| GUERNSEY FC | 2 | – | 1 | BEXHILL UNITED |
| Murray 18′ Fazakerley 49′ |
Moir 9′ |
Outnumbered Guernsey FC repelled a late Bexhill United raid at Victoria Park on Saturday afternoon to claim a fifth consecutive win.
There were scary moments in the closing stages on Halloween but some dogged defending and particularly excellent ending from Green Lions keeper Seb Sheppard meant Tony Vance’s side held on despite playing half an hour with 10 men, and some of that time with just nine.
Sheppard had recovered from an early mistake that led to the Pirates taking an early lead to put in a commanding display that included some important catches under pressure and one outstanding save in the dying minutes. Sam Murray had already swiftly levelled to mark his 150th appearance and Will Fazakerley turned it around early in the second half before earning himself 10 minutes in the sin bin, with the task made even harder when Jacob Fallaize received his marching orders midway through the second half.
Sheppard thwarted an attacker inside six minutes, while Fallaize was off target at a corner. The visitors’ opener came as Sheppard sliced his clearance under pressure from Luke Donaldson and it looped into the path of Ryan Moir, who drove into the box and duly punished the Guernsey stopper as he fired it into the far corner.
The hosts were back on level terms thanks to a slice of fortune as Ben Solway’s cross evaded everyone and hit the far post, but Murray was virtually on the goal line as he tapped in the loose ball.
The Greens build on this momentum. Fallaize found Dylan Graham with a long pass and the lively winger drove to the byline and cuts back for Fazakerley, but Finlay Holter in the Bexhill goal saved well down to his right. Another Fallaize pass found Murray shortly before half-time. The number nine swiveled to get a shot off on the half volley Holter made a routine stop.
Fazakerley continued his fine start to the season by giving his side the lead four minutes into the second half, making a clever near post run to meet Ross Allen’s corner and glancing a header into the far corner.
With all not seemingly going smoothly, GFC’s afternoon was suddenly plunged into difficulty when Fazakerley blotted his copybook as the referee deemed his clap to be a sarcastic one at a decision and earned him a sinbin. Temporarily down to 10, it was soon nine as Fallaize, trying to make up for his own error in loosing the ball, held back his opposite number as the last man and was shown a straight red. Sheppard made a good save to his left from the resulting free-kick to keep his side in front.
Fazakerley’s return to the field helped matters, but the Sarnians still had to see out a chunk of the game a man short, and this is where Sheppard and his defence came to the fore. The visitors now dominated the ball but the Greens remain resolute. Some commanding takes by Sheppard were topped off by an excellent save on 90 minutes as he reacted to Jack Shonk’s deflected shot to palm it behind at full stretch.
The Lions were able to keep the Pirates anchored for the closing stages and claimed three more important points.
Guernsey remain seventh in the Southern Combination Premier Division due to goal difference but have gone level on points with Roffey and have games in have over all the other teams above them. Due to the FA Vase, the only other league games to take place ended as follows: Billingshurst 1-2 Seaford Town, Little Common 6-1 Forest Row, Newhaven 5-0 Midhurst & Easebourne.
GUERNSEY: 13 Seb SHEPPARD; 6 Seb VANCE (16 Corey BROUARD 84′); 9 Sam MURRAY; 10 Ross ALLEN (c) (2 Niall HAINSWORTH, 77′); 15 Ben SOLWAY; 19 Will FAZAKERLEY; 20 George GOUBERT (5 Fin DU PORT, 51′); 21 Jacques CAUVIN; 23 Archie DRILLOT; 24 Jacob FALLAIZE; 25 Dylan GRAHAM (14 Simon ARNOLD, 90+2′). Not used: 11 Brandon WALLACE.
Booked: Fazakerley. Sinbinned: Fazakerley. Sent off: Fallaize.
BEXHILL UNITED: 1 Finlay HOLTER; 2 Thomas O’SHAUGNESSY; 3 THOMAS; 4 Callum BRAND; 5 Dale PENN; 6 Kyle HOLDEN; 7 Luke DONALDSON; 8 Charlie PLAYFORD; 9 Jack SHONK; 10 Theo COOMBS; 11 Ryan MOIR. Subs: Harry MARCHANT; Ashley LATUSKE; Charlie SCARLES; Jack MISON.
Booked: Moir.
Attendance: 675.
