| GUERNSEY FC WOMEN | 1 | – | 2 | BEMERTON HEATH HARLEQUINS |
| Le Flem 45+1′ | Eastman 7′ Keating 90+1′ |
Guernsey FC Women suffered late heartbreak as Bemerton Heath Harlequins stole all three points
The Green Lionesses had battled hard all game and with Codie Le Flem having cancelled out Charlotte Eastman’s early stunner, the hosts looked the more likely to find a late winner – hitting the woodwork twice in the second half.
But Harlequins nicked one against the run of the play just as the clock had ticked past 90 minutes to condemn Anna Gauvain’s side to an undeserved fourth defeat in five games.
The Sarnians were missing several key players and had to contend with further injuries to important players during the came including Jess Frampton, Amy Dallamore and Le Flem.
The Greens started with intent but fell victim to their Achilles’ heel of falling behind early. Charlotte Eastman had only been flagged offside 20 seconds earlier as she headed in Caitlin Lower’s deep cross from the right, but picked up the knockdown from Alana Hockey’s resulting free-kick out, turned well over 30 yards out and let fly with a stunning effort that sailed into the top corner out of Hockey’s reach.
Guernsey reacted well and put together some nice moves going forward without really having any end product as the final ball proved their undoing. They came close midway through the half as player-of-the-match Hedie Dawber rolled her marker brilliantly to set Mollie Watson away down the left. Watson’s cross reached the far post but Dallamore was only able to slice wide as she met it.
The equaliser came in first-half injury time and was deserved after a lovely move. Donna Gallienne cushioned a neat pass into Dawber, who showed great skill to skip past Rachel Lang and advance down the right. Her cross eventually found its way to Le Flem on the edge of the box and the number seven worked herself from space on the edge of the box before firing into the bottom corner, the power of the shot taking it in despite a touch from Daisy Burnfield diving at full stretch.
The hosts found another gear after the break and looked dangerous going forward. Ruby Smith was unable to bring a cross under control six yards out, but the clearance fell to Adrienne Leech on the edge of the box and her shot took a deflection that sent it bouncing off the far post and away.
Hockey, who impressed again in goal with calmness under pressure, made a routine save at her near post from Hollie Keating on 64 minutes as the game remained on a knife edge.
But the final 10 minutes was attack versus defence as Guernsey went in search of a winner. Dawber’s pressure on the back line resulted in a loose ball falling for captain Candice Bougourd, whose lob was set to drop into the corner but Burnfield was able to grab hold of it. Gallienne then collected in midfield and let fly from distance. Burnfield was beaten but the ball bounced agonisingly away off the crossbar.
Le Flem nearly caught out Burnfield with a shot from out wide that was well disguised as a cross. Burnfield had to stretch to stop it dropping over her and then nearly rolled into her own net as she hit the deck.
Harlequins had ridden their luck and then snatched the points moments later as they sent the ball up the other end. Keating was played into the box and got the outside of her boot to the ball from a tight angle to lift it over Hockey, who could do nothing but watch it drop in at the far post.
It was a gutting, undeserved end for Guernsey, who remain remain sixth in the Southern Region Women’s Division One South, with Wimborne Town beating Shaftesbury 3-1 in the only other fixture of the weekend.
The Lionesses are back at home next Sunday as Bournemouth Sports Reserves visit Victoria Park.
GUERNSEY: 21 Alana HOCKEY; 2 Amy DALLAMORE; 3 Mollie WATSON; 4 Aimee OGIER; 5 Jess FRAMPTON; 6 Scarlett KENNEALLY; 7 Codie LE FLEM; 8 Candice BOUGOURD (c); 9 Ruby SMITH; 10 Donna GALLIENNE; 11 Heidi DAWBER. Subs used (rolling): 12 Steph BATISTE; 14 Kellie CREEDl 15 Eleanor JAMIESON; 16 Adrienne LEECH.
BEMERTON HEATH HARLEQUINS: 1 Daisy BURNFIELD; 3 Mandy KIDD; 4 Caitlin LOWER (c); 5 Nicola FRIER; 6 Amy SANGER; 10 Hollie KEATING; 11 Rachel LANG; 12 Paige BRAZIER; 16 Georgia BROWN; 19 Charlotte EASTMAN; 20 Leanne HARVEY. Subs (rolling): 7 Ellie HAYWARD; 15 Nicola BUCKWELL-SMITH; 18 Kyra WARD.
Booked: Keating.
