| GUERNSEY | 3 | – | 1 | HAYWARDS HEATH TOWN |
| Murray 15′ Allen 29′, 50′ | Chalaye 12′ |
Guernsey played their way into the title race with another statement win against promotion rivals, seeing off previously runaway leaders Haywards Heath Town with an accomplished performance at Victoria Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Green Lions quickly wiped out an early opener through Sam Murray and were in front within half an hour thanks to Ross Allen. Any thoughts of a Haywards Heath second half onslaught were negated by a strong defensive performance and an early goal from Allen to extend the lead, which GFC were relatively comfortable in seeing out bar a couple of good saves from Josh Addison.
Having picked up this crucial win in front of the biggest crowd at Victoria Park this season, Tony Vance’s side are now just five points behind Haywards Heath, and eight behind new leaders Steyning Town with a game in hand. If the Sarnians can put another run together and Heath continue to wobble, a thrilling three-way chase could lie ahead until the end of the season.
They could have been looking at a two-point gap if not for a late turnaround for the Blues to beat Pagham in midweek, perhaps even an overtake too had the Green Lions risen to the occasion against Horsham YM last week – fine margins.
It was a tense opening with much at stake and it was the visitors who broke the deadlock just as the clock ticked past 12 minutes. Jacob Fallaize lost his footing under pressure to let Charlie Meehan in. Josh Addison made a great block at his near post but the ball popped up fortuitously for Heath top scorer Tom Chalaye to knock in the rebound from six yards.
Title race slipping away? Nope! It was 1-1 within three minutes as Dave Merris’s short free-kick teed up Allen for a cross. Fin Patterson was at the far post to head it back into a crowded six-yard box and the resulting scramble saw Guernsey initially hit the bar before Murray eventually forced the ball in.
Brandon Wallace was unlucky not to make it 2-1 on 19 minutes as he seized onto a loose ball after Alfie Mansell had initially denied Allen, with his low effort cleared off the line.
Allen narrowly cleared the bar on the volley on 27 minutes but was not to be denied for long as he turned the game around just before the half-hour. His initial shot after Murray’s flick on was saved but he was on hand in the six yard box to turn in after the ball had ricocheted back off a defender, stunning the visiting fans into prolonged silence after their early bravado.
The Greens breathed a sigh of relief soon after as the referee initially pointed to the penalty spot when Flynn Bolton ran into the back of Fallaize and hit the deck. Luckily, the assistant referee was well placed to offer his opinion from a better viewing position and the original decision was correctly overturned.
Wallace almost made it 3-1 just before the break has he ran onto Merris’s header. He had Mansell beaten with his early volley, but the ball bounced off the foot of the far post and away. Merris came close himself with a sweet strike from outside the of the area but Mansell stretch out an arm to tip it over.
Haywards Heath made a half-time change and the man sent on, Mark Goldson, fired just over early in the second half. But a minute later, Guernsey had the ball in the net again. Niall Hainsworth fought for a loose ball to set Patterson free down the right. The runners in the middle had the visiting defence occupied, meaning Allen was free to meet Patterson’s clever pullback and sweep the ball into the far corner to give Mansell no chance.
Haywards Heath could have got back into it straight away as Joe Radley-Martin slammed the ball towards goal from the middle of the area, but Addison produced a brilliant flying save to turn the ball away at full stretch. The ball stayed in play for a goalmouth scramble but GFC just about got the ball away.
Murray thrice came close to making the game very comfortable. He was inches away from getting a toe to Wallace’s cross on the counter attack, volleyed just over after running onto a lovely through ball from Fazakerley, then his touch let him down after he was gifted the ball from an underhit backpass and the ball bounced mercifully into Mansell’s possession.
Substitute Bruno Taveres stung the palms of Addison as he drove down the right and took aim towards the near post, while Heath also failed to hit the target through Camron Lawson (twice), Ryan Warwick and a Henry Watson header.
Addison made another strong save down to his right to prevent Warwicks effort from outside the area finding the bottom corner, but Guernsey could have put gloss on the scoreline late on.
Allen was unable to complete a hat-trick, first having just cleared the bar after hustling well on the edge of the area, and was then denied the chance from the spot after a clear shirt pull to send substitute Callum Le Lacheur to the ground was ignore.
Guernsey remain third in the Southern Combination Premier Division but as well as closing the gap on their victims, edge back away from Horham YM, who lost. Saturday’s full set of results were as follows: Bexhill United 5-2 Lingfield, Crawley Down Gatwick 2-0 Little Common, Eastbourne United 1-0 Horsham YM, Newhaven 3-0 Lancing, Pagham 3-1 Shoreham, Peacehaven & Telscombe 5-1 Wick, Steyning Town 2-0 Forest Row, AFC Varndeanians 0-0 Midhurst & Easebourne.
GUERNSEY: 1 Josh ADDISON; 2 Niall HAINSWORTH (7 Charlton GAUVAIN, 58′); 9 Sam MURRAY; 10 Ross ALLEN (c); 11 Brandon WALLACE (20 George GOUBERT, 64′); 15 Ben SOLWAY; 18 Dave MERRIS; 19 Will FAZAKERLEY (17 Callum LE LACHEUR, 74′); 21 Jacques CAUVIN; 22 Fin PATTERSON (14 Simon ARNOLD, 83′); 24 Jacob FALLAIZE (16 Gil HUNTER, 58′).
Booked: Solway, Cauvin, Gauvain.
HAYWARDS HEATH TOWN: 1 Alfie MANSELL; 2 Nathan DA COSTA (c) (17 Camron LAWSON, 58′); 3 Harry SHOOMAN; 4 Brannon O’NEILL (14 Charlie TOWNING, 80′); 5 Henry WATSON; 6 Kyle SIM; 7 Charlie MEEHAN (16 Bruno TAVARES, 61′); 8 Ryan WARWICK; 9 Tom CHALAYE; 10 Flynn BOLTON (12 Mark GOLDSON, HT); 11 Joe RADLEY-MARTIN (15 Callum BARLOW, 60′).
Booked: Bolton, Barlow.
Attendance: 1,022.
