Goal: Campbell 65’.

It’s certainly been dry January for Guernsey as they were edged out by a single goal in an even game against Chipstead at High Road on Tuesday night.

Tony Vance’s side perhaps deserved to come away on par with their host from a tight encounter that saw few clear-cut chances, but Michael Campbell’s close-range effort midway through the second half proved to be the difference.

It makes it 10 games without victory from the Green Lions, but much like towards the end of their last barren run, you feel their performances are on the upturn again. Neither keeper was forced into many stops, and Callum Stanton was pretty well protected on the whole, particularly by the excellent Alex Le Prevost, whose solid display came close to being matched by Harry Tobin.

The big news before the game was the loan signing of striker Kelechi Akpobire from Bristol City. The 18-year-old had a quiet debut having not received a great deal of service, but on the occasions he was involved, he showed good strength and the ability to hold up play under pressure, something the Green Lions have been lacking since Ross Allen’s departure.

It was a quiet opening quarter-hour with neither side really able to dominate. The Sarnians produced the first shot on goal shortly after that as a good counter-attack saw Paris Pereira tee up Keanu Marsh from the right, but Saturday’s hero skewed high and wide of the far post from the edge of the area.

The Chips produced the closest chance of the first 45 as the half ticked towards the midway point as a free-header from close range flew narrowly over the bar from a left-wing corner.

Dave Rihoy came closest for Vance’s men shortly before the half-hour as he caught a long shot just right. It was rising but Michael Sibley got behind it to hold.

Chipstead’s set-pieces were proving to be their most threatening route to goal and Callum Stanton was forced into a strong save to block a far-post header as another ball was swung into the box by Chipstead on 32 minutes.

Seb Skillen’s foul on the edge of his own box could then have proved costly but Dean Gunner scooped his free-kick well over the top of Stanton’s crossbar.

Skillen had a couple of effort from in excess of 25 yards within a minute. Sibley grabbed the first, although it might have been going wide, and the next was lobbed well over when the young midfielder had better options either side of him.

The second half started in similar fashion to the first, with Jake Robinson’s turn and shot from the edge of the box being deflected wide proving to be the only moment of note in the first 10 minutes. Akpobire nearly turned provider at the other end as he burst into the right channel and crossed, but Rihoy couldn’t quite get on the end of the low centre.

Marsh saw an effort from 30-odd yards roll wide as he caught it wrong and Stanton held well from Campbell on the hour, after the forward had the ball poked through to him by Leon Lalor-Dell.

The game was starting to become stretched as both sides became ever so slightly more ambitious, and Rihoy was denied again as he saw his shot blocked on the edge of the area after he had been found by Craig Young.

It was so even, but the pendulum swung towards the Chips on 65 minutes. Lalor-Dell had beena menace to Marsh all night, and he got the better of him to reach the left byline and pull the ball back into the six-yard box, where Campbell was waiting to sweep it home.

The Green Lions instantly set about trying to repair the damage and Rihoy returned the favour for Young as he dummied Skillen’s pullback, but the captain’s shot was similarly blocked just inside the area.

Akpobire came close to levelling with little over 10 minutes remaining as he was put through one-on-one, only to be denied by the onrushing Sibley – although it woud not have counted as the offside flag had gone up.

The Sarnians came closest of all moments latest when Sibley misjudged a ball into the box. Le Prevost stooped to get his head to it and help it towards goal but the ball bounced agonisingly off the foot of the post.

The hosts gave the Sarnians a reminder that they were still a threat as Lalor-Dell hit Stanton’s side-netting and substitute Liam McDevitt failed to make contact on a cross when well placed in what would have been the clinching goal.

There was still time for Guernsey to throw everything at Chipstead, who had Sibley to thank for scrambling to his left to deflect a low shot across goal from Charlton Gauvain. The teenager initially had done brilliantly to hold on to Rihoy’s lofted pass and flick the ball over his marker Matthew Warren before shooting.

The Green Lions sent a few more balls into the box and threatened to snatch a late point but the night was to end in disappointment for Vance’s young side, who go again against Bostik South table-proppers Shoreham on Saturday.

The division’s other midweek results were as follows: Molesey 0-0 Whyteleafe, South Park 1-1 Hastings United.

Chipstead: Michael Sibley, Matthew Warren, Dean Gunner, Danny Cumber, Sam Page ©, Matthew Males, Tobi Adaje, Dylan Cascoe (Jordan Martin 61’), Michael Campbell (Liam McDevitt 80’), Jake Robinson (Dean Lodge 70’), Leon Lalor-Dell. Not used: Ollie Twum, Temitayo Awodero.