| PAGHAM | 5 | – | 0 | GUERNSEY |
| Irish 13′ Haitham 59′, 90+3′ Vince 80′ Crouch 90+5′ |
A depleted Guernsey side are stumbling towards the Southern Combination Premier Division finish line after a second consecutive defeat without reply means that key win to securing a home play-off semi-final will go down to the final day.
The mounting injury list plus the inability to call on youthful reinforcements due to the U18 Muratti, Tony Vance was only able to take 13 players, including some walking wounded. Having overcome an early setback, they battled for an hour but fell further behind, and the final three goals that glossed the scoreline all came after 80 minutes, two of them deep into injury time.
Pagham are one of only two teams the GFC have failed to beat this season, the other being likely play-off opponents Horsham YM.
Pagham took the lead on 13 minutes as Josh Irish got on the end of a long ball ahead of Josh Addison and poked it past the Guernsey keeper.
Callum Le Lacheur struck the post after half an hour after a driving run from Brandon Wallace, but that was the closest the Green Lions came to getting on the scoresheet.
With the hour approaching, Kaleem Haitham drove into space, cut in from the left and fired a shot beyond Addison to double Pagham’s advantage. Mason Vince extended the lead with 10 minutes left of the regulation 90 as he broke through down the right and beat Addison.
Whether naiive or commendable, the Sarnians continued to push forward to find a way back into the game, but thay inevitably left space at the back. Haitham and then David Crouch netted three and five minutes into injury time to make the scoreline look more one-sided than the game really was.
A win for Horsham YM means they are just a point behind Guernsey, so Lancing’s trip to Victoria Park next week is of great importance, but it remains in GFC’s hands. Lancing’s defeat to Lingfield means they are relegated so can play with freedom. Goal difference means Peacehaven & Telscombe are unlikely to catch Horsham, so a Guernsey v Horsham YM semi-final is virtually guaranteed. Next Saturday will determine who get the home draw.
Saturday’s other results were as follows: AFC Varndeanians 2-2 Seaford Town, Haywards Heath Town 4-3 Newhaven, Horsham YM 6-1 Bexhill United, Lancing 0-2 Lingfield, Midhurst & Easebourne 4-3 Forest Row, Roffey 2-0 Little Common, Shoreham 0-4 Eastbourne United, Steyning Town 2-0 Peacehaven & Telscombe, Wick 1-1 Crawley Down Gatwick.
GUERNSEY: 1 Josh ADDISON; 4 Tom DODDS; 5 Tom VAUDIN; 8 Matt LOARING; 9 Sam MURRAY (19 Will FAZAKERLEY, 70′); 11 Brandon WALLACE; 12 Fin DU PORT; 17 Callum LE LACHEUR; 18 Dave MERRIS; 20 George GOUBERT; 23, Frazer MAGINNIS. Not used: 10 Ross ALLEN.
