Goals: MacDonald 2′; Eisa 30′, 51′; Pritchard 57′.

Guernsey’s season ended in disappointment as Greenwich Borough cemented a home play-off semi-final with a 4-0 victory over the Green Lions at the DGS Stadium on Saturday.

Two goals either side of the break, some gifted – a big problem for the Sarnians this season – made it a comfortable afternoon for Boro.

Tony Vance’s men weren’t helped by more bad luck on the injury front, with Matt Loaring forced to pull out in the warm-up while Ross Allen was unable to make an appearance after initially being named. So GFC had just 12 players in the squad as the game kicked off. Tom De La Mare was also forced off with an injury in the first half – a real worry with the Muratti looming.

The thumping began as early as the second minute when former Football League midfielder Peter Sweeney dinked an inch-perfect ball forward over the top for Charlie McDonald on the left side of the penalty area. He stuck out a leg to lift the ball over an on-rushing Josh Addison and it bounced into the net.

Addison was soon to make a key stop though as he stuck out a leg to deny Lewwis Spence, who and twisted and turned in the area after a one-two with Nathan Paul down the right.

Guernsey’s first sniff at goal came when Craig Young fired wide from 25 yards – Black also cleared the bar with a fre-kick – then were almost in as the number 10 pounced on a poor pass out from Greenwich ‘keeper Craig Holloway. He tried to pull it back for Dom Heaume, but Holloway to scrambled to deny a shot, thwarting Heaume then Young in a matter of seconds.

Boro doubled their lead just after half an hour and there was a fair slice of luck about it. He had done well to work himself space on the edge of the area but his low shot looked as though it would be a routine save for Addison before bouncing high and awkwardly off a divot, causing the ball to loop over the perplexed Guernsey stopper. 

Simon Geall had to be alert soon after to deny MacDonald a second, sliding in at the near post to turn the ball wide after Addison had raced out his area to intercept the ball but completely misjudged the bounce, allowing the home forward to run through and shoot from the angle.

Addison made up for that error though, getting down low to block MacDonald’s header from six yards.

It was a little two easy after the break as the home side got their third, with Mohamed Eisa skipping past two challenges after being played through by Sweeney, and slotting the ball under Addison inside the area. Slack defending allowed Greenwich a forth as Harry Donovan won the ball back on the edge of the area and teed up Bradley Pritchard to tap home.

Thomas Dodds, once again employed at centre-back due to a lack of fit defenders, blocked from Eisa.

Guernsey kept working hard, though, and Holloway was alert to beat away as Dave Rihoy smashed a powerful effort towards goal from the corner of the area, then a defender was on hand in the six-yard box to block Young’s low drive. A home free-kick, in-swung, also hit the crossbar.

Addison made it a hat-trick of good saves when he stood his ground to block from Robert Denness after he had been played in from the right.

It had been a difficult afternoon for Guernsey, who had a lot of defending to do, but the Green Lions had already successfully avoided the drop and will look forward to the summer break.

They finished in 21st place, condemning Chatham Town, Three Bridges and Godalming Town to the bottom three. At the other end, Dorking Wanderers needed a five-goal win against leaders Tooting & Mitcham United on the final day to overhaul them and snatch the title, but could only manage a 1-0 victory meaning the Terrors were winners of Ryman South. Dorking will now host Hastings United in the semi-final, while Greenwich Borough will welcome Corinthian-Casuals to the DGS Stadium.

Saturday’s full set of results is as follows: Carshalton Athletic 3-1 East Grinstead Town, Chatham Town 0-0 Lewes, Corinthian-Casuals 5-1 Godalming Town. Dorking Wanderers 1-0 Tooting & Mitcham United, Faversham Town 2-2 Cray Wanderers, Greenwich Borough 4-0 Guernsey, Hastings United 3-3 Chipstead, Horsham 0-1 Hythe Town, Ramsgate 5-1 Molesey, South Park 2-0 Sittingbourne, Three Bridges 2-4 Walton Casuals, Whyteleafe 3-0 Herne Bay.

Greenwich Borough: Craig Holloway, Nathan Paul, Peter Sweeney, Charlie MacDonald (Robert Denness 75′), Mohammed Eisa, Daniel Young, Travis Gergory, Lewwis Spence (Harry Donovan H-T), Bradley Pritchard (Stefan Wright 59′), Glenn Wilson, Lewis Clark. Not used: Liam Hickey, Liam MacDevitt.

Booked: Spence.