Goal: Adams 35’.

Guernsey were edged out by a steetwise Hastings United side on Sunday, but restored their credibility after the Thamesmead Town misery and merited more for their efforts.

After the manner of the Thamesmead Town defeat, Tony Vance wanted a reaction from his side, and he got it. Unfortunately, the Green Lions didn’t quite have enough to get over the line and earn what have been a well-deserved point, or even more.

Matt Loaring came closest with several promising opening having terrorised his full-back all afternoon – to the point that the Arrows moved him to the other side of the pitch to avoid him having to mark the Sarnian midfielder.

Sam Adams’s first-half bundled effort was the difference, and the Sussex side managed the game well in key moments, much to the frustration of a partisan home crowd who felt some of it was crossing a line.

A few changes in personnel prompted a slight change in system with Loaring and Charlton Gauvain providing support from out wide to lone striker Carlos Canha – and attacks down the flanks were providing the biggest threat.

But it was the visitors proving the early pressure, with Stanton denying new Arrows signing Youssouf Bamba twice with two routine saves in the first four minutes, firstly blocking from the angle at the near post after the winger had broken past Tom De La Mare, then stuck out a leg to divert a shot low wide after Liam Mahon had the ball pinched off him in midfield.

A low long shot from Daniel Ajakaiye bobbled harmlessly wide before the Green Lions started to impose themselves on the game. Frank Tobin got to the near post first to flick on a corner that bounced off the far post. After a scramble virtually on the goal-line, the ball eventually looped over.

Tobin was involved again as his ball over the top caught the Hastings defence cold. The centre-back hesitated and Liam Mahon nipped in to lift the ball over the goalkeeper but the ball bounced wide.

Golding fired well over from the corner of the area and GFC had a really close call when Ajakaiye scooped a sitter over from six yards after Golding had pulled the ball back from the byline.

But that was a precursor to what was to come as the visitors took the lead 10 minutes later with an almost identical chance. There was an element of fortune about it as the pull-back took a deflection away from the Guernsey defenders, with the ball falling to an unmarked Sam Adams to bundle in from a yard out.

Tobin tried to take the initiative as he bombed forward in trademark fashion and let fly, but the low shot was straight down the throat of stopper Charlie Horlock. At the other end just moments later, Golding drove towards goal from out wide but his shot flashed across goal and wide as he bore down on Stanton.

An off-balance Canha volley wide from the edge of the area as he ran onto a long Stanton ball over the top. Loaring had been denied an earlier chance of a one-on-one as he ran on to a similar Callum Stanton delivery, this time from goal-kick that was inexplicably flagged offside – the rulebook says you cannot be offside from a goal-kick. The Garenne Stand and the players were incensed at this one.

But Loaring was soon in again as he ran onto Tobin’s inch-perfect arrowed crossfield ball, but in his attempt to curl the ball in to the far post, he found Horlock in his way to make the block. That would have been a timely equaliser in first-half stoppage-time.

The second half was all about the Green Lions, who responded strongly to having gone in behind at the break. A low shot from Ajakaiye was deflected wide early on, but after that the Sarnians had them pinned back.

Craig Young’s looped bouncing volley curled away from goal after the ball had dropped to him on the edge of the area, and the same player scooped a lovely ball over the top to put Loaring through midway through the half. Loaring had got past his marker and struck from the angle past Horlock, but the ball ran agonisingly across goal and wide.

The returning Dave Rihoy got into the thick of it when he came on and saw a low shot blocked before Gauvain’s rebound was deflected narrowly wide of the near post.

Canha missed a glorious chance at the far post on 71 minutes, skewing his volley wide after being found by an excellent Liam Mahon cross, the latter having overlapped Loaring to run onto a pass.

There were fleeting moments for Hastings before the game was out, with Ajakaiye’s low shot rolling side and Sam Adams finding the side netting with a low free-kick, and Stanton was required to make one more routine hold as Adams blasted the ball towards him from outside the area.

De La Mare was teed up by substitute Paris Pereira only to fire over on 82 minutes, but Hastings slowed the game down and managed it well in the closing stages, at times opting for gamesmanship, to shut out the Green Lions, who now have to waiting another week for that elusive victory.

Hastings United: Charlie Horlock, Sam Beale, Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, Sinn-Kaye Christie, Dayshonne Golding (Jamie Fielding 76′), Adam Lovatt, Daniel Ajakaiye, Sam Adams ©, Youssouf Bamba (Thomas Vickers 90+2′), Jack Dixon, Thomas Climpson. Not used: Sam Cruttwell, Thomas Taylor, Jamie Fielding, Hassan Ibrahim.

Booked: Beale, Lovatt.