| GUERNSEY | 1 | – | 2 | ROFFEY |
| Graham 20′ | Berry 21′ Mase 67′ |
Guernsey’s FA Vase campaign is over for another season as a threadbare side was edged out by Roffey at Victoria Park on Saturday afternoon.
With so much experience and the spine of their team missing, Tony Vance had four teenager in the squad that were more likely earmarked for U23s football this season. They battled hard and had a moment to savour when Dylan Graham raced away to bag his first goal for the club, but they just lacked a cutting edge overall.
The opening 20 minutes saw very little goalmouth action, with Jordan Mase curling well over from outside the box in the ninth minute the only moment of note.
But Graham had the crowd on their feet as the clock ticked over to the 20th minute as the hosts won the ball back in their own half and played the ball forward quickly towards Graham. The teenager skipper knocked the ball past his man and turned on the afterburners to burst through and fire the ball past Charlee Burton to break his duck.
Unfortunately the Lions didn’t keep their concentration straight after scoring and were pegged back immediately. Simon Arnold lost possession to Evan Hoarty on the byline. He pulled it back where Stan Berry got across to the near post to force it in for an instant equaliser.
Jamie Dodd made two important blocks to stop shots from Mase and Tom Caplin soon after, while Caplin’s rising drive was plucked easily out the air by Seb Sheppard.
Brandon Wallace’s clever reverse pass set Fin Patterson away down the right after 35 minutes. His high cross reached the far post where Graham stretched to meet it but he could only help it wide.
Sheppard made two strong blocks to deny Luca Allen, Teddy Wood and Allen before the half was out, leaving is honours even at the break.
It was more of the same after the break with little room for clear-cut chances for either side. Charlie Gibson exchanged passes neatly with Allen on the edge of the area early in the second half but his shot from a tight angle hit the side netting.
Guernsey tried then to force the issue after a Patterson cross that led to sustained spell of pressure in the box. Wallace didn’t have space for the shot but it fell for Patterson, whose low effort was gathered at the near post. A couple of minutes later, Graham forced his way past his marker in the area but couldn’t get a strong connection on his shot and it was held by the goalkeeper.
On the hour, Patterson reached a great searching ball down right from Jacob Fallaize and crossed to the par post but the header from a stretching Will Fazakerley dropped wide.
Allen manoeuvred across the area, saw his first shot blocked and snatched at the second, volleying it well off target – but the Boars turned the game around just a minute later.
Just as Guernsey were preparing to make a double change, Roffey captain Mase found enough room on the edge of the area to fire a low effort into the bottom corner, just out reach of a sprawling Sheppard.
Sheppard beat a shot away at his near post after Mase had slipped in Berry, while an early shot from Fazakerley rolled wide, perhaps with better options either side of him.
Allen cut in onto his right and skewed a shot towards the top corner way off target, but there was very little of note in the closing stages as Guernsey tried to pump the ball forward, and they’ll have to have another crack at a Vase run another time.
Vance will be desperate to have reinforcements back soon as the Green Lions focus purely on their league campaign, as they can’t afford to give up too much more ground.
GUERNSEY: 13 Seb SHEPPARD; 3 Jamie DODD; 6 Seb VANCE; 11 Brandon WALLACE (15 Riley TYRRELL, 81′); 14 Simon ARNOLD (12 Alfie TORODE, 79′); 18 Dave MERRIS (4 Tom DODDS 69′); 19 Will FAZAKERLEY; 21 Jacques CAUVIN; 22 Fin PATTERSON (16 Tyrese KELLY, 69′); 24 Jacob FALLAZE (c); 25 Dylan GRAHAM.
ROFFEY: 1 Charlee BURTON; 2 Luke HARRISON; 3 Charlie GIBSON; 4 Byron NAPPER; 5 Tresor DIFIKA; 7 Teddy WOOD; 8 Jordan MASE (c); 9 Stan BERRY; 10 Tom CAPLIN; 11 Luca ALLEN; 18 Evan HOARTY (12 Maz MESQUITA, 77′). Not used: 13 Joe BERRY; 14 Jamie SMITH; 16 Tiago ANDRADE.
Booked: Harrison.
Attendance: 352.
