CHIPSTEAD 4 (Sewell 27′; Vendrells 60′; Sontan 73′; Desanges 90′)
GUERNSEY 1 (Alvarez 33′)
The scoreline didn’t reflect the performance as Guernsey were beaten 4-1 for the second game in a row, this time at Chipstead.
Joe Alvarez’s fortunate equaliser, his second goal for the club bookending a 12-year gap from his first, got the Green Lions level at half time and they came within a whisker of going in front before their hosts raced away with the win.
In most cases, the performances have been there shorn of a vital spine including Jacob Fallaize, Jamie Dodd, Tom Dodds, Kieran Mahon, Charlton Gauvain and Ross Allen and as these players start to come back into the reckoning, this spell of results will surely take a turn.
Having been an unused substitute previously, Niall Hainsworth was handed his debut from the start, while forward Simon Arnold was another new addition to the GFC alumni when he came on in the closing stages.
The Sarnians started strongly, with Sam Murray testing the keeper with an angled drive and Dave Rihoy almost catching out Chips keeper Harrison Firth from distance.
But 27 minutes in, the visitors fell behind in a situation they could have avoided as Josh Addison committed to a cross that he couldn’t get near. Jacob Sewell got there first and once it was past Addison’s challenge, there was no opposition as it flew into an empty net.
It took just six minutes for Guernsey to level. While fortunate, it was deserved. After being picked out on the left following a driving run forward from Matt Loaring, Alvarez shaped to cross but his delivery took a deflection and looped over Fith’s outstretched arms and dropped in. It was his first goal since netting in a 3-2 win over Bookham on 15th October 2011.
Owen Wallbridge saw his shot blocked after beating his man to complete a good first half for the Greens.
Those fine margins showed themselves again on the hour mark. Loaring found a few yards of space outside the area and cracked a shot at goal that had Firth beaten, but it bounced away off the post. Rihoy picked up the loose ball and drove it back in but Murray got underneath it and sent it over.
From the resulting goal-kick, Chipstead went straight up the other end in a move that ended with Abel Vendrells turning in Jaden Edwards’ cutback.
The home side put daylight between the sides on 73 minutes as substitute Martin Sontan converted a low cross from the left. Arlie Desanges collected in the area and lashed the ball into the roof of the net to complete the scoring in stoppage-time.
The result means the Green Lions remain in the bottom three ahead of the visit of Ashford Town on Saturday. Having drawn level with Jamie Dodd on 363 games, Loaring could become the club’s new record appearance holder.
The other midweek results were as follows: Corinthian-Casuals 1-2 Raynes Park Vale, Hanworth Villa 3-3 Southall, Hartley Wintney 0-1 Badshot Lea, Leatherhead 0-1 Chertsey Town, Metropolitan Police 0-0 Uxbridge, Northwood 1-3 Marlow, South Park 2-1 Sutton Common Rovers, Westfield 7-2 Binfield.
CHIPSTEAD: 1 Harrison FIRTH; 2 Jaden EDWARDS, 3 Alfie YOUNG, 4 Zohair ALI, 5 Matt KELLET-SMITH, 7 Danyaal IQBAL; 8 Chad GOULTER; 9 Jacob SEWELL (17 Arlie DESANGES, 72’); 10 Bradley WILSON (14 Nicholas WILSON, 78’); 11 Abel VENDRELLS (15 Martin SONTAN, 61’); 16 Danny DUDLEY. Not used: 6 Daniel PAPPOE; 12 Daniel BERRY.
Booked: Kellet-Smith, Dudley.
GUERNSEY: 1 Josh ADDISON; 2 Niall HAINSWORTH (12 Brandon WALLACE, 78’); 3 Joe ALVAREZ (12 Simon ARNOLD, 74’); 4 Seb VANCE; 5 Tom VAUDIN; 6 Matt LOARING (c); 7 Dave RIHOY; 8 Owen WALLBRIDGE; 9 Sam MURRAY; 10 Keene DOMAILLE; 11 Jack GRIFFIN (15 Ryan-Zico BLACK, 75’).
Booked: Wallbridge.
Attendance: 101.
You can view the highlights of this game on the club’s Facebook page or YouTube Channel.