Goals: Hale 18’ – Ngunga 39‘

Guernsey and Bedfont Sports played out an event-filled 1-1 draw that ultimately wasn’t much good to either side.

Danny Hale’s first goal for the club inside 20 minutes was cancelled out by Steve Ngunga’s header a few minutes before half-time as the Green Lions were unable to hold onto a lead for the fifth time this season.

On the positive side, it was the most threatening attacking display the Sarnians have produced in a good while and they created several chances in their search for a winning goal. They just lacked that killer touch at the key moment.

Tony Vance’s side started on the front foot and just as the clock passed the six-minute mark, Matt Loaring tried his luck with a bouncing ball outside the area, catching it with the outside of his foot but it spun away from goal. Moments later, Hale found himself through on goal but could only hit his shot straight at keeper Cairo Richards.

But that was just a warm-up for Hale, who deservedly put his side in front on 18 minutes. Sam Murray flicked the ball on to Matt Loaring, who played a square pass into the area. Hale ran onto it and his first touch took him away from his marker, and for a second time found Richards blocking his path with the shot. But this time the rebound fell his way and as it bounced up, he fired past the Bedfont stopper into the back of the net.

Steve Ngunga tried his luck from range with Bedfont’s first chance but sent his effort miles over the top. Guernsey went straight on the attack from the goal kick and Murray closed down Richards as the ball was played back to him. Murray made the block but the ball fell kindly back into the grasp of the visiting keeper.

The visitors equalised total out of the blue with just over five minutes left of the half. Kieran Mahon felt he was fouled in midfield but the referee ignored the appeals. The ball was played out to the left wing and swung in by Ricardo Andre to the far post, where Steve Ngunga timed his run to loop a header back across goal, over a flailing Josh Addison and into the corner.

The opening to the second half saw very little in terms of the ball going anywhere near either goal. Liam Mahon and substitute Keene Domaille, and Caleb Wright at the other end, all cleared the crossbar by some distance with speculative efforts.

Hale overhit a free-kick from near the halfway line that, with the help of a strong wind, almost caught out Richards and floated into the corner, but the keeper stuck out a hand to help it over.

Moments later, Domaille ran onto a though ball into the right channel and cut inside, but got underneath his shot and lifted it well over from a good position. Hale then fired in low from the edge of the area but Richards collected it.

Jamie Dodd fashioned a good chance for Loaring with a free-kick down the line when everyone was expecting a delivery into the box, but Richards and a covering defender were quick to smother the chance as GFC’s number 11 took the shot from the corner of the six-yard box.

Jacob Fallaize thought he had put his side in front with just over 15 minutes to go when Tom Dodds fired in a low shot from outside the box that took a deflection into the centre-back’s path and he turned the ball home, but the assistant referee’s swiftly-lifted flag wiped the joy off his face. In the ensuing chaos as Fallaize protested to the officials, Bedfont restarted the game quickly and went on an attack that ended with Ngunga smacking the crossbar from outside the area with Addison beaten.

A point wasn’t much use to either side and the Green Lions were starting to create chances in search of a desperately-needed win, knowing the reward of two extra points was worth more than the risk of losing one.

A low free-kick from Hale had enough pace on it to force Richards to spill it wide, and another on the corner of the area after Hale was chopped down was taken this time by Domaille, who hit it sweetly and drew another flying save from Richards.

Marco Figueiredo threw himself to the ground until minimal contact from Tom Dodds and the referee fell for it, giving Bedfont a free-kick in a dangerous position in the closing stages, which they then moved forward a few yards when the official’s back was turned. Luckily, the effort from Ngunga was fired straight into the wall and cleared.

Both sides would have to settled for a share of the spoils but both moved up a place as a result of Thatcham Town’s defeat. Saturday’s full results were as follows: Ashford Town 2-1 Sutton Common Rovers, Binfield 2-1 Leatherhead, Hanworth Villa 2-5 Chipstead, Marlow 2-0 Northwood, South Park 0-1 Basingstoke Town, Tooting & Mitcham United 2-2 Uxbridge, Walton & Hersham 3-2 Thatcham Town, Westfield 0-1 Merstham.

Bedfont Sports: 1 Cairo Richards; 2 Marco Figueiredo ; 3 Troy Silvera; 4 Jonathan Stoop; 5 Michael Agwu; 6 Joseph Morrison (c); 7 Steve Ngunga; 8 Caleb Wright; 9 Sam Evans (12 Ricardo Andre, 14’); 10 Exauce Ditu (15 Ethan Nelson-Roberts, 62’); 11 Kaine Kannedy (16 Jake Beck-Nardoni; 82’). Not used: 14 Tommy Dymott; 17 Kyle Eakin.

Booked: Wright, Morrison.