Goals: Smith 48’, 58’ – Loaring 45+1’; Rihoy 70’.

This game had nearly everything as another battling away performance and two more stunning goals from the Green Lions ensured they continued their unbeaten start to 2019 with a 2-2 draw at Ramsgate.

Guernsey are now unbeaten in four on the road, having gone without defeat outside of the island since the start of November when they were seen off at the death by Faversham Town.

Boss Tony Vance admitted that a year or two ago, his young side might well have crumbled to a heavy defeat having conceded two goals in a 10-minute spell at the start of the second half to see their lead turned on its head and trying to withstand great pressure against a significant wind.

But this time they dug in and got themselves level again through substitute Dave Rihoy’s first goal since August. With Matt Loaring netting a spectacular first, it was two of GFC’s most experienced and long-standing stalwarts once again leading by example.

The Sarnians also appear to have discovered Rams stopper Luke Watkins’ Kryptonite. Perhaps Loaring had taken note of Charlton Gauvain’s halfway-line strike to lob Watkins in August, as he found success with his own audacious effort from the edge of the centre-circle in first-half stoppage time.

The two sides traded blows shortly before the quarter-hour mark as ever-reliable goalkeeper Tom Le Tissier, called up at late notice for the unavailable Callum Stanton, held a low shot from outside the area and then got a strong hand to the ball as Rams debutant Kane Rowland shot on the turn. Rory Smith was unable to scramble in the rebound and then found Tom De La Mare blocking his route to goal. Paris Pereira then exchanged passes with Canha and forced Watkins to scoop a low bouncer wide.

Rams midfielder Charlie Dickens thought he had written the first meaningful chapter of the game as a half-cleared corner looped kindly to him on the edge of the area, but Great Expectations of an opening goal were quashed as his cushioned volley was met with a flying save from Le Tissier, flinging himself to his right. 

After Dickens’ effort, it was becoming a Tale of Two Keepers as Watkins stood firm to push away Thomas Dodds’ rising effort at the near post after he overlapped Canha down the left. That came shortly after Rowland had dragged a low shot wide at the other end. But there were plenty of other (Oliver) Twists to come as the game wore on.

Will Fazakerley came closest of all just after the half-hour as he worked space in the area and shot low across goal, beating Watkins but finding the foot of the post. Loaring was unable to get a telling touch to the rebound and a combination of two Rams defenders scrambled the ball off the line.

Watkins was in the way yet again as Fazakerley flicked on Pereira’s delivery and Le Tissier was quickly called into action again to thwart a counter-attack.

Then came the moment of the match as Loaring’s opportunistic strike from all of 40 yards earned a lead right on the stroke of half-time. Fazakerley had won the ball back for him just inside his own half and the season’s leading scorer strode forward and spotted Watkins off his line, his lobbed effort from the edge of the centre-circle dropping over Watkins’ head into the bottom right corner.

It was the ideal time to score, but Ramsgate got a timely strike of their own as they levelled just three minutes into the second half. Tom Chapman’s arrowed cross from the right was pinpoint and Rory Smith out-jumped De La Mare at the far post to head out of Le Tissier’s reach into the top corner.

An unlikely lengthy stoppage came as referee Simon Finnigan pulled up with a muscle injury. A 10-minute delay led to one of his assistants taking the whistle and a replacement linesman was sought.

That did nothing to halt Ramsgate’s newfound momentum though as Le Tissier was required to dive at Rowland’s feet to deny him after a scramble, and just before the hour, Smith was on target again as he lashed in a 25-yarder that flew past Le Tissier’s outstretched hand into the net.

This is when we’ve seen meek surrenders from an inexperienced GFC team in the past. But they are now stepping up to the plate and showing more grit – and did so again here to get back on level terms.

Rihoy was introduced in the immediate aftermath of Ramsgate’s second goal, but there was plenty more action to come before he could make himself a hero.

A trademark forward burst from Frank Tobin saw the defender run out of room as he shot from the angle and Watkins smothered the effort, while Loaring was inches away from getting on the end of De La Mare’s cross. Dodds then denied Smith a hat-trick, clearing a low shot off the line.

Guernsey had weathered a storm and got themselves back on level terms on 70 minutes. Fazakerley collected Loaring’s layoff and burst into the box only to find a centre-half blocking his path. The two collided as the ball was poked clear, and the Rams were guilty of ignoring the golden rule of always playing to the whistle as defenders stopped in anticipation of a free-kick. Watkins even ran out of his net expecting to restart play from a deadball, but Rihoy wasn’t getting distracted as he collected the loose ball, looked up and picked out the top left-hand corner with a lovely finish from outside the area.

Smith again missed out on the opportunity of a hat-trick as he got his head to another Chapman cross but effort went behind via the outside of the post in the final few minutes.

It was a nervy finish as the earlier referee injury led to 16 minutes of injury time, but Guernsey held firm under pressure to collect another precious point on the road.

The Green Lions remain 15th in Bostik South with Saturday’s other results as follows: Ashford United 2-0 Whitstable Town, East Grinstead Town 0-2 Cray Wanderers, Greenwich Borough 2-7 Herne Bay, Horsham 1-0 Whyteleafe, Hythe Town 0-0 Haywards Heath Town, Phoenix Sports 3-3 Hastings United, Sevenoaks Town 4-1 Faversham Town, Three Bridges 1-2 VCD Athletic.

Ramsgate: Luke Watkins, Jack MacKenzie, Rob Saunders, Charlie Dickens (Jacob Mensah 83’), George Crimmen, Connor Sanders, Tom Chapman, Oliver Gray, Aaron Millbank (Jack Penny 83’), Rory Smith, Kane Rowland. Not used: Luke Wheatley, Harry Stannard, Matthew Bone.

Booked: Saunders, Dickens, Sanders.