Guernsey endured a frustrating afternoon at Footes Lane on Saturday as they couldn’t break through a stubborn Hythe Town.

The Green Lions played some excellent football throughout the 90 minutes but, without an out-and-out striker on the pitch came up short when they got to the penalty area – they just lacked that final ball or clinical nature that perhaps the injured Will Fazakerley, Robbie Legg or Ross Allen could have provided.

Perhaps if Charlton Gauvain’s penalty had gone in on the half-hour the game would have opened up as the visitors wouldn’t have had something to sit on and would have had to come out and leave gaps – but it wasn’t to be.

But the Sarnians still moved up a place in Isthmian South East and a win against Whitstable Town would take them into the play-offs.

The Cannons set up to grind out a 0-0 but a few chances did come their way. One of came in the fourth minute as Alex Brown’s speculative volley flew miles high and wide.

Gauvain fired a free-kick wide on 12 minutes while Kaka Dembele dragged a low shot well wide of the near post from distance. The visitors were defending solidly and restricting GFC to efforts from range, including efforts from Tom De La Mare, Liam Mahon and Keanu Marsh, all after neat spells of football.

The chance to break the deadlock that could have put Guernsey on the road to three points came just before the half-hour as Gauvain skipped past his man down the left and was tripped by Eli Benoit as he moved into the area. Unfortunately, his spot-kick towards the bottom-left corner lacked power and Will Godmon was able to get down to his right and hold it.

A relatively comfortable GFC defence nearly paid for a lack of concentration in stoppage-time as a strong challenge from Tom Walmsley sent Stephen Okoh into the area but he dragged his shot comfortably wide from the angle.

The second half was more of the same. The Green Lions’ best opening came as Matt Loaring scuffed a promising opening straight at Godman after hesitating to shoot and perhaps turning one too many times.

Jarred Trespaderne nearly caught out Callum Stanton as he turned in the area under close attention and poked towards the top corner, but Stanton was alert to hold it, soon after fielding a 25-yards grasscutter from Ross Ibbertson.

Alex Scott’s wicked delivery from the left was just an inch too high for Loaring to head home at the far post. At the other end Okoh was inches away from making contact with Jamie Coyle’s header back across goal.

A flurry of chances came and went as Liam Mahon saw a low shot deflected wide after being teed up by Gauvain. The resulting corner was pulled back to Loaring, whose low shot was blocked inside the six-yard box and Harry Tobin headed another corner wide.

Scott met Loaring’s downward header and worked space for a shot in the closing stages but saw his effort deflected towards Godmon, which summed up GFC’s afternoon.

Hopefully Guernsey can take out their frustration on Whitstable Town on Wednesday.

Saturday’s other results were as follows: Cray Valley PM 3-1 East Grinstead Town, Faversham Town 0-0 Whyteleafe, Hastings United 5-1 Chichester City, Haywards Heath Town 1-0 Ashord United, Sevenoaks Town 1-2 Sittingbourne, Three Bridges 0-0 Burgess Hill Town, VCD Athletic 2-4 Herne Bay, Whitehawk 3-1 Ramsgate, Whitstable Town 2-1 Phoenix Sports.

Hythe Town; Will Godmon, Ross Ibbertson, Kaka Dembele, James Rogers, Jamie Coyle, Eli Benoit, Stephen Okoh (Nathan Elder 86’), Alex Brown (Joshua Eka 72’), Tom Walmsley, Frannie Collin (Jacob Brown 25’), Jarred Trespaderne. Not used: Jude Harding, Ryan Nicholls.

Booked: Dembele, Brown.