Teenager Thomas Dodds netted his first goal for Guernsey as the Green Lions stood up to late heavy pressure from East Grinstead Town to grind out a 2-1 win.

The 18-year-old’s composed curler put his side back in front less than a minute after they had been pegged back at the end of the first half.

Strict concentration was required in the final quarter but Josh Addison and his defence stood firm to move up to 17th, seven points clear of the Isthmian South relegation zone.

GFC came flying out of the blocks and should have been ahead before Kyle Smith’s 13th-minute opener.

Smith’s reverse pass sent Rihoy through one-on-one in the fourth minute and the forward had plenty of time to pick a corner but shot straight at Wasps stopper Chris Haigh, who blocked with his legs.

Just two minutes later, Dom Heaume opted to turn Haigh rather than shoot, allowing the visiting defence to get back and block his shot. The rebound fell to Loaring on the edge of the six-yard box, but the East Grinstead rear-guard threw themselves in the way again. The second rebound came back to Heaume, but the number nine’s rising shot hit the crossbar and went over.

Any fears of the Sarnians living to regret their early wastefulness in front of goal were soon allayed as Smith gave them the lead with his second goal for the club. He ran onto Tom De La Mare’s ball into the box, calmly rounded Haigh and slotted into the far post.

It took nearly 25 minutes for East Grinstead to register an attempt on goal, but Michael Solako’s corner was straight down the throat of Addison, who held.

Addison made several key stops during the game, including a handful over the next 15 minutes as he blocked from Jack Howlett from close range, parried Laste Dombaxe’s free-kick and held again from Solako after his defence had surrendered possession too easily.

The pressure was building from the away side and that eventually told as Dombaxe bundled Smith off the ball and fed Wasps top scorer Marcus Elliott, who cut inside onto his left foot and steered the ball into the bottom corner.

It could have been a killer blow just before the break, but parity lasted less than a minute with Dodds’ first senior goal in first-half stoppage time.

He was involved in a good exchange of play down the left with Heaume and then, thanks to a one-two with Loaring burst through the East Grinstead defence before curling the ball around Haigh into the far corner.

Rihoy was denied twice more by Haigh in the opening 20 minutes of the second half. He was found on the edge of the area after a move involving Heaume and De La Mare, but despite his deflected shot carrying plenty of power, Haigh got behind it to hold.

Heaume then flicked on for Smith, who teed up Rihoy in the middle, but once again he shot straight at Haigh on 65 minutes.

Smith was involved again as he crossed to the far post for De La Mare just two minutes later, but Haigh narrowed the angle and blocked the midfielder’s effort at the near post.

Addison had earlier held Howlett’s curling effort and the young keeper would be busy in the closing exchanges, but not before Guernsey blew a golden opportunity to put clear delight between the two sides with a quarter-of-an-hour remaining.

Lively substitute Paris Pereira – making his first GFC appearance of the season – looked at first glance like he had been tackled cleanly by a Wasps defender, but the referee pointed to the spot. Heaume stepped up but his penalty was a comfortable height for Haigh, who dived to his right and beat the spot-kick away.

Dombaxe then tested Addison from distance. The keeper parried and was alert to dive quickly on the rebound with two East Grinstead attackers looking to pounce.

Addison denied Dombaxe again with a minute to go of the 90, this time holding the number eight’s free-kick before plucking an Elliott header out the air in the last action of the game.

The young goalkeeper had been key to keeping his side in front, but credit also goes to his defence for repelling East Grinstead’s late siege on the Green Lions’ penalty area. 

The rest of the Ryman South results were as follows: Carshalton Athletic 1-0 South Park, Chatham Town 0-7 Hastings United, Corinthian-Casuals 2-1 Horsham, Cray Wanderers 3-2 Chipstead, Faversham Town 2-5 Greenwich Borough, Herne Bay 1-1 Walton Casuals, Lewes 2-2 Molesey, Ramsgate 2-2 Dorking Wanderers, Sittingbourne 4-0 Hythe Town, Totting & Mitcham United 1-0 Godalming Town, Whyteleafe 0-2 Three Bridges.

Guernsey: Josh Addison, Simon Geall, Jamie Dodd ©, Josh Steel (Liam Mahon 77’), Alex Le Prevost, Thomas Dodds, Dave Rihoy, Tom De La Mare (Jacob Fallaize 84’), Dom Heaume, Kyle Smith (Paris Pereira 72’), Matt Loaring. Not used: Jordan Kelly, Angus Mackay.

Goals: Smith 13’, Dodds 45+1’.

East Grinstead Town: Chris Haigh, Will Thomas, Jake McIntyre, Callum Emptage ©, Ricardo Thompson, Jerome Roseje, Leo Mazzone (Emmanuel Mensah 80’), Laste Dombaxe, Michael Solako (Louis Stanton-Cockle 80’), Marcus Elliott, Jack Howlett. Not used: Gianfranco Mici, James Fitchett, Lorcan Healy.

Goal: Elliott 44’. Booked: Emptage.