Goals: O’Toole 76’ – Loaring 88’.

Matt Loaring’s double-figure-reaching late header snatched an unlikely away point for Guernsey against promotion-chasing Horsham on New Years’ Day.

The Hornets should have been well out of sight but wasted a string of good chances to put their hosts to bed in the dying stages and their poor finishing was punished for it as the Green Lions broke away with less than two minutes of normal time remaining to claim a share of the spoils.

Guernsey were pegged back for the majority of the first half with only fleeting moments themselves, one such time coming just five minutes in as an important block in defence led to a swift counter-attack. The ball was swept out to the left for Matt Loaring, whose cross was met by Seb Skillen but the midfielder sliced his volley horribly wide.

Rob O’Toole’s low shot rolled wide and George Hayward should have hit the target as a corner dropped kindly for him but sliced wide.

Callum Stanton was his usual efficient self on his 50th appearance for the club, refusing to be caught out as O’Toole pounced on De La Mare’s slip and shot then getting down quickly to hold as Chris Smith found himself free at the far post and should have buried his effort.

Paris Pereira’s drive towards the edge of the box and left-footed shot brought the first save from Pelling on 25 minutes – a comfortable one as he held by his right-hand post.

Carlos Canha had Guernsey’s best chances of the half, first stinging the palms of Pelling at his near post – with Kieran Mahon just unable to convert a scrambled rebound – and got across his man to meet a corner but saw his header by Steve Metcalf a yard out.

Charlie Harris comfortably cleared the crossbar after Gauvain lost the ball in a dangerous area, while Brivio headed a corner a foot or so over the bar. Smith also curled just wide five minutes before the break.

Despite being under the cosh, it was the Sarnians who could have gone into the interval with the advantage, both times through Gauvain as he fired wide of the far post from outside the area then ran onto a lofted pass over the top of the defence and volleyed wide across goal.

Half-time offered some respite for the visitors, with the Hornets back on it from the restart as Harris smashed in a shot from the edge of the area that cannoned off a defender and behind, with the referee inexplicably awarding a corner.

Pereira’s hold-up play allowed Gauvain to seize possession and arrow an effort at goal from 20 yards, but Pelling got across to his left post to make the save. Canha was presented with an opening a minute later as Dodds’ high cross dropped towards him but he couldn’t make a strong enough connection and Pelling gathered.

The Hornets’ striking duo of O’Toole and Smith each had a chance to earn a lead in quick succession but Smith slipped when well placed at the far post and O’Toole looped a header onto the roof of the net.

The hosts still looked favourite for the points and Stanton easily dealt with a low 25-yarder from Harris, while Tyrell Richardson-Brown blazed over at the far post after the Sarnian defence had crowded out Dean Lovegrove. The winger also dragged well wide of the far post after breaking down the right channel.

It looked like Guernsey’s goal was leading a charmed life as another Hornet blazed over the bar from the edge of the area, and they almost nicked a lead themselves as Pereira’s flicked header from Kieran Mahon’s left-byline cross clipped the outside of the post.

But the pressure finally told for Horsham with just under 15 minutes to go as Harris’ low centre looked to be heading for Stanton’s grasp, only for substitute Jacob Fallaize to lose his footing when tracking his man, and preventing the stopper getting to the ball. With both Fallaize and Stanton sprawled, O’Toole was able to tap into an empty net from a yard out.

It looked as Guernsey were heading for more away-day disappointment but kept plugging away as substitute Will Fazakerley’s flicked header from a corner cleared the far post.

Stanton held again as Harris struck low from 25 yards, while nobody met a promising George Hayward centre as the hosts countered in numbers. The ball was recycled for Hayward on the edge of the area, with Stanton making a strong blocked to deny Horsham a second.

Harris was the most guilty of failing to put the result beyond doubt as he was teed up by Lee Harding but his low shot from a good position was poor and Stanton got down to hold.

Harris and his side were made to pay a minute later, with less than two minutes to go.

The Green Lions went on the counter and Fazakerley exchanged passes with Carlos Canha, the return ball teeing him up for a pinpoint cross to the far post, which Loaring stooped to meet with his head for his 10th goal of the season, sparking delirium in the sizable Guernsey contingent in the crowd.

Four minutes of injury-time promised jangling nerves, with Harding hitting the side netting and a free-kick just about evading everyone in the middle and creeping out of play. A free-kick delivery from Gauvain was also claimed by Pelling with several Sarnian attackers lurking.

The final whistle brought a cry of joy from the visiting crowd, who can consider this an excellent bonus point. Guernsey remain 15th in Bostik South East, with Hastings United beating Ashford United 2-0 in the other New Year’s Day fixture.

Horsham: Josh Pelling, Steve Metcalf, Harvey Sparks, Charlie Harris, Dean Lovegrove, Dylan Merchant, Jack Brivio (Joy Taylor 64’), George Hayward, Rob O’Toole, Chris Smith (Lee Harding 73’), Tyrell Richardson-Brown (James McElligott 83’). Not used: Tom Baxter.