Goals: Du Port 38′ – Gallagher 17′, 24′.

Guernsey overcame a rocky start to put in an excellent performance at Footes Lane on Saturday, but it wasn’t quite enough to earn what would have been a deserved point against Raynes Park Vale.

Jordan Gallagher gave the Green Lions a torrid time yet again, with a brace inside 25 minutes, and it was becoming like a training game of attack versus defence and seemed like it would be a case of how many for the visitors.

But Tony Vance’s side dug in, got back in it with a beautiful team goal and really kicked on in the second half. Vale could have got another as the gaps opened up on the break, but the Sarnians had their opponents on the ropes in the closing stages – they just couldn’t quite find that finishing touch.

GFC did actually start brightly – with the hosts driving forward straight from kick-off to work a chance for Charlton Gauvain, who drove his shot narrowly wide.

But the tide soon turned. Gallagher chipped over, then tested Josh Addison with a low drive, the Guernsey keeper doing well to smother at the second attempt to prevent a follow-up.

Gallagher then nearly dinked over Addison from a tight angle, with either Addison’s hand or the crossbar keeping it out.

One of GFC’s top performers on the day was Jacques Cauvin at right wing-back. He got on the end of a ball over the top from Addison as the chasing defender missed it, but Raynes Park keeper Billy Bishop was out quickly to block with his feet.

Gallagher’s opening goal was a lovely curled finish into the far corner from the edge of the box, but the Green Lions didn’t help themselves having failed to clear their lines from a throw-in.

Three minutes later, Daniel Moody’s rocket smacked the crossbar and bounced down, the right side of the line from GFC’s point of view. George’s Vincent’s follow-up was headed wide but he was flagged offside anyway.

Gallagher’s brace goal on 24 minutes was another fabulous finish as he picked up a cross at the far post, dropped a shoulder to give his marker the slip and lashed the ball high into the ceiling of the net from the angle.

Cauvain did brilliantly a few minutes later, sliding in the six-yard box to stop Gallagher completing a half-hour hat-trick.

It was looking like it was to be a long afternoon, but soon the tide started to turn. Ross Allen ran on to the loose ball after Sam Murray had made a nuisance if himself, with the low shot deflected wide.

Fin Du Port’s second goal for the club was one of Guernsey’s finest of the season, from a team and individual point of view – and echoed his maiden strike for just three days before. Some lovely football between Charlton Gauvin, Ross Allen, Tom Vaudin, Tom Dodds and Matt Loaring helped worked the ball across the pitch from right to left. Du Port was the next recipient, cutting in onto his right foot on the corner of the area. There was no debate about whether he meant this one, as he sent in a high shot that went in off the crossbar, bouncing down just behind the line.

Allen kept Bishop’s hands warm with a fizzer early in the second half, while Owen Wallbridge and Addison were relieved that their defensive mix-up didn’t have any worse consequences as a cheaply conceded corner was headed against the crossbar by Seanan McKillop.

Cauvin strode down the right in a Guernsey counter attack but his shot across goal was held by Bishop. A couple more effort from Gallagher went astray, then GFC really clicked into gear and were unfortunate not to get an equalising goal.

Vale’s only response were a volley wide from Daniel Hector, with Addison rooted to the spot, as well as two good saves from Hector and substitute Daniel Berry in stoppage time as the gaps opened up at the back with GFC throwing caution to the wind.

A ricochet in midfield put substitute Brandon Wallace in down the left channel on 78 minutes. With a defender closing in, he opted for the early low shot that rolled just wide, a little too close for comfort for Bishop, who had casually left it thinking it was going well off target.

Bishop then held well having seen the shot late as Gauvain cut in from the left and curled through a crowd of bodies.

Vale were starting to buckle now and there was suddenly an element of panic and last-ditch about their defending, as they starting miskicking clearances that were pounced upon in midfield time and again. It took three last-ditch blocks around the six-yard box to deny substitutes Simon Arnold, Alex Ward and then Gauvain in quick succession. Allen met the resulting corner but glanced his header across goal and wide.

Cauvin got in down the right again and aimed towards the near post but Bishop gathered. Gauvain then shrugged off the attentions of several overzealous attempts to knock him off the ball and shot just wide from distance.

Allen was well place to lash in an equaliser in added time but the ball wouldn’t quite bounce kindly enough for him amid a scramble as the ball pinballed around a mass of bodies.

No points for the Green Lions again but the performances are improving and it surely show soon in the results.

Guernsey remain second-from-bottom in Isthmian South Central. Saturday’s other results were as follows: Binfield P-P Westfield; Hanworth Villa P-P Harrow Borough; Hartley Wintney 3-0 Badshot Lea; Horndean 4-2 Rayners Lane; Kingstonian P-P Sutton Common Rovers; Leatherhead 4-1 Farnham Town; Moneyfields 2-2 Hayes & Yeading United; Southall 3-1 South Park; Uxbridge 3-0 Ascot United.

RAYNES PARK VALE: 1 Billy BISHOP (c); 2 Archie HARLAND-GODDARD; 4 Seanan McKILLOP; 5 Nathan LEWIS; 10 Jordan GALLAGHER; 17 Joe BELL (11 Daniel BERRY, 73’); 18 James DICKSON (15 Jermaine GREEN, 73’); 19 Jake GOODMAN; 20 George VINCENT (9 Olly Sotoyinbo, 62’); 22 Daniel HECTOR; 23 Daniel MOODY. Not used: 6 Cameron BLACK; 25 Joshua GALLAGHER.

Booked: Green.