Goals: Mendy 15’; Vines 37’; Kinch 42’; Mendy 66’; Denny 90+1’.

Guernsey’s wait for a win, and a goal, goes on as they left Dartford on the wrong side of another one-sided scoreline on Wednesday night, this time Thamesmead Town the victors.

One of Tony Vance’s younger squads – with an average age of just over 23, just two players over 30 and 10 aged 23 or under – put up a better showing than in the Green Lions’ previous midweek trip to Sittingbourne.

But they still ended up with a worse scoreline as they were again guilty of sloppiness as some goals were gifted and poor passes presented numerous chances for the hosts – not ideal against the top-scoring team outside the Bostik South play-offs, who could have had more had it not been from another great display from Stanton, who made several strong saves.

It is now eight games since the Sarnians last tasted victory – with seven defeats in those eight outings – and they haven’t scored in four matches, shipping 15 without reply.

The hosts had plenty of early pressure, with a free header just about dealt with inside two minutes, and Callum Stanton making a routine low save to his right after Bode Anidugbe found himself free in the right channel and shot from just inside the area. Richard Pacquette also missed the target from 20 yards, a let-off for the Sarnian defence who had failed to deal with the ball forward.

It was taking the Green Lions a few minutes to warm up, but they had a mini spell of pressure. They won the ball back high upfield in the 11th minutes, with Charlton Gauvain’s rising effort kept out by the outstretched arm of Lewis Carey, who diverted it over.

It was an early false dawn though as the South Londoners took the lead on the quarter-hour. Richard Pacquette’s pass across the box found an unmarked Laurent Mendy, who tucked back across goal with just enough curl to take it out of Stanton’s reach into the corner.

Stanton held low shots across goal from both Danny Parish and Jack McIntyre to keep the hosts from extending their league before 25 minutes had past, but GFC were earning plenty of set pieces at the other end, with a Jamie Dodd throw coming closest to providing a goal as a home defender just helped the ball behind at the far post.

It should have been two on 32 minutes as Parish dashed through one-on-one but skewed wide when one-one-one – a sitter that should have been buried.

Any thoughts of Tony Vance’s side seeing out the half were quickly snuffed out with two within five minutes of each other to leave the Green Lions, as they were at Sittingbourne in their previous away game, three behind at the break.

Craig Young’s misplaced pass allowed Thamesmead to break into the area and Stanton made two initial saves, not helped by his defence who did not react to the rebounds, before Vines tapped in the third attempt on 37 minutes.

Vines nearly had an instant brace with a skilful flick to turn his marker and fire across goal, but Stanton turned it behind. Unfortunately, GFC didn’t clear the resulting corner and captain Scott Kinch headed in a third from close range on 42 minutes.

Mendy should have buried his second and Thamesmead’s fourth just two minutes into the second half when he found himself completely free six yards out. The only explanation is that he thought he was offside as he basically cushioned a pass into the arms of Stanton.

As the game passed the hour, the result was already pretty much done and dusted, but the Mead made completely sure on 63 minutes – but this time it was very cruel on the Green Lions. A corner dropped to Mendy on the edge of the area. Stanton looked to have his low shot covered but the ball took a huge deflection and looped over the Bournemouth loanee when he was already on his way to ground.

A combination of a confident home side and sloppy Guernsey defence meant Thamesmead, again just like Sittingbourne, were attacking at their leisure with the ball regularly gifted back to them.

The led to an Anidugbe header that flew just wide, another Vine chance which he spooned off-target from six yards, and a shot from Mendy from the edge of the area that flashed across goal.

Amongst all that, Matt Loaring, who was a rare bright spark on his return from suspension as a substitute, drove forward from deep but dragged the ball wide from the edge of the area.

Jamie Dodd was muscled off the ball by Anidugbe with 15 minutes left. The Mead man pulled back for O’Connor, who would have buried it at the near post at Stanton not got the block in to turn it wide.

Kyle Smith also made a return as a substitute. He showed great skill and a turn of pace to get past his marker and cut in from the right but unfortunately then ballooned over from range.

More Stanton heroics prevented a fifth on two occasions before the 80-minute mark. The stopper first stood his ground and made himself big at his near post deny Parish running though, then turned wide Tom O’Connor’s effort after the midfielder had skipped around several Guernsey players and into the area.

GFC’s misery was compounded as the game ticked into stoppage time, with Joe Denny helping the ball home at the near post to make it five.

Guernsey remain 20th in Bostik South as Thamesmead move up to 13th. Cray Wanderers hammered Ashford United in a 9-1 scoreline in the night’s other match.

Thamesmead Town: Lewis Carey, Harvey Brand, Williams Danquah (Soloman Taiwo 58’), Scott Kinch © (Ellis Green 85’), Joe Denny, Jake McIntyre, Bode Anidugbe, Tom O’Connor, Danny Parish, Richard Pacquette (Paul Vines 17’), Laurent Mendy. Not used: Gabriel Adeloud, Max Ovenden.