| GUERNSEY | 0 | – | 5 | CROWBOROUGH ATHLETIC |
| Samuel-Smikle 5′, 72′ Forster 8′ Duncan 34′, 90+5′ |
Guernsey were extremely under par as they were unceremoniously dumped out of the FA Cup by Crowborough Athletic at Victoria Park on Saturday afternoon.
The step four-based visitors ruthlessly punished the mistakes of a sluggish GFC, especially in the first half when they raced into a 3-0 lead. The Green Lions were much better after half-time and were unlucky not to pull one back, but another poorly conceded goal put the game fully to bed before a fifth deep into injury time.
The game was not quite five minutes old when the Crows got their first break. The backpass to Josh Addison wasn’t the easiest to deal with and, sensing a chance, Rushaar Samuel-Smikle closed down the Guernsey keeper and got in the way of the clearance, the ball hitting him and rebounding into the empty net.
It went from bad to worse just three minutes later as Samuel-Smikle was played into the right channel and square for Harry Forster to finish despite the close attentions of Ben Solway.
A bizarre moment left the home fans briefly believing that their side were down to 10 men after a red card was flashed at Sam Murray after some handbags with his opponent in the area, but the referee was quick to point out his error and Murray was safe.
The first trouble the Greens caused almost got them back into the game shortly before the half-hour. Jacques Cauvin got in behind Crows left-back Sonny Causton and his low pull-back caused panic in the visiting back line. It fell for Seb Vance to hook towards goal but keeper Charlie Holmwood turned it onto the post and after the ensuing chaos, the away defence scrambled the ball away.
Addison held a swept effort from Alfie Lambden, but it was soon 3-0 to the visitors – again a very poor goal to concede. Believing Samuel-Smikle to be offside the defence switched off at a long ball forward and failed to track the run from the left of Elliott Duncan, who was in behind to run onto the ball and tucked the ball into the corner past an onrushing Addison.
There was almost a repeat five minutes before the break as Duncan got in again, but this time Addison narrowed the angle enough to make the block with an outstretched foot and the ball spun to safety.
Will Fazakerley came close to pulling one back shortly after as he slipped into the area but the angle was against him and he hit the side netting.
It looked like more of the same in the second half as Forster blazed a golden chance to make it four over the bar and Addison fielded a low effort from Samuel-Smikle, but the Green Lions finally showed signs of their their true selves.
Murray did well and dinked a lovely ball into the path of Fazakerley, who was in behind but scuffed his shot straight at Holmwood. Substitute George Goubert then burst d0wn the left and while his pullback was slightly behind Murray, it teed up Fazakerley to sweep towards goal first time, but the ball whistle narrowly over.
Addison denied Samuel-Smikle twice more but the number nine did get his brace on 72 minutes. It was another soft goal as the forward was completely unmarked in the six-yard box to tap in Lambden’s low centre.
Substitute Callum Le Lacheur connected well with Murray’s hook on but put a bit too much behind it and sent his volley over. Holmwood then beat away a powerful effort from Goubert and Le Lacheur hooked an Alfie Torode cross wide.
Fazakerley had a couple of shots blocked before his third trickled into Holmwood’s grasp, while Murray took advantage of lapse defending of a high ball and squad for Le Lacheur, who cut back onto his right foot and aimed for the bottom corner, but a combination of goalkeeper and defender kept it out.
Torode could have marked his home debut with a goal but, perhaps still adjusting to the pace of stepping up from local football, tried to take an extra touch before he shot and got the ball stuck under his feet.
Despite putting up a better fight, Guernsey afternoon was compounded with captain Charlton Gauvain forced off with an impact injury leaving the hosts a man short, made only worst with Fazakerley struggling and limping though to the end. This advantage told deep into injury time as Brady Ayoola sent in a low cross from the right of the area for Duncan to tap in his second. Crowborough hit the bar with the very last kick of the game but that would perhaps been slightly harsh on an improving Guernsey had it gone in.
Crowborough go on to visit Epsom & Ewell in the prelimary round. At least Guernsey can put their cup frustrations quickly behind them as they get another go next Saturday, this time in the FA Vase.
GUERNSEY: 1 Josh ADDISON; 5 Fin DU PORT (25 Alfie TORODE, 73′); 6 Seb VANCE (16 Corey BROUARD, 64′); 7 Charlton GAUVAIN (c); 9 Sam MURRAY; 14 Simon ARNOLD (20 George GOUBERT, 54′); 15 Ben SOLWAY; 19 Will FAZAKERLEY; 21 Jacques CAUVIN (2 Niall HAINSWORTH, 54′); 22 Fin PATTERSON (17 Callum LE LACHEUR, 64′); 23 Archie DRILLOT. Not used: 13 Seb SHEPPARD; 3 Jamie DODD.
Booked: Gauvain, Murray.
CROWBOROUGH ATHLETIC: 1 Charlie HOLMWOOD; 2 Jack MAYHEW; 3 Sonny CAUSTON; 4 Will PUFFETTE; 5 Harrison MAYHEW; 6 Connor PRING (15 Jared WILLIAMS, 82′); 7 Lloyd FRANCIS (18 Brady AYOOLA, 68′); 8 Alfie LAMBDEN, (16 George HUTCHEON, 72′); 9 Rushaar SAMUEL-SMIKLE (12 Harry REED, 76′); 10 Harry FORSTER (17 Yannick VOCHYAN, 86′); 11 Elliott DUNCAN.
Booked: Puffette, Samuel-Smikle.
