Goal: Allen 64’, Legg 90+5’.

It was a near-perfect afternoon for Guernsey as they kept a first clean sheet of the season (and a first for loanee ‘keeper Will Dennis) and secured back-to-back wins for the first time since December 2015 with a 2-0 triumph at East Grinstead Town.

Despite a slow start, the Green Lions were the better side on the day and should have been ahead long before Ross Allen broke the deadlock on 64 minutes. They just about survived an expected late onslaught before Robbie Legg, returning for his first appearance of the season, made the points safe in the dying seconds to ensure the Green Lions moved up the Bostik South table.

GFC started slowly and struggled to retain the ball. Will Dennis had to be alert early on, warming his hands by getting down to his left to push Luke Tan’s low distance effort wide inside 90 seconds.

Leo Mezzone crossed from the right in the 12th minute but Marcus Elliott couldn’t make a telling connection and the ball bounced wide.

The Sarnians finally improved and started to get on top as the game ticked towards 20 minutes. Their first chance was a decent one as Dyer, still on the right wing as his team-mate recycled a corner, cut in and let fly. Dan Smith had to dive at full stretch to his left to palm it away, with Ross Allen flagged offside as he went for the rebound.

Allen spurned a glorious chance in the 24th minute as he pounced on a loose pass across the halfway line. He bore down on goal and was through one-on-one, dinking the ball over the onrushing Smith but somehow clipped it past the far post too.

Tan headed a half chance harmlessly behind and another chance from range flew well over but it was mere respite as the Green Lions kept attacking.

Dyer forced a strong save from Smith as the stopper beat the midfielder’s low cross away at the near post, with the Wasps defence just beating Pereira to the rebound.

Smith then made by far his best save of the game as Allen fired a goal on the turn inside the area. Smith dived to make a fantastic reaction stop and divert it behind.

Dennis had two more saves to make before the half was out, getting an important touch to stop a deep left-wing cross creeping in at the far post and, blocking well with his legs after Charlie Postance had been slipped in on goal for East Grinstead’s best chance so far.

Frank Tobin and Thomas Dodds both had a pop from range after striding forward from defence towards the end of the half. Both were comfortable saves for Smith.

Guernsey started the second half much brighter than they did the first, with Frank Tobin meeting Dyer’s corner into the six-yard box and planting one at goal with his head, only for a Wasps defender to make a vital goal-line clearance with Smith nowhere. The Green Lions claimed the ball had crossed the line but the referee signalled for another corner, which Allen eventually fired well over from.

It was proving to be a lively start to the second half as East Grinstead had their best chance 10 minutes in. Dennis flapped at a cross but Ponstance could not convert from point-blank range at the far post.

At the game reached the hour mark, Pereira had a good chance to take the lead, having flicked a header on to Allen. The number 10 returned the favour with a pullback to Pereira, but his curling effort inside the area was straight at Smith and he then scuffed the rebound from the stoppers’ block.

That was just a minute before Dennis made his best stop of the match. Will Hoare’s effort took a huge deflection but the Bournemouth loanee somehow readjusted himself to claw the ball behind.

It ended up taking over an hour, but Guernsey finally got the goal they deserved. An initial ball into the box from Dyer was blocked but Allen pounced onto it first, cutting back onto his right foot and curling the ball deliciously into the far corner.

Dennis held a bouncing free-kick from Hoare at the other end – later also holding a scuffed effort from substitute Oshaye Giraud Hutchinson – shortly before substitute Seb Skillen played a good one-two with Tom De La Mare before forcing Smith to tip a low shot round his near post.

The Wasps ramped up the pressure in the final 10 minutes with wave after wave of attacks, but Guernsey just about held firm.

There were a couple of nervy moments as Ollie Gill had one from 25 yards that bounced though everyone and struck the foot of the post, while Dennis spilled another long-range effort only for Postance to skew the rebound behind from point-black range.

Dennis held another free-kick, this time from Michael Wilson and Elliott failed to make a good connection when leaping to reach Giraud Hutchinson’s cross.

The game had passed the referee’s initially-signalled four minutes of stoppage-time and the Green Lions were desperate for the final whistle.

Even so, they made the points completely safe in the 95th minutes. Kieran Mahon played the ball inside for his fellow replacement Legg on the edge of the box. The teenager picked out the bottom corner with a lovely finish. Game over.

There was barely time to kick off again before the whistle went and the Sarnians could head back to the Channel Islands very pleased with their afternoon’s work.

East Grinstead Town: Dan Smith, Leo Mazzone (Michael Wilson 83’), Cormac Hegarty, Jack Meeres (Drew Cooney 63’), Callum Wilson, Joshua Burrows, Will Hoare ©, Ollie Gill, Charlie Postance, Marcus Elliott, Luke Tan (Oshaye Giraud Hutchinson 63’). Not used: Jordan Aghatise, Michael Wilson, Tariq Straker.

Booked: Wilson.