It’s another first for Guernsey FC as the club’s schedule from Saturday through to Monday sees the men’s, women’s and development team all in action.
It’s also a double header at Victoria Park with Tony Vance’s side hosting Roffey in the FA Vase on Saturday and Anna Gauvain’s Green Lionesses welcome Bognor Regis Town for their first league game of the season on Sunday.
Leon Meakin’s development side are playing mainland league football as Guernsey U23s in the Southern Combination U23 East Division and make their UK bow on Monday night at Ringmer.
Vance’s side are still without several key players due to injury and so might well have some youngsters on the bench. Jacques Cauvin and Jamie Dodd are available again after missing last weekend’s defeat, while Tom Dodds is fit again after illness. We have already been Roffey in the league this season, with Charlton Gauvain’s early goal enough for the three points, and we won 8-0 in this fixture last season, with a 3-2 victory away from home.
The Boars beat Hollands & Blair on penalties to reach the second qualifying round. They have made a decent start to the season with three wins and a draw from their first six league games. They were knocked out at this stage of the Vase last season by Haywards Heath Town, while the Sarnians made it to the second round before being beaten by Snodland Town.
Saturday’s match kicks off at 2pm.
The Women’s side have had a few weeks to stew over their FA Cup debut defeat to Chessington & Hook United. Now it’s all about the league and Gauvain’s side will want another positive start as they look to better their league position last season, when they finished a credible seventh in the Southern Region Women’s Division One South.
Bognor Regis Town have been moved across from London and SE League Division 1 South. The two sides previously met in the Isthmian Women’s Cup in November 2023, with Bognor Regis winning 2-1. Captain Candice Bougourd scored a late penalty for the Green Lionesses.
Emma Queripel and Alana Hockey, who have both made 16 appearances for the team, are competing for the number one spot. Ruby Smith will be missing for a while with a knee injury. The full squad is as follows: Emma Queripel, Alana Hockey, Scarlett Kenneally, Steph Batiste, Elenista Lambrou, Aimee Ogier, Mollie Watson, Zakiyya Qasim, Candice Bougourd, Eleanor Jamieson, Donna Gallienne, Amy Dallamore, Elise Le Lacheur, Codie Le Flem, Calleigh Hedley.
Sunday’s match kicks at 2pm.
Fans unable to make it to Victoria Park for either game can keep up to date on our social media channels.
Meakin’s U23s are the only side in their league to have not had a fixture so far, although the young Green Lions have been in action over the past year with two Spirit Cup campaigns at Victoria Park and participation in the Jeremie Cup. The U23 league permits four over-age players to guide the youngsters and for this one, current first team defender Jamie Dodd will make the trip, plus old GFC heads Simon Geall, Angus Mackay and Marc McGrath will add steel to the spine of the team. The other tie to the GFC of old is Craig Young’s son Aston. Dylan Graham is likely to start for the first team on Saturday so isn’t involved, while Tyrese Kelly is work-tied. Alfie Torode and Riley Tyrrell may well get some minutes off the bench for the first team on Saturday but are travelling on Monday.
Meakin’s full squad is as follows: Regan Penney, Jamie Dodd, Oskar Cleal, Riley Tyrrell, Sam Cooley, Angus Mackay, Simon Geall, Elden Roberts, Aston Young, Jake MArtin, Marc McGrath, Alfie Torode, Pearce Le Poidevin, Charlie Robilliard, Bertie Beddow. Ringmer have won one and lost two of their three league games so far.
Monday’s match kicks off at 7.45pm. We plan to stream the match at Kings Academy Ringmer on our YouTube channel. We will post a link ahead of kick-off, otherwise you can follow our social media updates.
There will be match reports for all three games.
