafe 3-1 Horsham.

Ramsgate: Luke Watkins, Jake MacKenzie, Jack Penny, Jacob Mensah, Luke Wheatley (c), Tijan Jadama (Billy Munday 10’), Tom Chapman, Charlie Dickens, Aaron Millbank, Rory Smith (Harry Stannard 77’), Sam Lawford. Not used: Ethan Madden, George Crimmen.

Booked: Dickens.