Goals: Seymour 38’ – Allen 66’.

Guernsey’s return to the FA Trophy for the first time in pre-season ended at the first hurdle as a late winner from hosts Barking settled the tie in East London.

A good start to the game was followed by a poor end to the half, by which time the Green Lions found themselves behind.

Ross Allen’s fifth goal of the season, a brilliant free-kick, to level midway through the second half looked like it could be the catalyst for a strong finish but the Green Lions couldn’t capitalise. This feels like an opportunity missed.

Tony Vance’s side opted for the high press early on in a bright start, and it helped create early chances as Liam Mahon and Will Fazakerley were both off target within the first two minutes. The former also saw a shot blocked by a defender’s trailing leg after he was played in by Keanu Marsh, while the latter could only trickle a mishit shot though to Barking stopper Montel Joseph.

In the midst of all that, the Sarnians should have been presented a chance to take the lead from the spot after Allen’s met Mahon’s pulled-back corner and struck towards goal, only for an arm to clearly get in the way of the shot. The clear handball drew huge appeals from the Green Lions and their travelling fans behind the goal, but the referee ignored all. Soon after, Fazakerley came close to getting on the end of Carlos Canha’s teasing ball across the six-yard box.

This all happed within the opening 17 minutes, but then the hosts started to grow into the game as GFC regressed – their performance in this period of the game was later criticised by Vance.

Barking still couldn’t create many clear cut openings – Sam Owusu and Max Bradford being miss-cueing well off target being two of them – but unfortunately one of them led to the opening goal as Michael Dixon ran onto a ball over the top of the defence and squared for captain Abs Seymour to finish precisely into the bottom corner.

Mahon’s pot shot from range that was deflected wide closed out the half, and the Green Lions could have fallen even further behind five minutes into the second period as Tom De La Mare turned into trouble on the edge of his own box. The ball fell to Dixon, who shot early, but captain Jamie Dodd – making his milestone 300th appearance for the club – threw himself in the way to make a vital block, with the ball looping away to safety.

GFC broke away from the resulting corner, with Harry Tobin’s dangerous cross almost allowing Allen to finish at the far post but for Joe Bruce getting a block in.

Guernsey thought they had levelled on 54 minutes as Allen collected a ball across the box from Canha and flashed a delivery towards goal that was turned in by Fazakerley, only for the assistant referee’s flag to chalk off the strike. A minute later, Fazakerley’s low effort was kept out by Joseph at his near post after Frank Tobin had overlapped and crossed.

Bradford cut in from the left and shot only to find Stanton in the way just before the hour, and midway through the half, Guernsey restored parity.

Fazakerley had been bundled to the ground on the left corner of the area, and Allen dispatched the resulting free-kick expertly into the far corner, curling it beautifully out of Joseph’s reach.

There was a real feeling that the Green Lions would go on to win it from this point, but they couldn’t capitalise and had work to do at the other end. Stanton was again in the way as substitute Nana Boakye-Yiadom tried to help a cross towards goal, while Allen fired over the bar from Mahon’s corner with little over 10 minutes to go.

Johnny Ashman’s header just wide was another warning sign in the closing stages as a minute later, Barking were back in front when Ricky Tarbard’s looping long throw glanced off the head of Harry Tobin, with Dixon waiting in the six-yard box to turn and hook the ball into the net.

There was no way back for the Green Lions after that despite the attacking substitutions of Matt Loaring and Robbie Legg, so they will have to dust themselves down and take their frustrations out on Herne Bay next week.

Barking: Montel Joseph, Ricky Tabard, Jordan Peart, Sam Owusu, Jack Hayes, Joe Bruce, Johnny Ashman, Abs Seymour (c), Michael Dixon, Shermandin Artmelaldze, Max Bradford. Not used: Jack Roult, Nana Boakye-Yiadom, Kojo Apenteng, Ryan Mallett, Kenidi Dariri, Daniel Flemming.

Booked: Tarbard.